Category: Daily Life

I just returned from a great trip to Ghana. I was amazed by all the building going on in Tamale, the fastest growing city in Western Africa. The majority of the buildings I saw in town were cement block. I enjoyed watching some really gifted masons apply a thin layer of concrete over the blocks for the finished product. Many buildings in the city were in various stages of completion. There were some I remember seeing last year that didn’t appear to have one new block laid. The grass growing inside them was even taller. …

The three of us crested the long steep grade in southern Ohio. Though it is classified as only a foothill, my back and I had to disagree. This was a meet-up hike of ten nature-loving souls, and instead of moving forward convoy-like on the trail, we nearly always broke into small groups. My group of three had enough altitude to see over into the Ohio River Valley. And the large group of rain clouds moving in our direction. I know how to deal with a threat of rain. I dig into my pack for my …

I was seven when I felt my first itch to become a man. Looking back, I’m surprised at my courageous venture to scratch that early itch. And it didn’t hurt that I had people. At that time of my life I lived along a quiet country road that turned east out of a small Ohio town. The first four houses belonged to my immediate and extended family. All four houses had huge yards and long drives. Each property was separated from the others by a patch of woods. The quarter-mile stretch they sat on was …

For whatever reason, I tend to say things in duplicate. For example, the other day I gave directions to the counter girl at Culver’s twice on how to customize my Cement Mixer (their version of a DQ Blizzard). Sadly, though, the standard mixture was delivered to my table instead. Delicious, mind you, but not concocted to the specifications I had requested. Twice. (On a previous visit, they were the ones who suggested the custom blend in the first place. Go figure.) The custard still tasted good, but I had to swallow a little disappointment with it. Was …

My barber’s jokes are not too bad. At least they’re usually a step above Dad jokes. One of his latest: What do you do when you come to a fork in the road? Answer: Take it. I didn’t get it right away, and I’m still not sure I do, but I always laugh at my barber’s jokes since he holds the clippers. There was a time many years ago when I came to that fork in the road myself. Life had just given me a one-two punch in the heart. Ahead of me were some …

My wife and I used to volunteer once a month at a local nursing home, equipped only with conversation and Kleenex. Not that we expected our room visits would bring any tears; it was just that the residents always appreciated the opportunity to add another box of tissues to their stash. Another stash the residents treasured was prizes via bingo: sunglasses, necklaces, bracelets, and hats. There were other prizes I can’t recall, except that they were colorful and glitzy like the others. A yearly carnival was held that offered more prizes, just in case there was …