RAILROAD TIE
We love in a Civil War era house. Over the years, we’ve used ailroad ties for borders and retaining walls. Many people think we are trying to leverage the “timber” thing to be congruent with the house’s age. Then they find out Keith is a railroad journeyman, and the surmise the real reason. Free ties. Keith replaced a bunch of really old ones last year that we had to buy since he no longer has connections. He made a nice retaining wall in the front of the house, but one tie was significantly lighter than the rest. It irked me every time I arrived home. Today, after an errand, I drove up and the albino tie had been spray-tanned by my exceedingly artistic and loving husband. I didn’t even pull in the driveway. I drove straight to Dairy Queen and bought him a Turtle Ice Cream Cake with frosting that spelled out “railroad tie.” We get these about once a decade so he was over the moon!

FLAG DAY
I am ashamed to say it has been almost two months since my friend Larry lent me this book. In my defense, I first had to finish what I’d started before this undertaking. What better day than Flag Day to launch our first summer book read: Bill of Obligations by Richard Haase. It’s about the 10 “obligations” of Americans, in contrast to the 10 “rights” memorialized in the Bill of Rights. My role is to read the book aloud and Keith is supposed to make sound effects. Summer reads are usually reserved for beach fiction or YA fiction. We’ll see how it works out.

RAILROAD TIE
We love in a Civil War era house. Over the years, we’ve used ailroad ties for borders and retaining walls. Many people think we are trying to leverage the “timber” thing to be congruent with the house’s age. Then they find out Keith is a railroad journeyman, and the surmise the real reason. Free ties. Keith replaced a bunch of really old ones last year that we had to buy since he no longer has connections. He made a nice retaining wall in the front of the house, but one tie was significantly lighter than the rest. It irked me every time I arrived home. Today, after an errand, I drove up and the albino tie had been spray-tanned by my exceedingly artistic and loving husband. I didn’t even pull in the driveway. I drove straight to Dairy Queen and bought him a Turtle Ice Cream Cake with frosting that spelled out “railroad tie.” We get these about once a decade so he was over the moon!

FLAG DAY
I am ashamed to say it has been almost two months since my friend Larry lent me this book. In my defense, I first had to finish what I’d started before this undertaking. What better day than Flag Day to launch our first summer book read: Bill of Obligations by Richard Haase. It’s about the 10 “obligations” of Americans, in contrast to the 10 “rights” memorialized in the Bill of Rights. My role is to read the book aloud and Keith is supposed to make sound effects. Summer reads are usually reserved for beach fiction or YA fiction. We’ll see how it works out.

CLOTH LOVE
As we celebrated Raggedy Ann & Andy Day, I found their humility made the occasion feel auspicious. Of course, it compelled me to write this ode to this cloth duo of love.

RAGGEDY ANN & ANDY DAY
I can’t believe I was missing this holiday for 73 years! I discovered it last month and resolved to give them their due. Hmmm? How do two old folks celebrate dolls from their childhood. How about some sort of baked bean slop and biscuits served in an old pie plate. Seems congruent with the A&A vibe, right. Invite the dolls who live upstairs in the toy room. Chat about their enduring innocence and goodness. Then write a poem. Maybe next year we’ll graduate to more ado. Perhaps I’ll write a storybook and Keith can illustrate it?

RAGGEDY ANN & ANDY DAY
I can’t believe I was missing this holiday for 73 years! I discovered it last month and resolved to give them their due. Hmmm? How do two old folks celebrate dolls from their childhood. How about some sort of baked bean slop and biscuits served in an old pie plate. Seems congruent with the A&A vibe, right. Invite the dolls who live upstairs in the toy room. Chat about their enduring innocence and goodness. Then write a poem. Maybe next year we’ll graduate to more ado. Perhaps I’ll write a storybook and Keith can illustrate it?

CLOTH LOVE
As we celebrated Raggedy Ann & Andy Day, I found their humility made the occasion feel auspicious. Of course, it compelled me to write this ode to this cloth duo of love.

FATHERS DAY CARDS
I saw some cute ideas for Father’s Day cards so I thought I’d make one. I did three verrsions for dad, step dad, and grandfather. Then I sent them off to the grandkids for their consideration. I like fun little mindless projects to cleanse my brain’s palate. Fun!

FATHERS DAY CARDS
I saw some cute ideas for Father’s Day cards so I thought I’d make one. I did three verrsions for dad, step dad, and grandfather. Then I sent them off to the grandkids for their consideration. I like fun little mindless projects to cleanse my brain’s palate. Fun!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, MAGGIE & DAN
My precious daughter and her equally precious husband celebrated the victories and challenges of a marriage that has endured and brought deep joy and meaning - not to mention three beautiful children - to their family life together. As parents, two of our greatest wishes for our daughters is that they would have a great love and a loving family. Granted!

PRESLEY FINDS HER NICHE
Presley and I had a business meerting at Panera. She was able to complete her first assignment in my Start-up Accelerator. She listed her passions, described the market for each, and found three potential business ideas in here three favorite niches for a total of nine potential money-makers, although there is potential to combine them. She honed in on two niches: a service business helping people organize, and a product centered business catering to people with curly hair. We had some lively discussions as we ventured into Step 2: Define Your Target Customer. After we met, I did some research to identify the regulatory requirements for the hair care products she would like to make. Her good work earrned a trip through the Starbuck’s drive-through on the way home.

ETHNIC NIGHT: GERMAN
I try to cook at least one ethnic dinner a month for Keith and I to enjoy. They’re seldom fantastic, but made special by the fuss around them. Service in the dining room is always best. Then picking dinner music with ethnic root is always important. Finding some treasure with a matching ethnicity to add to the centerpiece. And, of course, the dinner plates! Thanks to rummage sales and thrift stores, I have two dozen sets of two: French, Indian, Italian, Japanese, etc. And I can always use plainer china and let the linens do the work. Then a little ethnic-ish dessert and dancing. It all makes the mediocre quality of my cooking a little more forgivable.

ETHNIC NIGHT: GERMAN
I try to cook at least one ethnic dinner a month for Keith and I to enjoy. They’re seldom fantastic, but made special by the fuss around them. Service in the dining room is always best. Then picking dinner music with ethnic root is always important. Finding some treasure with a matching ethnicity to add to the centerpiece. And, of course, the dinner plates! Thanks to rummage sales and thrift stores, I have two dozen sets of two: French, Indian, Italian, Japanese, etc. And I can always use plainer china and let the linens do the work. Then a little ethnic-ish dessert and dancing. It all makes the mediocre quality of my cooking a little more forgivable.

100 PHOTO ASSIGNMENTS
I started working on a Photography for Kids website over a year ago. My goal is to finish it by the end of June. It’s probably 80% done. The biggest project is to get some actual photos taken by kids (target: middle school to high school). So I defined 100 photo assignments (10 assignments in each of 10 categories). I solicited my first photographer (Presley). She will snap one set (10 pictures). Hopefully, she’s not too expensive. Pres plans on using Lilly for her model.

100 PHOTO ASSIGNMENTS
I started working on a Photography for Kids website over a year ago. My goal is to finish it by the end of June. It’s probably 80% done. The biggest project is to get some actual photos taken by kids (target: middle school to high school). So I defined 100 photo assignments (10 assignments in each of 10 categories). I solicited my first photographer (Presley). She will snap one set (10 pictures). Hopefully, she’s not too expensive. Pres plans on using Lilly for her model.