So it is Christmas. This time of year means a lot of things to a lot of people. There are a multitude of observances by a multitude of belief systems. To Christians, the followers of the namesake of Christmas, it is a time to reflect on what God did for mankind over 2,000 years ago. …
Do you remember 1985? The eighties were a very strange time in America. We were still finding our way into the modern world. Disco was dead but the hair wasn’t. Ronald Reagan was sworn in for his second term. Microsoft launched Windows 1.1 and Nintendo introduced NES game system. We still bought our music on …
It is that time of year again, when we pause and ponder the things in life that we are thankful for. The Pilgrims started this idea, and presidents have reinforced it by proclamation ever since. Imagine that, in times of national distress, war, even pandemics, we are encouraged and unified in a single effort to …
It all began innocently enough. We had a houseful of young kids (okay, three, ages 10-15) back in the year 2000, and we knew if we were to all survive, we needed more room. So, we designed and added a master bedroom suite, separated from the kids as much as was geographically possible, with a …
If you are of my generation, you recall the plane crash in 1977 that claimed the lives of three of the members of Lynyrd Skynyrd, including founder and front man Ronnie Van Zant. At his funeral, Charlie Daniels, of some fame himself, sang the old hymn Amazing Grace: Amazing grace, how sweet the sound That …
Do you remember your first time? Is the place etched in your memory, the sounds, the smells, the people you were with? Is your first time a permanent piece of you, a fixed and unforgettable slice of time? Firsts are important. They define our understanding, shape our future expectations, lay a foundation for what will …
One of the great reasons to live in East Tennessee, and Soddy-Daisy, in particular, is the climate of safety and security. Out here in the suburbs and rural areas, crime is nearly non-existent. Sure, there is drug crime and petty crime, but serious, violent crime is virtually unheard of. In my 25 years living here, …
Remember when you were a kid and a new kid showed up? The new kid had different habits, customs, ideas. He couldn’t help it – he came from a different background, maybe a different culture. It was all okay until you played Monopoly. It seems everybody has their own idea what the rules are to …
I used to spend time on the river. No, not like that. I don’t own a boat or a place on the river. I listed and sold homes on the river, and one in particular was on the Tennessee River, just before the gorge, so I used to have to drive down there regularly. But …
My parents were poor – Dad was California poor; Mom was Kentucky poor. Dad wanted more and became self-educated, a man always learning, always expecting us kids to do the same. Mom was okay with her Kentucky roots – as they say, she was never “puttin’ on airs” but was content with who she was. …
