The older you get, the more you become surprised that you are able to be surprised by anything. You figure you have been around the block too many times and seen too many things for there to be many surprises. And sadly, sometimes, older folk lose their sense of wonder, their ability to be amazed, altogether. This year has however been different. I don’t suppose there will ever be a ‘new normal’ after Christy died prematurely almost two years ago... Read more

Suppose you were asked— what is the most valuable book in America? I doubt anyone without prior knowledge would say— The Book of Psalms, but that would be the correct answer. About a month ago, one of eleven extant copies of the original Bay Psalm Book produced by the Puritans in 1640 sold at auction for— wait for it $14.5 million dollars. This copy was one of two which belonged to the Old South Church in Boston, who sold it... Read more

While Americans are busily treating Dec. 26th as ‘exchange day’ when they take unwanted Christmas presents back to the stores and exchange them for something they like better, the British, and other nations in the British Commonwealth (and other European nations) are busily celebrating Boxing Day. Here is the Wiki summary of what it is… “Boxing Day is traditionally the day following Christmas Day, when servants and tradesmen would receive gifts from their bosses or employers, known as a “Christmas... Read more

Christmas has been hard around here for the last two years. This is because our Christmas angel, pictured above, died suddenly Jan. 11th 2011. This Christmas will be different as well, as we go to Jacksonville, to be with my Mom and sister— in the heat of Florida. I’ve never experienced Christmas like that. What happens when you have a child who suddenly and unexpectedly dies, especially a child who so loved Christmas, and was always the distributor of the... Read more