Posts in category 'Just For Fun'

A change of scenery is always a good thing. I've noted in past articles that I do enjoy change. At a half-century old I really do enjoy my normal routine, but getting out for adventures is still very high on my list. This week we are in Paonia, Colorado. We have no friends or family here. It's just a place my honey used to live and has always wanted to revisit with me. Aside from the destruction of local businesses due to the pandemic, this is a great little town.

My favorite part so far, besides the chickens wandering around the property, is how dark it is at night. As I type this, we're kicking off International Dark Sky Week. Sitting in the lawn chairs at night is simply sublime. It feels like camping with the lack of light pollution around. The only time I enjoyed darker skies was in the desert in Morocco. It's no secret w...

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If you've been reading along all these years, you've figured out that I'm on the precipice of my half-century mark. For the non math majors out there, that also means that my parents are approaching that age where they may need a bit of help from time to time. Whether it's to open that persnickety jar of pickles or simply being "there" when one of them recovers from surgery or an illness, pitching in as they enter their twilight is simply part of the deal. I'm often reminded (by my older brother, no less) that they DID house, feed, clothe and care for us for the better part of 18 years. The least we can do is offer our support for a few years now.

Today I'd like to take a peek at some considerations of the in-law apartment. I know there are typically dozens of factors that go into the decision about housing for mom and dad. First...

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I've enjoyed the roomy space of a 5,000 square foot home and honestly loved my 300 square foot cabin in Lincoln. It goes without saying, the larger homes I have occupied provided far more space (obviously) to "live". You have room and a spot for all of your stuff. The Christmas decorations have a home and don't have to live under the bed. Of course everything related to a larger home is more expensive. Heating, cooling and every repair or remodeling job is exponentially more costly.

In this time of sheltering in place, as a society we have become more keenly aware of our living conditions and our level of satisfaction therein. So will we see a shift? Are the days of the "tiny home" numbered? During this odd time in our lives the folks at realtor.com® and Toluna Insights surveyed 1,300 homeowners to get their thoughts on their l...

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Here we sit at day "whatever" of this unprecedented turn of events. Granted, some of you may have lived through similar circumstances, but most of us have never been told to "shelter in place". This is uncharted territory and my suggestion today is to simply take a quick step back and think about what you could do to help out someone else. This situation (for lack of a better term) is causing unforeseen repercussions in our families and communities. I don't know about you, but I'm most certainly feeling the effects.

I read an article last week that really hit home. It talked about the fact that the emotion many of us are feeling is grief. At first it didn't make sense, but the author went on to talk about those things we have lost. We have lost the freedom to hug our loved ones and swing by for a visit. We have lost our relatively...

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Depending on when you are reading this, the new year has likely begun. If you are like me, you stayed out WAY too late on Tuesday night. And, since my birthday (still not quite yet 50 years old.), is on Sunday, I am still enjoying a couple of lazy days. Those include getting out in the snowy woods followed by some good quality time on the couch! I'm super excited about this new year and new decade! Today I'd like to take a little time to peek ahead and see what's in store.

A dear friend of mine introduced me to a fantastic, introspective exercise that I think we can all benefit from. It is a simple process of looking "back" and "forward" through the last/next decade. You basically choose the three things you are most proud of in the last decade and dig a little into the "why" behind those. Then you shift the focus on the future...

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