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Olympic-Sized Challenges Are Everywhere

There is a song that reminds us that “It’s summertime, and the living is easy.” Well, I guess that’s true for some folks. I don’t imagine there is anything easy about summertime for the hundreds of men and women competing at the Olympics in Paris. We have tuned into some of the events that grab our attention, flipping channels to catch various competitions. Who can’t be amazed by the gymnastic events featuring some of this country’s finest athletes? The floor and bar performances are breathtaking to watch. You have to imagine that somewhere along the way to the Olympics ...

Number, Please

For 10 cents, I could call home from a public pay phone or phone booth. Then the price rose to 25 cents. Absurd, I thought as a grade schooler and later as a teen. I’m not sure if pay phones even exist anymore, let alone those glass enclosed phone booths with the folding door. When I was in grade school, I would take shelter in the phone booth that was located on National Road in front of the Hundley Ford car dealership. The phone booth provided some escape from the rain or snow as I waited for the public transit bus after attending a Girl Scout meeting at school. There was no use ...

Goosebumps All Over Again

The temperature outside was nearing 90 degrees. However, a sudden chill ran through my body. This goosebump moment had nothing to do with the weather. It was something that just came across every social media and news outlet within earshot of where I was having dinner with several family members that brought about my condition. It was the moment the press was screaming out the fact that former President Donald Trump had been grazed by a bullet from a would-be assassin. Then seeing the footage of the shooting at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania that took at least one innocent life and ...

Riding Out Summer

Summertime is noted for many much-awaited events. They include picnics, a dip in a cooling outdoor pool, a variety of festivals, yard sales and car shows. Yes, car shows are high on the list of many Ohio Valley residents. Whether you are the proud owner of a 1960-something Corvette, a custom-painted Harley or a brand new four-wheeler, car shows are most likely on your summer bucket list. During the warm weather months and into early fall, vehicle enthusiasts bring out their prized vehicles to show off to the rest of us. Some of the shows are simple gatherings — such as those that ...

Knowing Your Place At The Table

This summer’s bird-watching ritual has grown into a full-fledged lesson on the order of life. Our bird feeders have attracted more interest than usual with a wider array of winged creatures visiting. To our delight, the Baltimore orioles returned right on schedule to dip their beaks into the rich grape jelly we provide. The uniquely designed jelly feeder allows the birds to rest and eat at the same time. The only downfall has been the intrusion of a pesky squirrel and a pair of overweight raccoons. After several attempts to block the unwanted jelly thieves, we simply remove the ...

Beating The Heat

As I write this column, we are in the throes of a major heat wave. Nothing we do really prepares us for this because we don’t experience it every day like they do in other parts of our country. Here in the Ohio Valley we have had our share of hot and steamy summers, but these scorching, dry days are frightening. The danger of wildfires should keep us all on alert. Imagine being a firefighter who has to don a 50 pound pack of equipment to fight a fire or rescue someone from an accident. It’s hard to even comprehend the toll that takes on a human body. I’m sure frozen Twin Pops ...