Two Gents' Worth
January 10, 2025
Civil Society
Yes, the time has nearly come for us to leave this most magical of all places. I’m talking, of course, about Mr. Disney’s little retreat in Florida — the one that Walt dreamed up, magnificently, decades ago — and then, unfortunately, never got the chance to see and enjoy. Disney World in Orlando is not…
Read More about Thanks, Walt
Civil Society
A few days back, a compatriot from my long-ago Fresno High days sent me a message on Facebook. She asked: “Do you guys ever stay home?” Another former FHS classroom companion commented, via Facebook: “No moss on you!” They both were responding to recent postings about Sharon and my latest sojourn, this one to Walt’s…
Read More about A Disney Thanksgiving
Civil Society
Yes, the time has finally come to leave this Heart of the Great American Heartland and motor our way back West. We’ve had a great, extended summer here in Ames. Five months that included plenty of walks through Old Town, with its lovely old Victorians fronted by giant trees that canopy streets; numerous visits to…
Read More about So Long, Ames
Civil Society
Autumn has arrived here in the Midwest, on schedule — both on the calendar and in real life. The signs are everywhere. We’re experiencing lovely crystal-clear, blue-sky days and sparkling, chilly nights. If you’re a star-gazer — and I am — it’s delightful these evenings, being able to see — without a filter of smog…
Read More about Autumn in the Heartland
Civil Society
We hit the road about a week ago — yes, once again interrupting our summer-long stay in Ames to make a side trip — this time, to the West. We rented a car and took off toward South Dakota. We’d never been there, and we knew there were a few things we needed to see…
Read More about Our Bucket List Trip
Civil Society
Fourth of July celebrations came back to Ames this weekend, and they were greeted the same way you greet a long-lost, beloved friend. Last year on the Fourth, Ames virtually was shut down. No fireworks. No parade. Yes, the coronavirus pandemic had done its nasty work all too well. Ames was a ghost town a…
Read More about Our Festive Fourth
Civil Society
We interrupted our summer-long stay in Ames to take a whirlwind trip to Washington, DC, this week. We wanted to see Brad and Nicole after nearly two years of coronavirus-mandated distancing. We wanted to re-visit some of our favorite Smithsonians. And we wanted to see the Nats play baseball. We did all that, and we…
Read More about Our Side Trip to the Capital
Civil Society
We’ve been here in Ames — aka, the Heart of the Great American Heartland — for a couple of weeks now, and I’m delighted to say everything is back to normal. I could not say that last summer — when, as you’ll recall, the coronavirus had disrupted everything near and dear to all of us….
Read More about That Heartland NormalcyCivil Society
Yes, we’re back in Ames after another arduous trip that stretched over 2,000 miles and took us through such spots as Bakersfield, Tehachapi, Mohave, Barstow, Kingman, Flagstaff, Gallup, Albuquerque, Amarillo, Oklahoma City, Wichita and Kansas City. We saw some quite-exquisite scenery, stayed in some mostly nice motels and paid outrageously high prices for gas in…
Read More about Iowa, Oh, Iowa