The Clever Railroad Engineer
Long before the days of cell phones a clever railroad engineer in my hometown of Auburn, Washington, devised a method to signal his wife that he was almost home. When his train had passed the old Neely Mansion heading west on the Northern Pacific line he blasted two toots on the engine horn. His home […]
Romance in the Ring Tone
You can tell a lot about a person from their ring tone. My default ring tone “Who Let the Dogs Out” by the Baha Men is an indicator of my University of Washington Husky roots. But after our recent thrashings on the gridiron I might want to change it to, “Please Release Me (from my […]
Sacrifices, Sacrifices
Every few years Laurie and I go to Ashland, Oregon with Julie, a college friend to enjoy a few plays at the Shakespeare festival. We often tie in a short rafting trip and other excursions in the southern Oregon countryside. In the early years of this tradition we traveled with Julie’s parents. When Julie’s mother […]
Right Words, Right Time
When you say something can be even more important than what you say. My best personal example of that principle was when my wife, Laurie and I lived in Germany during the waning days of the Cold War. It was common to meet friends at the local Gasthaus where excellent German beer was cheaper than […]
Giving Away Your Birthday
How many times have you asked someone, “What do you want for their birthday,” and they’ve replied, “I have everything I need.” Frankly, that’s true of most of us. We have what we need. There may be things we want or desire, but certainly don’t need. On the recent occasion of my birthday I asked for […]
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