Original anecdotes, commentary, rumination, and occasional pontification.
DECEMBER 12, 2023 – Like many of my readers—“left,” “right,” or “center” or all three at once but among a swath of issues—my hair’s set on fire every time I stick my head above the trench and into the trajectories of bombs and bullets of “Breaking News.” In some cases—most notably, Ukraine, Gaza, and gun …
DECEMBER 11. 2023 – Each December I’m shocked and amused by the horse-drawn buggy method that Minnesota lawyers must follow to file their annual reports. The operation is run by the “Office of Lawyers Professional Responsibility” established by the Minnesota Supreme Court. By statutue, each law firm operating in the state must certify annually that …
DECEMBER 10, 2023 – Nearly always a huge gap separates someone’s bizarre dream from the person’s description of it. Inevitably, the bright, colorful details of a dream fade quickly, though the general impression holds firm, at least through the dreamer’s transition into consciousness. “Oh my gosh but I had the weirdest dream last night!” your …
DECEMBER 9, 2023 – Friday morning it was “Sassafras” who showed up—fairly late—at the back door. Under her North Face down parka was her unicorn gown, and under that, her new Korean kitty-kat PJs courtesy of “K-Grand Aunt.” Beth reminded me that it was “Pajama Day” at school. Apparently our granddaughter had had a rough …
DECEMBER 8, 2023 – After school yesterday, Beth picked up Illiana from school and ferried her back to our house to play for a while before swimming class at 5:00. I was disappointed I couldn’t join in fun around the house, but I was in the middle of a three-hour Zoom conference. With my microphone …
DECEMBER 7, 2023 – Late last night after a pleasant day filled with numerous wonders, I watched 20 minutes worth of the fourth Republican Presidential Debate (so called). DeSantis and Ramaswamy managed to set my hair on fire, while two or three times Chris Christie made me cheer out loud when calling out his colleagues …
DECEMBER 6, 2023 – A regular feature of life at our house is our granddaughter’s drop-off on weekday mornings. Her dad—our older son—pulls into our driveway on his way to work, and out hops “Sassafras” or “Sweetie Pie,” depending on how late she got to bed the night before, though “Sweetie Pie” is the far …
DECEMBER 5, 2023 – Yesterday evening after scoring a sugar high from “doughnut-making” time with Grandma, our eight-year-old granddaughter was packed off for home. As Grandma herself then realized that her “supper” had featured . . . doughnuts with icing colored (by our granddaughter) in imitation of automotive fluid and over-adorned with “sprinkles.” If I …
DECEMBER 4, 2023 -I have a friend who invariably says, “No one is an A-student at everything,” when he encounters someone highly accomplished at one thing or another but is otherwise a klutz, rank amateur, or D-student. I thought about this the other day when a client of mine described a good customer who knew …
DECEMBER 3, 2023 – Yesterday evening we enjoyed a brief visit with our younger-son-Byron’s birth-mother, whom he—and the rest of our family—refer to as “K-Mom.” The “K” stands for “Korea,” which is where K-Mom lives and Byron was born. He first parted company with K-Mom immediately after delivery; the two were reunited for the first …
DECEMBER 2, 2023 – As a tree hugger I suppose I’ve always been a hypocrite when it came to Christmas trees: at Yuletide—with kid-like glee—I revel in the arboreal grave lot by the supermarket. As the aromatic Fraser and balsam firs, Scotch and white pine gasp their last into the December air, I’m filled with …
DECEMBER 2, 2023 – In my search for new direction (see yesterday’s post), this morning I checked Bloomberg.com—my go-to news source—glanced at a few headlines, then clicked on “AI.” Whenever I see “AI,” I still mistake the “I” for an “l,” as in “Hal,” without the “H.” Hal, of course, was the computer-gone-rogue aboard the …
NOVEMBER 30, 2023 – For readers who’ve followed this blog since June 1, I’ve managed daily postings of two memoirs; writing projects with ample material that simply required assembly. Each day I reviewed plans, gathered parts, and applied tools to the task. Never did I experience “writer’s block.” Today, however, I find myself without map …
NOVEMBER 29, 2023 REMEMBERANCE 505 RICE STREET, ANOKA, MN – APRIL 20, 2011 / BJÖRNHOLM, GRINDSTONE LAKE, NW WI – A WEEK LATER After a year of evenings and weekends clearing out the house, the property was ready for sale. Included was Björn’s house and kennel, overgrown with vegetation but otherwise undisturbed since Dad had …
NOVEMBER 28, 2023 “FULL CIRCLE” CLIFTON TOWNSHIP, WI – MAY 31, 1995 She was named Maia Grace after her great grandmother on Jenny’s side and her grandmother on Garrison’s side. Born on December 29, 1997 in New York City, Jenny and Garrison’s daughter made her Minnesota debut a couple of weeks into January. Her christening, …
NOVEMBER 27, 2023 APHC, LUNCH, DINNER, AND A WEDDING KENNEDY CENTER, WASHINGTON, D.C. – DECEMBER 10, 1994 / DOCKS OYSTER BAR, NYC – SOMETIME IN EARLY 1995/ST. MICHAEL’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH AND LA MIRABELLE, NYC – NOVEMBER 21, 1995 As the sell-out Kennedy Center crowd wound down its enthusiastic applause, the “ON THE AIR” sign on …
NOVEMBER 26, 2023 AT HOME WITH A PRAIRIE COMPANION ANOKA, MN – DECEMBER 10, 1994 On that early Saturday evening, Mother and Dad cut a classic Norman Rockwellian image as they sat in the living room, their ears and eyes focused on the stereo tuner. Along with the rest of the national audience of around …
NOVEMBER 25, 2023 “THE FINAL JOURNEY” ANOKA, MN – JULY 13, 1979/BJÖRNHOLM – GRINDSTONE LAKE, NW WI – JULY 14, 1979 Mother made the arrangements. It had always been that way—Dad making the decisions and Mother carrying them out. But when it came to the actual trip to Doc Andberg, Dad alone assumed the burden. …
NOVEMBER 24, 2023 “LAST LEGS” ANOKA, MN – JULY 9 – 10, 1979 After dinner Dad changed out of his office attire and with a reluctant gait headed back to the kennel. He carried the leash—out of habit, no longer as as a precaution. Ever since I’d trained Björn a dozen years before, he heeled …
NOVEMBER 23, 2023 “THE PORTRAIT” BJÖRNHOLM – AUGUST 1974 The years passed. As my sisters and I pursued our training and educations away from home, our parents continued their old routines, which for Mother included preparing Björn’s daily meal, and for Dad, taking Björn for long daily walks. Every August our parents . . . …
NOVEMBER 22, 2023 “BJÖRNHOLM” – GRINDSTONE LAKE, NW WISCONSIN – JANUARY 1, 1972 / AUGUST 5, 1972 My arms loaded with firewood, I trudged through the snow from the woodpiles and toward the back steps of the cabin. Millions of stars lit up the heavens above, and the bitter cold of the first day of …
NOVEMBER 21, 2023 “ONE SMALL STEP FOR A MAN . . .” ANOKA, MINNESOTA – JULY 1969 Dad exited the courthouse and walked to his Buick Special, parked in the adjoining lot. The blue sedan was his first ever brand new car, but it was a base model with no frills. He had negotiated the …
NOVEMBER 20, 2023 A MAN’S BEST FRIEND ANOKA, MINNESOTA – DECEMBER 1968 We piled into the house to the sound of dueling three-octave scales and arpeggios emanating from the two violins upstairs. “We” were Mother, Dad with my suitcase, Jenny, and I in my white shirt, tie and Sterling blazer showing through my open overcoat. …
NOVEMBER 19, 2023 “BEST IN CLASS” CRAFTSBURY COMMON, VERMONT – SEPTEMBER 1968 As any preppie of that era could tell you, some aspects of boarding school were to be cherished and some were to be hated. What I liked most about Sterling School were the surroundings—Vermont at its finest. The school sat atop a hill …
NOVEMBER 18, 2023 FAILING THE GRADE ANOKA, MN – SEPTEMBER 1967 – END OF AUGUST 1968 Dad loved history and politics, which is probably why from an early age, I loved both too. Dad subscribed to American Heritage magazine, and by the time I reached my teens, years of bi-monthly, hard-bound editions had accumulated on …