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THE NORTH BEND OF COOS BAY

Who saw this messy map and thought, “That’s where I’m going?”
My parents, apparently.
This is where they raised their family.
I asked the old man, who had grown up in a logging company town, whose hometown was tougher, his or mine?
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GARDEN PARTY REMINISCING

Remember your first garden party when you invited people over to the house to see what you planted, what you’ve grown?
It’s a touching moment to behold after years of planning.
You build a raised bed like the picture here, and buy plants you just know will grow.
And they did.

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“CALLS OUT” PUT ‘ON THE SPOT’

What does “calls out” mean other than another way of saying “Hey You?”
““Why Do You Have To Leave Practice?”: Michael Irvin Calls Out Justin Herber.””
If you’re ‘calling someone out’ it’s most likely about something that’s none of your business.
Calls Out = Nosey Nellie? For example:

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NATURE SIGNS TO WATCH FOR

When you make a plan to see nature up close, expect nature signs.
Follow the message of the signs for best results.
Do that and you’ll return home with sweet memories and solid experiences with exciting pictures to share.
If it’s your first time out in the wild, pay extra attention.
You can thank me later. Or now. This nature sign was in the cabin:

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OFF GRID, NO PHONE SERVICE, BUT . . .

I’ve had mixed results with off grid peace and quiet.
Once I stayed in a place the had no telephones in the rooms for just that purpose, peace and quiet.
Sounded very thoughtful until a road grader started grinding across the parking lot pavement the next morning.
It couldn’t have been any closer if it had come through the front door.
My wife and I both chuckle when we talk about our honeymoon. One of us does.
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toughen up

LIFE STAGES WITH ELISABETH KUBLER-ROSS

    Instead of death and dying, use the same grief progression for living and life stages. It fits just as well, after all no one said life was easy. Sometimes living is a downer until we find something to live for.   Life stages go beyond the chronographic scale, like the Terrible Twenties, the […]

WORLD CANCER DAY DIFFERENCE FOR EVERY CANCER TREATMENT

Everyone is different. How different is the question. And the answer?   World Cancer Day is one of the differences. Some embrace it, some ignore it, while still others share.   Call this a share.  

WHAT PEOPLE NEED AND WHAT THEY DON’T SAY

What people need is a break from their trials.   An old joke goes like this: How do you catch a unique rabbit? You ‘nique up on it. How do you catch a tame rabbit? The tame way, you ‘nique up on it. It’s pretty funny if it’s the only joke of the week. More […]

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boomer years

HIKING BABY BOOMER PORTLAND, pt 1

Not one to miss a chance to reflect positively, I strolled Portland’s upper west side from 11th and PSU to the Central Library. It makes sense on the first Tuesday of each month. That’s when Willamette Writers, the largest writing organization in the state, holds its month meeting. I head down early on those days […]

FOR THE LADIES ON MEMORIAL DAY

Men get most of the attention on military holidays even it’s not Memorial Day For Men, or Male Veteran’s Day. Those days include women, but mostly as a second thought, and it’s military women. Please remember the men and women who died in uniform. They’ve earned our respect from the Civil War to Afghanistan. Young […]

BOOMERPDX AND THE WEEPING GUITAR

Music Lesson To Life Lesson And Back To Music. Personal history is tricky. Everyone has one and they’re all better than yours. At least that’s the idea of avoiding writing personal history stories. How many times have you told of an experience and someone listening says, “The same thing happened to me, except…” and their […]

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buckle up

MILITARY PARADE IN ELEVEN ARMY MEDIC VETERAN STEPS

    1. Join the service and serve the agreed upon time. USMC, USN, USA, USAF, etc.   2. Go to boot camp. If it’s the hardest thing you’ve ever done the rest of your life, you’re not trying hard enough.   3. Go to school and get qualified to do a military job.   […]

NYC SUBWAY CHRISTMAS FAIL

Overheard in the mall. “One Christmas fail made me frightened to ride the subway.” I borrowed a suit from a friend, sky blue, for the office Christmas party that turned into the biggest Christmas fail. The only reason it doesn’t count is I wasn’t married or had kids or lived at home. It was me […]

How To Sake Bomb

Start A Boomer Birthday Right What goes best with sushi? Ask your server at Mio Sushi. Ours recommended the traditional Sake Bomb. Sake Bomb? Huh? That’s what I asked. Am I the only baby boomer who’s never heard of it? And why is it called a bomb? Start with Japanese beer, like Sapporo, and a […]

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