Das Boat

  A boat is a hole in the water you pour money into. ∼Author unknown     I sold our travel trailer this summer. It had been on a seasonal site at a campground in Central Wisconsin for the past several years. Prior to that we had a mobile home on Lake Puckaway, not too […]

Bill & Gus

  When the world is so complicated, the simple gift of friendship is within all of our hands. ∼ Maria Shriver       In our little corner of the world, we’ve often shopped at our local Farm & Fleet. (Blaine’s Farm & Fleet, to be exact).   Though traditionally catering to local farmers, over […]

The Bait Shop

  It’s 106 miles to Chicago, we’ve got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes; it’s dark and we’re wearing sunglasses. —Elwood Blues, “The Blues Brothers” (1980)       A recent discussion on an outdoor forum, centered around restaurants in downtown Chicago. Having visited Chicago many times for business, family visits […]

Henry Kissinger; Nixon’s Point Man

  Do not confuse covert action with missionary work. ∼ Henry Kissinger   If you look into Richard Nixon’s role in the Vietnam War, you will also uncover a lot of information on the dour-faced Henry Kissinger who was Nixon’s confidant and trusted assistant regarding management of the war in Southeast Asia. Because of Kissinger’s […]

Ho Chi Minh, in Five Acts

  A poet must learn to wage war. ∼Ho Chi Minh   Ho Chi Minh (May 19, 1890 – Sept 2, 1969) was a Vietnamese national, and the enigmatic, well-traveled leader of various political organizations in the early twentieth century, and the leader of communist Vietnam from 1945 until his death in 1969. As his […]

LBJ Sells His War

  If you’re a politician and you can’t tell when you walk into a room who’s for you and who’s against you, then you’re in the wrong line of work. ∼Lyndon B Johnson   Lyndon Baines Johnson (LBJ) was known as a masterful, and at times brutal politician. As he took ownership of the Vietnam […]

Guest Writer – John Sumwalt; A Soldier Waits for God

    Guest writer, John Sumwalt, shares a heartfelt telling of his father’s service during WWII. The story of anxious waiting was shared by thousands of Americans during that time. Please enjoy John’s story.                                     A Soldier Waits for God                                              John Sumwalt   My father, Leonard Sumwalt, spent four long years of […]

Guest Writer – Rhonda Underhill; Learning Beyond the Battlefield

    Today’s guest article is provided by Rhonda Underhill. Rhonda is a health care advocate for senior citizens, veterans and persons with disabilities. After a health crisis involving her husband Pete, Rhonda and Pete dedicated themselves to healthy living through diet, exercise and awareness. Rhonda created http://www.getwellderly.com/ a website dedicated to the health and […]

Learning the Lingo

  Slang is a language that rolls up its sleeves, spits on its hands and goes to work. ~Carl Sandburg     From the earliest of times, military units have put together “invasion dictionaries” for the purpose of establishing communications with those they hoped to dominate. Way back when Caesar was stomping everyone into the […]