Our faithful house cat, Smokey, died this week.
       He’d been struggling of late and we knew his time was short. 
       He was a good kitty and Debbie and I loved him dearly.
       Smokey showed up at our house in early December 2007. He’s been with us for almost 17 years. That is a long time in kitty and doggy years.
      When Smokey showed up at our door, I found a big bowl of leftover spaghetti in the refrigerator and fed him. He ate it all. By the second day, he had moved into our garage and the third day, he had moved into our house.
      He was getting old and having a tough time walking and getting around. We had two sets of pet stairs next to the couch so he could get up and down where he loved to take long naps.
     I remember when Smokey was younger. He loved jumping into our bed and often times staying there all night. He loved his kitty treats and catnip bananas. I’m sure we spent a small fortunate on treats.
     When we first got him, he would go outside and hunt. Once, he brought a rabbit in the house and let him loose. The rabbit fond a hiding place in our bedroom behind our dresser. We had to move the dresser and catch the rabbit and put him in a trash can to take him back outside.
      He also once brought us a garden snake, right into the kitchen.
     Another time, we had some business guests at our house. They were getting ready to leave and we were all standing outside. Smokey captured a large bull frog and kindly deposited it at our guests’ feet. He was quite proud of himself.
      He would often set on one of our retaining walls and wait for a mouse to stroll by. He loved catching mice. Once, he went outdoors and caught a mouse. He was proud of his find and brought the mouse in the house and decided to let the little fellow go. I’m sure he wanted to play, but the mouse had other ideas and took off for a hiding place in the basement.
     Debbie was a bit upset and told Smokey to go to the basement and catch the mouse. He did and stayed there for three days. He not only caught it, he ate it.
     He'd also enjoyed crawling into the attic of our house from the garage. He’d somehow shimmy right up the wall and get into the rafters. Our garage does not have a ceiling, so it was easy access to the attic.
We’d have to coax him down and bring him back inside.
      He was family and we are going to miss him. We are very thankful for the time we had with Smokey.
      Debbie loves all of our animals. Our new puppy, Boomer, who we got a year ago Labor Day weekend from a friend in Fayette, Mo., is a joy to be around. He loves to jump all over me and has gotten big enough to about knock me down.
      Debbie enjoys taking him for daily walks.
     He’s warmed right up to our chocolate lab, Rex, who has been with us since November 2010. Rex can’t jump like he once did, but when a coon or some other critter comes around, Rex and Boomer are quick to defend our turf.
      And it’s about time to call the vet and farrier for our three mini horses – Harmony, Gazer and Sophie. And our hay supply is getting a bit low. I’ve got the hay man on speed dial.
      We have had our mini horses since August 2016 and they bring us much joy.
      And I can’t forget about our outdoor Tom cat, Oscar. He’s a good little mouser and likes to take naps in our garage. He was another cat that just showed up at our door and we took him in and he’s stayed.
     All our pets bring us much joy and we are thankful for them all. I am also thankful for all my friends, family and the many people who have and continue to cross my path in life.
     You are important and bring value not only to me, but to this world.
     In spite of all the craziness in this world, you can still dream and with a step of faith, can see your dreams come true.
      Have a great week and always remember that “Good Things are Happening,” every day.

        Debbie and I along with our oldest nephew, Gavin, and his grandmother, Jan, made the trek to Clarinda in the southwest corner of the state to sell our products at the 65th Annual Clarinda Craft Carnival on Saturday, Oct. 18-19.
   The craft carnival draws more than 475 vendors from all over the Midwest selling their handmade/homemade products in six buildings around the town of Clarinda.
        Customers come from Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri and Kansas. And one vendor said, customers come from as far as Kansas City.
      The craft carnival is under the direction of the Clarinda Chamber of Commerce and is one of the most organized craft events Debbie and I have attended.
      Organizers bus customers from the various buildings and at times, folks are two and three deep at many of the vendor tables, including ours.
      This is our fourth year to sell our books at the craft fair and the first year that our oldest nephew brought goat meat products from his business, Boer Certified, to the craft carnival. His Grandmother Jan came to help during the busy times in his booth.
       We all enjoyed a great day and met some nice people.
       We all plan to return in 2025.
      Some famous folks from Clarinda include big band director, Glenn Miller and Jessie Field Shambaugh, an American educator and activist known as the “Mother of 4-H Clubs.”
     Television personality Johnny Carson was born in nearby Corning, Iowa, but lived for a time in Clarinda. Johnny’s brother, Richard (Dick) Carson, was born in Clarinda. He went on to become a television director for such shows as “The Tonight Show,” “Wheel of Fortune” and “The Merv Griffin Show.”
     We always stay in the neighboring town of Shenandoah, Iowa, the home of the Everly Brothers. It also home of Earl May Seed & Nursery, founded in 1919.
      They have a nice hotel right in downtown Shenandoah with clean rooms and good service. The motel is just a block from the Everly Brothers house and town museum.
     We all enjoyed supper at the Elm Street Grill located at the Shenandoah Country Club. The food was awesome and the company was even better.
      While in Clarinda, we drove by a garage sale and Gavin, our oldest nephew, noticed an octagon table in the yard. He loves the old tables and mentioned something about taking a look at it. I surprised him and stopped while making a lunch run and bought the table for $5. I figured it would be about $30 or $40, so I was pleasantly surprised it was so cheap.
     Gavin loves it and already has plans for its use. It’s a little rough, but with some furniture polish and a good scrubbing, it will be like new.
      The fun part was getting it packed in the Suburban along with our suitcases, products, freezer, tables and chairs for the ride home. Gavin is a master packer and it serves us well to stay out of the way.
      Our trip to Southwest Iowa included a stop at the Ax Murder House in nearby Villisca. I was excited to find the house open for tours along with the giftshop. Time did not permit us to take the tour, but I did purchase an Ax Murder House puzzle and coffee mug in the giftshop.
     All the other times we have stopped, the house has been closed, but is open to folks who fork out a lot of money to spend the night there. The two folks running the giftshop said the Ax Murder House has a new owner and they have made some improvements and keep the house open more. I’m fascinated with the Ax Murder House and have it on my bucket list of things to tour.
     We did meet a lady at the craft carnival who expressed an interest in having us speak about our books at the Clarinda Public Library. If we can put something together and possibly speak at a couple more libraires while in the area, I’m touring the Ax Murder House the next time we in that area.
     This is the first of six craft shows Debbie and I will be attending this fall and early winter. Coming up is Indianola, then Malcom at Bison Days at Sunset Hills Bison Ranch and Lodging north of town. They have a festival the first weekend of November and we are taking part in the area vendor show. I plan to take some photos and write a story for the CR paper while there.
     Then it’s off to craft shows in Pella and Pleasantville before Thanksgiving and rounding up with Victor in early December.
     Have a great week and always remember that “Good Things are Happening,” every day.

       I did it!
       I pulled the trigger and signed up for my Medicare card last week.
       Corey Latcham at Farm Bureau Insurance in Montezuma helped guide me through the process.
      All the fear of making a mistake or pushing the wrong button or signing up on the wrong website for the wrong thing is gone.
      Next, I need to choose to either go with the traditional Medicare Part A and Part B with a supplement or supplements or go with the Advantage Plan, which is similar in nature to most insurance plans these days.
I’ve heard pros and cons about both. Some say to stay away from the Advantage Plan, which is an insurance-based plan. Others tell me it is great and covers everything.
     One fellow told me he loves it. A lady at a doctor’s office in Grinnell told me to stay away from the Advantage Plan.
        According to Latcham, about 75 percent of first-time Medicare signees go with the Advantage Plan.
      My folks had the traditional Medicare with supplements through Blue Cross and Blue Shield and they loved it. Their monthly premium was paid out of their Social Security earnings and Medicare covered everything. They had no out of pocket expenses or co-pays for doctor or specialist visits and medical procedures.
        The nice option for me is that I can change my plan at set times in the year if I don’t like it. There are some stipulations and time limits, but still plenty of opportunities to find the right fit.
          What’s more amazing to me than signing up for Medicare is the idea that I’m 65-years of age.
         I remember when I was kid riding my bicycle to school and tossing morning newspapers with my mom in the 1970s. I would like to believe that was just the other day, but it’s not.
         In four years, I will attend my 50th high school class reunion. It wasn’t that many years ago that Debbie and I made the trek to Van Buren, Mo., deep in the Ozarks near the Current River, to attend my mom’s 50thclass reunion. I’m four years away from reaching that milestone in my life.
       Outside of turning 65, Debbie and I have been trying to eat better of late. I’ve made some positive changes and have lost 70 pounds in the last 10-years or so.
          I’m walking and moving a lot more and trying to reach 40,000 steps per week. I don’t always make it and that is OK. I’m just glad to be able to keep moving.
         I haven’t drank a Pepsi or soda drink since February 2015. I have replaced soda with unsweet ice tea. I do need to do better in the water drinking department.
         My recent doctor visit wasn’t as good as I had hoped. My blood sugar levels were a little high and I need to make improvements. I think it had something to do with a few too many cookies and good eating on our vacation.
        In an effort to make some changes, Debbie ordered a diabetic cookbook on Amazon. She looked through the cookbook and found some recipes for us to try.
       I stopped at the grocery store the other day after work and Debbie texted me a detailed lengthy list of ingredients and foods to purchase.
       By the time I pulled into the checkout stand, I had visited places in the grocery store I had never been before. I purchased some foods I had never heard of or eaten in my life.
       I bought fresh fruit, salad, chicken, cottage cheese, yogurt, frozen meatballs, baked beans, beef sticks, mushrooms, sweet potatoes, cabbage and more. And I stocked up on some can vegetables, including a few cans of blackeye peas, a Southern favorite of mine.
       Debbie cooked a wonderful supper that evening using the meatballs. It was good and tasted a lot like lasagna without the noodles.
        It was nice change to leave the store without a box of cookies, several bags of potato chips, frozen pizzas, crackers, flour, sugar and pasta. I did buy a loaf of bread and some muffins. I like the English muffins with butter in the morning.
         I also did my part to help the economy with my grocery purchases.
        I believe the key to being successful in the dieting department is having a balance of fiber, protein and limiting carbs. It’s all about moderation. A doctor once told me some years ago that it’s OK to have a cookie or eat some ice cream, you just don’t eat the entire bag or enjoy a gallon of the creamy stuff at one sitting.
        I’m looking forward to more positive changes, better eating and new things to keep me young at heart. The best years of my life are just around the corner.
         Have a great week and always remember that “Good Things are Happening,” every day.

         Debbie and I enjoyed a relaxing vacation last week, Sept. 30 – Oct. 4.
      We spent five days and four nights in Missouri with overnight stops in Hannibal, Lake of the Ozarks, Camdenton and Macon.
        We took the vacation in celebration of our 20th wedding anniversary on Sept. 25 and my 65th birthday on Sept. 26.
         We went antique hunting in Hannibal, Lebanon, Eldon, Columbia and Kirksville. We also stopped to visit a good friend, Eric, in Lebanon, who is a high school photography and art teacher there. Eric and I graduated from the Agricultural Journalism program at the University of Missouri-Columbia one year apart and we have stayed in contact through the years. He spent 10 years working for the Lebanon newspaper before earning his masters and switching to teaching.
        If we are in the area, Eric always takes time to visit. It just happened that he was between classes and had a few minutes to catch up on life happenings and show us a Route 66 and Laclede County mural that two local artists where creating. His art students were painting tiles that will be placed around the artwork once the mural is in place.
      While in Lebanon, we made a stop at the Shepard Hills Factory Outlet. I found a new pocket knife and non-stick frying pan. I bought neither, but enjoyed checking them out. I put the frying pan on my Christmas list. Now, if only I can remember the brand.
            We spent one night at the Lodge of Four Seasons near Bagnell Dam at the lake. It’s an older resort, but real nice. I’ve never booked a hotel room that was bigger than my living room, kitchen and dining room put together.
           We walked all over the lodge and visited the rooftop at the Lodge where we enjoyed a wide view of the Lake of the Ozarks. We met a couple from the twin cities who was spending a couple days there and had a nice visit. It just happened that the lady was born and raised in Des Moines.
         We then enjoyed pizza served at one of the lodge eateries and the waiter gave us a large piece of triple chocolate cake for our anniversary. I also spent time taking photos of the magnificent facility and learning all about it.
         We visited a bookstore at the lake and enjoyed eating at Bandanas, Wobbly Boots Roadhouse at the lake and enjoyed Pizza Hut while in Hannibal.
      Our last night was spent in Macon. We arrived at the motel and I mentioned something about eating supper and the desk clerk said we could eat there. He had fixed tacos and it was all you could eat. That was a nice surprise.
        It’s so nice to get away and enjoy life.
       Outside of the Iowa State Fair and the Midwest Old Threshers Reunion, this is the first vacation we have had together since June 2018. We did visit the Lake of the Ozarks with all of our family in August 2020, staying in a rented duplex.
        That was a great trip and included going go-cart racing with my nephews. I was bragging beforehand that I would show them how it was done. Instead, they lapped me a couple times and left me in their dust. We also went bowling, enjoyed good food, both eating out and cooking at the duplex, and antique shopping. Trips make for great family memories.
        The next time we visit the lake, we are going to look into renting an Air BnB or returning to the Lodge of Four Seasons or one of the other resorts in the area.
       I would enjoy taking a guided fishing tour on the lake and it might be nice to rent a pontoon and cruise the lake sometime in the future. Both are pricey adventures, but would be royal treats.
       I remember some years ago going fishing at the Lake of the Ozarks with a neighbor of mine in Ashland, Mo., where I lived when I was a student at MU. He owned a 17-foot bass boat and we ended up in the main body of the lake. I was hanging on for dear life as the waves from the big boats were rocking our boat. Those big boats that fly across that lake really move the water and I’m thankful that God kept us afloat and got us back to shore safely.
       I’m hoping that we don’t have to wait so long for our next vacation. I would enjoy returning to the lake and taking a trip to Mount Rushmore sometime in the future. It might be nice to visit Branson and I’m looking forward to returning to my hometown of Tulsa down the road. 
         Have a great week and always remember that “Good Things are Happening,” every day.

       Anyone who knows me, knows I enjoy visiting.
       To me, no one is a stranger.
       I also enjoy cruising Facebook and reconnecting with old friends, former classmates and discovering new acquaintances. That was the case earlier this year when I came across the Facebook page of Bill Bangham from Memphis, Tenn.
      I first met Bangham at a Christian Photojournalism Conference in Fort Worth, Texas more than 20-years ago. I attended the conference in 2001 and again in 2002.
       I recognized Bangham and asked him to be friends and he accepted.
   Bangham, who is now retired, spent years traveling the world working for the Southern Baptist denomination and other similar organizations taking photos and writing stories about the work of missionaries from around the world.
       In visiting with Bangham, I mentioned that I lived in Montezuma, Iowa.
      He stated that his Grandpa Will was born near Montezuma in the late 1800s while rolling across the state in a covered wagon train.
     That peeked my interest and I asked Bangham if he would share his story. Nothing come of my request until last week when Bangham responded to a post I shared regarding my new book of columns coming out this month.
      Bangham said he and a co-author friend have written a book and are looking for a publisher. The book is a collection of memoirs, titled “Tell Me a Story.”
      He sent me a chapter to read and I was surprised to learn that it is about his grandpa Will, who was born in a covered wagon near Montezuma.
     The story centered around the memories of a trip Bangham took as a teenager in high school from western Iowa to Annapolis, Md. in an un-air conditioned, Trailways bus.
       He shared this about his grandpa.
     “He (Grandpa Will) was born in 1879 on a wagon train from Ohio, crossing the Midwest. It stopped for a day by a stream outside of Montezuma, before packing up and moved on with what I picture a sleepless infant cradled by an exhausted mother, jostled in a horse-drawn wagon with little or no suspension. It would be days before they reached their destination in the western part of the state.
     As a young man, Grandpa moved his wife and two young sons to Scotts Bluff, Neb. Land was free to homestead. They may or may not have lived in a sod house; I’ve heard differing versions, one of which was they didn’t, but their neighbors did. His plan was to raise sugar beets.
      It only lasted a few years. His wife died of influenza. It was impossible for Grandpa to raise his young sons alone – age five and seven – and carve a farm from what was then still frontier. He tucked tail and moved back to Iowa where there was family.
      In the midst of their first winter back in Iowa, the boys fell through the ice while skating on a stream. It was bitter cold. They were soaked. It was a long walk back to their farm house. My father survived. His older brother developed pneumonia and died.
      Within a year, Grandpa lost half of his family.
     I saw him partially dressed one day. He had a hideous scar on his abdomen. He had been diagnosed with appendicitis, thrown on a train alone to ride the 60 miles to Des Moines and a surgeon. It looked as if the surgeon in stitching up the wound had pulled the edges together in a great pucker and wrapped a suture around it. It reminded me of the small leather, draw-string bag in which I carried my treasures as a child.
      He nearly died.
     His life was not all tragedy. When he returned to Iowa, he married the woman I knew as Grandma. She was a wonderful Grandmother. She and Grandpa were so different. She was full of laughter and play, he stoic and quiet.”
      The story goes on to share his memories of Grandpa Will, and the adventures of going fishing, eating fresh baked cookies, sitting on the front porch talking, snowball fights, sledding and riding with his cousins in a sleigh and much more. 
     Writing down memories is good and something we all should be doing. You may never meet Bangham, and that is OK. There are others in the world waiting to share their stories.
     In our fast-paced, crazy world, we need to slow down, turn off our cell phones and spend more time sitting on the porch and visiting with our friends and neighbors. A cold glass of iced tea will make it even better.
     Thanks Mr. Bangham for sharing the story of your grandpa Will and the Montezuma connection.
     Have a great week and always remember that “Good Things are Happening,” every day.

       Life is full of milestones and I celebrated two of them last week.
       On Wednesday, Sept. 25, Debbie and I celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary.
      It was in August of 2003 while I was just going about my everyday life writing stories and taking photos for the Montezuma Republican when at the last minute, I decided to do a story on Iowa State Fair Campers from the area.
    I made three trips to the fairgrounds that week where I spent time walking around the campgrounds meeting area residents, taking photos and doing interviews.
      As I walked up one of the camper lanes, I saw Debbie standing by her camper. She caught my eye and my heart.
    I stopped at Raymond and Connie Thompson’s camper up the road and Connie said, “Debbie is our neighbor and she is a nice girl.”
      I interviewed Debbie’s mother, Carole Tindle, for my article and met her grandmother, Louise (Smothers) Tindle, who later called me thorough.
       Debbie and I went out on our first date on Nov. 9, 2003.
       I told her I would stop and pick her up in my pickup truck. She was envisioning a big country truck. It was a city slicker truck, Debbie said later, referring to my 1989 Chevrolet S-10.
        I proposed to her at the river park in Hannibal, Mo. on May 1, 2004.
        I remember calling my dad and when he answered the phone, he asked if I had any good news for him. I told him Debbie said yes.
        “That is good news,” he told me.
         My parents were quite proud of me and always supported my life adventures.
         We were married on Saturday, Sept. 25 at the Montezuma First Evangelical Presbyterian Church with the ceremony being officiated by Dr. George Salnave, pastor of the church, and Pastor Bill Twedt, minster at Jubilee Family Church in Oskaloosa, where I was attending at the time.
        It was a beautiful day. I can still see my folks seated on the front row. An uncle and aunt from Tulsa made the journey to our wedding and hundreds of guests came to celebrate our big day. One person said they felt the presence of God in the service that day. I have to agree.
        Keith Brake, a long-time journalist who lived in Montezuma at the time, filmed our wedding and Roger Allen took the photos.
         My brother, Tom, his wife, Tonya, and my mom, made the cake. They baked it in Janice Henry’s kitchen in Montezuma. And Tom and Tonya sang in our wedding. It was so beautiful.
        I enjoyed having a best friend from Tulsa and a good friend I met at MU in Columbia, Mo. as best men. My brother, Tom, stood with me as well. 
         Between the wedding, the wedding reception and dance, along with a reception in Tulsa one week later, we had an estimated 500 guests who celebrated with us.
        We’ve done wonderful things together through the years from publishing six books, hosting a writer’s conference, now in its 12th year, hosting a business fair with plans for a second one next spring, buying a house and so much more.
        We enjoy attending and camping at the Iowa State Fair and Midwest Old Threshers Reunion during Labor Day weekend.
        Debbie is a blessing to me and I couldn’t’ have asked for a better person to call my wife.
        In addition to our wedding anniversary, I turned 65 on Thursday, Sept. 26.
        Wow, the thought that I have reached the age of 65 is a little overwhelming.
        I just graduated from high school the other day, actually 46 years ago in May 1978.
        I go on Medicare soon and plan to retire within a couple years, maybe!
       What a blessed life I am enjoying full of all kinds of experiences, challenges, going back to college in my 30s and graduating from one of the world’s best journalism programs. And to think, I barely passed high school English.
        I’m a testament that anything is possible.
        And really, I’m just getting started.
        Look for more life adventures coming soon!
         Have a great week and always remember that “Good Things are Happening,” every day.