Tom and I recently explored a new-to-us metro park, Carolyn Ludwig Mugrage Park in Medina. We like to do active things with our friends whenever possible. Tom complains about just meeting people for lunch or supper. A meal, preceded by or followed by a walk in a nearby park, is better than just a meal. …
Cookie Decorating with Cass
For Christmas last year, Jackie gave me a coupon for a cookie decorating class with Cass. Cass is her friend that bakes all our birthday cakes. She never takes any payment for them, so I usually give her a towel or two. When we were sharing Jackie’s birthday cake last year, I mentioned that it …
Wilson Weight Challenge for PIN
Tom and I recently helped out with the Wilson Weight Challenge at church. We have been getting more involved at church and trying to plug in where we can. The Wilson Weight Challenge is a local mission project that only took a couple of hours one Sunday. Perfect for our schedule. The Lewis Center United …
Yarnologist and Whimsical Wool Gallery
In my constant search for a local yarn shop, I recently visited Yarnologist and Whimsical Wool Gallery. These two new shops relatively close to me both opened in April, 2024. When I got back from Europe, I visited both in the same week, so it was easy to compare them. I’ll start with Whimsical Wool …
Blacklick Woods Metro Park, Reynoldsburg, Ohio
Tom and I recently explored Blacklick Woods Metro Park in Reynoldsburg, Ohio. We get into a “sitting around the house” rut when we we are home. To combat this, and keep up our spirit of adventure, Tom finds and suggests things we can do in the area. We wanted to hand off some souvenirs that …
Two Rivers Restaurant in Powell, Ohio
Tom and I recently met John and Jackie at Two Rivers Restaurant in Powell, which had only been open for two weeks when we ate there. As you know, Tom and I like to try new restaurants and there are always plenty of new (to us) places to try in the Columbus area. We were …
Natural Burial: Sandy Leads the Way
I wrote a eulogy for my friend Sandra Shaw back in August. You can read it here if you are interested. The family asked me to do the graveside service. After hundreds of funeral services, I thought I knew all the various ways that people could be buried. But Sandy chose Natural Burial and it …
Pumpkin People in Ashland, Ohio
One day toward the end of September, Tom and I took Mom and Dad to see the Pumpkin People in Ashland, Ohio. I had seen some pictures in the Roadside America group on Facebook. Ashland is only a short drive from Mansfield, and Mom and Dad could enjoy seeing the Pumpkin People from the car. …
Grocery Stores in Europe
One fun thing Tom and I did, when we had time in Europe, was check out the local grocery stores. We learned to recognize several of the big chains, especially Tesco and Sainsbury’s in the United Kingdom, Meny in Norway and Netto in Germany and Denmark. We liked walking around looking for things that we …
Differences Between Europeans and Americans
Are there differences between Europeans and Americans? People are the same everywhere, aren’t they? There are certainly lots of friendly and wonderful people anywhere you go. For the most part, the Europeans were extremely welcoming and accommodating. After all, a lot of their income relies on tourism. But, after almost four months in Europe, Tom …