Posted May 02, 2018in Joe's Neighborhood
They drift north from Holy Trinity to The Donut Hut on Douglas Avenue “I’ll only give you my first name,” says the dapper old man with the swept-back white hair and trendy suspenders. Is he kidding? “You see, I used to be an IRS agent.” He pauses. “I’ve got too many enemies out
Read More →
Posted April 04, 2018in Joe's Neighborhood
When you’re in a crisis, people bring you food. Grease the bottom of your pans. Combine all the dry ingredients including the cinnamon, nutmeg, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Have you noticed that whenever you’re feeling just a little too smart, too strong, too handsome, too successful, too
Read More →
Posted February 28, 2018in Joe's Neighborhood
“Tablecloths represent the good experiences of sharing a meal with friends and family. It represents the idea that we are a community. Where does community get its start? It gets its start from family and groups of friends around a table.” — Leo Landis, State Curator, Museum & Historic Sites,
Read More →
Posted January 31, 2018in Joe's Neighborhood
. . . the water in the toilet froze! Yup, there I am, minding my own business after the holidays, watching our adult kids go back to their own lives, putting away holiday decorations for another year, and feeling the gentle quiet of a cold Iowa winter settle peacefully around our retired lives. Meanwhile, the
Read More →
Posted January 03, 2018in Joe's Neighborhood
“On With Life, this is Carol, may I help you?” Maybe. Carol Murken’s desk is just in the entrance. An entrance with couches and large windows and sunlight and plants and airiness. I’m not fooled by the casual spa eeling of it all. Not even by the scenic pond out front. Nope. This is
Read More →
Posted December 06, 2017in Joe's Neighborhood
“I’d offer you lunch, but I’ve already eaten it,” the old man says without a hint of a smile. Dry humor fits this landscape of dust and whirling blades and blowing chaff. A foreign country for sure, where everyone operates on a seasonal punch clock. Not my world, even though
Read More →
Posted November 01, 2017in Joe's Neighborhood
“Everyone does drag. Each one of us in our everyday life puts on a costume and does a performance piece as whoever it is we are.” – Joe Fraioli. The Garden Nightclub was just beginning to fill as folks got off work on this weekday night. T-shirts, a sprinkling of
Read More →
Posted October 04, 2017in Joe's Neighborhood
“You can sit behind the wheel if you want to. Go ahead.” The firefighter, younger than my youngest child, is grinning broadly as he encourages me. He has me pegged. Yup, beneath my bald head is a tow-haired 5-year-old making firetruck noises while playing on the linoleum floor. Do I
Read More →
Posted September 06, 2017in Joe's Neighborhood
Shirley Ballard died the other day. Most of you didn’t know her. Honestly, she would have been all right with that. Not because she didn’t want to know you, but because she preferred to be behind the scenes. A little off stage. Far down in the credits. But it would
Read More →
Posted August 02, 2017in Joe's Neighborhood
If you’re feeling a little down because of what is occurring in the world, wondering what is going to happen to health insurance, taxes and world peace, you should play the “small potatoes” game. It is fun-packed, travel-friendly, and can be played by the entire family. You’ve never played before?
Read More →
