Retired Navy after 23 years. I retired at the age of 40 years old. I've been out longer than I was in. All of the ships I served on have been made into razor blades. I had fun and I lived my life the best I could. Most of my shipmates are gone and I try to stay in touch with the remainder. It continues. Substance abuse counselor, builder of wooden boats, furniture maker, prison non-violence workshop facilitator, life observer, activist, reader, writer, geriatric subject of interest, generous tipper. I stay involved.
Once in a while I get to relate my experiences from my Navy days. I’ve a lot of stories. I spent twenty three years in the canoe club, many years on submarines at sea. I enjoyed my time at sea and under water. I realize it takes a special person to tolerate those conditions. I … More Some Stories are Hard to Tell. Here’s One.
I met Eddie in the first grade. He did something for me that was so sweet and comforting. He reached out to me and during our few years together in grade school we traveled easily together. Of course all of our journeys were behind the tenement buildings and triple-deckers of our neighborhood. How we met was my … More Eddie Coombs
Today is going to be a warm day here in Maine. It’s going to get up to 83 F. A scorcher! (Pronounced “Scotchah”) I went out early to mow part of the lawn before the heat drove me down for the day. I saw a baby grasshopper playing in the grass. Of course I mowed … More High Heat and a Baby Grasshopper
Since I’ve made the Fourth of July a day of mourning for myself I suspect this might be a good way to be “up”until then. More on this later. Right now I want to celebrate a song I’ve listened to before but not until today have I listened really hard. Have any of you heard … More Happy Third of July!
It’s difficult sometimes to make up one’s mind. In light of all the things I’ve done over my lifetime I think I would rather be a mule. I haven’t come by this choice easily. I’ve thought it over on occasion whenever the tune “Swinging on a Star” has rambled across my brain. “Would you like … More Decisions! Decisions!
See…now if everyone had a gun do you believe the world would be safer than if no one had a gun? The second amendment leads us into the situation where everyone is allowed to have a gun. I can’t come up with the strategy to change a constitutional amendment but I can pretty well use … More Circular Firing Squad
GUNS AND NO GUNS Our population seems to be divided into two groups when it comes to guns. I’m sure we could divide further into subsets but for the sake of this commentary two groups is plenty. One group is fearful of being harmed. That group’s primary emotion is fear and it is strong. The … More Don’t Shoot – I’m Just the Piano Player!
Content warning: Blood and guts and stuff about an execution. MY UROLOGIST CAPTURED SADDAM HUSSEIN I’ll keep his name to myself. I don’t want to get into a jam with anyone in case this whole story is bogus or in case it is true and I misrepresent parts of it. My urologist joined the Air … More Something to Kill the Time
BACK TO THE EARTH The dogs found him. Like a door flung open the peace he’d been enjoying was ripped away. He was made to endure a huffing and snuffing and cold-nosed greeting by four of the largest canines he’d ever met. Huge paws and heads all arrived at once. His carcass and the surrounding forest … More Lost and Found
Return to Maine I’ve been back in Maine nearly one week. If you lived here you’d know what I am feeling. I am on the verge of tears from gratitude. I love The Castle and the earth upon which it rests. The way the light shines through in the early hours to illuminate the greenery … More Return to Maine (part one)
Playing Fair and Being Kind 