Confessions of a Retread Wife
 My name is Barbara and I am a proud Marine Corps wife. I am the granddaughter of a Korean War Veteran and the daughter of a military brat. Long before meeting my Marine Corps husband I had gypsy feet from my childhood spent with a father who,...

How Two Quarrelling Kids Helped Invent the Better Behavior Wheel
 When David was nine and Laura was twelve, the battles started.  Prior to that, they got along great. Laura was always protective of her little brother, and he in turn, doted on her.  Perhaps it was about needing space, asserting...

Whispers in the Wind: The Legend of Bonnie Sue
On any given day at MCAS Cherry Point, the wind is alive with the roar of jet engines. It is the sound, as proudly proclaimed by the air station welcome sign, of freedom. The stories of those who have defended this freedom are many; Cherry Point...

A Military Wife's Heartache: Semper Fidelis
The air was crisp that bright autumn day, not unlike the uniforms of the hundreds of Marines who had gathered to mark the passage of a sacred occasion. A sea of faces filled the outdoor stadium under the blue Carolina sky as Marines and their...

How To Tell That You're Getting Old
This week I celebrate another birthday, which brings me to that auspicious milestone where I am right between 52 and 54. A person only comes to this stage of life once, so I am going to make the most of it. This year I plan celebrating my 29th...

Indian Summer
It was a warm, sunny October afternoon one day when I was a kid, and as I walked up the hill of our driveway after getting off the school bus at our Wisconsin dairy farm, I wondered how many more nice days we would have before winter came. I was...

Wintergreen
From the book: Christmas In Dairyland (True Stories From a Wisconsin Farm) http://ruralroute2.com As we drove along the dirt road north of our farm one Sunday afternoon, the color of the sky reminded me of Mom's silver cream and sugar servers...

Shoes Gone Astray
Dorothy lost hers. I forgot mine. My wife broke hers. I speak of shoes, of course. So why are we all smiling? Dorothy is that sweet little girl who broke in that bustin' bronco of a tornado, landing in Oz and inheriting magic ruby slippers...

The Spirit of Father's Day
 Some time ago I received a gift from both of my children. It was spontaneous and had nothing to do with Father’s day. Yet, at the same time it had everything to do with Father’s day.  My son, Kai, - he was 17 at the time - was attending...

So, The Thing Is... I'm Feeling A Little Guilty
 So, the thing is… I am feeling a little guilty.  I know, I know, what’s new? I’m like the travel agent for guilt trips. Right now I’m feeling a little guilty because I am so madly in love with my little Smiley Jane, who turns...

The True Power in Simple Acts of Kindness
I am just an average teenage girl, living the average life of a very busy high school student trying to survive junior year. However, I do not view the world and my relationships as an average anything. As a small child, I was always truly happy and...

Bravery Award of a Different Kind!
Smokers are one of the bravest people in the world and are worth to be given some kind of gallantry award. They should be awarded as they are smoking away to glory when the world is running away from it. They are not scared of death and have no love...