A Short Story… Gerry of Gerry’s Fair Deal was owned and operated by retired Army First Sergeant Gerald McKesson, who’s motto was “Quality Laboratory Standards For Your Protection.” Gerry retired from his service as soon as he served his thirty year hitch in the army. Gerry’s son had needed a medical specialist, so Gerry returned […]
To Ponder
Letter: Happy Birthday Barbara
Submitted by Elizabeth Golchert. Born on January 22, 1925, Barbara Gates of Steilacoom will be celebrating her centenary birthday this month. Barbara was born in Olympia in her parents’ home and eventually settled in the Steilacoom home she and her husband, Jim (now deceased), built over sixty years ago. Barbara’s older sister, Doreen, and younger […]
Christmas Time and Friends Who Care
A Short Story… I had a great Christmas. I, of course missed my wife, Anna, who passed away two years ago. Our children called to wish me a nice Christmas, but a few nice words over the phone from several states away left me lonely no matter what I could have planned. But, when the […]
Letter: Together
Early morning will find us in a fog-bound pasture where droplets like diamonds cling as if frozen to berries and vines. Afternoons along a river we’ll sit and enjoy the quiet pastoral scene of water unhurriedly meandering past the old, gnarled tree. Life for us anymore is like where we most love to be, wandering […]
Just a Simple, Nice Day
A Short Story… The doorbell rang as I was brushing my teeth. I wasn’t expecting anyone, so I just ignored it . . . and then it rang two more times. I put my toothbrush on the counter and walked quickly to the front door. I looked through my little door with the enlargement glass […]
Saving the Environment with Muffin Tins
A Short Story… Larry-David was constantly visiting fellow Facebook people. He liked to see what was going on and who was spreading the new word, whatever the new word happened to be. Larry-David, like a number of his friends, preferred to hold onto his money in most ways. In the St Vincent De Paul Thrift […]
Let’s Talk! – Closing a Door
Are you ready to switch off your screens and ponder or discuss another writing/conversation prompt from my friend Tyrean Martinson’s book? Here’s my take on it. We are standing on the threshold of another new year. Looking back at 2024, it was a turbulent year in so many ways out there in the world. Maybe […]
Down in the Dumps
A Short Story… Shelly was down in the dumps. She was waiting for her aunt. If her life wasn’t already low enough to consider flat out crying and throwing up, she was expecting her aunt Rebecka who would no doubt drag her through comment and embarrassment for not working harder and not being at the […]
Learning from the Past: Why Lakewood’s Heritage Needs a New Approach
One of the first things I ever wrote about Lakewood, back when we were all dodging pterodactyls and Moses hadn’t left for the journey yet, was about how a local government agency was hiding something from taxpayers. A big theme of the Lakewood Journal back in the day was that citizens should be informed of […]