This is the story of the day Sherry and I bought three paintings we didn't need and didn't even want. And yet, we got our money’s worth. If you've traveled tourist destinations in developing countries, you are all too familiar with vendors selling various trinkets, clothing and cold drinks. Their demeanor can range from very …
The season of sharing
Many years ago, I decided to throw a little dinner party for some friends on the weekend before Thanksgiving. I went out to get the groceries and returned home to be greeted by my son, then 7 years old. As with most growing boys, he had a keen interest in food. He eagerly assisted me …
Cracking the case of the vanishing footwear
In the past two weeks, a mysterious series of burglaries in our own back yard has left us perplexed. It began with one of my pool shoes. Then a pair of Sherry's garden clogs. The last straw was one of my expensive leather Ecco sandals. Our patio footwear was disappearing at an astonishing rate. We …
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A lumbering tale: From Maine to California
When I was 14 years old, my family relocated from a rural enclave in Connecticut to an even more remote region in the great state of Maine. My siblings and I were a bit dubious about this move, but our parents promised it would be an adventure. We'd have our own 100-acre farm, high on …
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Perfect Strangers
Around this time six years ago, I found myself out in the cold on a street corner in Mountain View, California. But I was having so much fun, I really didn't notice the time or the weather. I was busking (playing guitar and singing) with Sherry. We started at sometime around 10 p.m. and went …
A taste of summer in autumn
The days are shorter and colder; winter is upon us, but we wanted one last summer-time meal before we officially kick off the holiday season. Also, I had this brand new, pre-seasoned Lodge grill just waiting for a workout. I had visions of homemade salmon burgers on homemade sesame buns, dripping with tartar sauce. So, …
Sherlock Holmes and the case of the dirty pictures
“What are you looking at?” I inquire, innocently, of my very preoccupied wife as she squints at her phone. “Poop,” she says. “OK, then,” I reply. If we had had that conversation at the beginning of the year, I might well have been shocked. Now, it seems quite routine. The hills behind our new home. …
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The 15-minute project that took a week
It should have been easy. Two screws and five color-coded wires. At least, that's what I thought on Monday when I decided, just before breakfast, to upgrade the old thermostat for one of those new fancy "smart" devices. You know, the kind of gizmo that displays a beautiful HD screen, which, of course, you don't …
Wait a Minute: What Did I Do Right?
I have a confession to make: I don't follow recipes. Oh, I read them thoroughly. I analyze them. And I usually think to myself: "That sounds delicious!" Then I more or less ignore the recipes and go about improvising. Maybe it's because I am so fond of jazz. Also, I'm not what you might call …
Sherry & George 