Uncategorized
Windows
We bought our house twelve years ago after deciding that our two bedroom condo was too small for a family of four. I really wanted a yard for the boys to play in. We looked for a year or so and nothing seemed right. Everything we saw was either a dump or far outside of…
Read MoreBusy Month
September’s been busy. If you follow me on Substack you probably have a good idea of what I am talking about. Writing is a lot of work, actually writing is a grind. It’s about showing up and putting the time in. Linking words into sentences, sentences in to paragraphs and paragraphs into pages. Not just…
Read MoreThis one goes up to 12
I will keep this short today. I’m editing the sequel to Cold Island. There’s a deadline. So I need to go light on blogging this week. The good news is that Episode 12 of the Deported to Sweden podcast dropped yesterday. What is DtS you ask? It’s a podcast where one of my oldest and…
Read MoreThe Snack Bar
Twenty-five years ago I went on my first deployment to Kosovo. I was a 27 year old First Lieutenant, prior enlisted soldier, with a lot less experience than I should have had given those facts. The deployment still stands out in my mind. It was a great adventure, where we also felt like we might…
Read MoreTime off
A few weeks ago I stopped into my regular packie (that’s liquor store if you aren’t a New Englander) because there was a critical shortage of whiskey in my house. I only have myself to blame. I have been going to this particular for the last 18 years or so since we moved to our…
Read MoreLucky
I am thrilled to announce that Cold Island was selected to be an Amazon First Reads book. People think it false modesty when I say that I am incredibly lucky to be a writer. My friends say that its my talent that got me here. Sure, there’s something to that. The truth is that had…
Read MoreGood People
I was deployed to Iraq twice. The flights to and from required stops for refueling. Bangor Maine was always one of them. Then there were stops either in Ireland, Germany, Italy and then Kuwait or in the case of my first trip to Iraq, Romania. Romania and Kuwait were memorable because of that was the…
Read MoreThe Whole Point
My friend Fred and I have started a podcast called Deported to Sweden. https://deportedtosweden.buzzsprout.com/2513002 . It’s likely that if your reading this, you already know that. You probably also know that it’s basically Fred and I sitting around, drinking Bourbon and talking. We talk about writing, movies, art and other related things. We also wax nostalgic…
Read MoreWhat is a Week end?
There is a great line in the first season of Downton Abbey when one character mentions that he is looking forward to the upcoming weekend. And the incomparable Maggie Smith, playing the Dowager Countess Grantham perfectly delivers the line; “What is… a week end?” She says this so convincingly that watching it one genuinely believes…
Read MoreI’d rather be busy
My best friend sent me a text message today. He was making a wry observation about his job and this led to the inevitable inquiries as to our weekends. We chatted each listing our weekend activities. Neither of us were slouches this weekend. His involved a little travel and the building of a new deck.…
Read More