In Memory of Gary Davis

Photo by Joan Davis

This morning brought sad news to our family. Gary Davis, a Hudkins cousin, passed away last night while in Hospice care. He had been ill for several years, and a car accident on September 26th weakened him further.

I was asked to write a formal notice for our family’s private Facebook page, and I also spent much of the day on the phone with relatives as we all tried to process the loss.

Gary and his wife, Joan, always made an effort to connect with me whenever I was visiting Ohio. They also spent time visiting with my parents over the years. On September 22, 2019, Gary and Joan came up to the assisted living facility where my sister was staying and took Megan and me out to lunch. I had been keeping vigil for Jeni as she lay dying, and I remember feeling so grateful for their company that day. As we headed back to the facility, we got the call that Jeni had passed away. I will always think of Gary and Joan as my own personal angels in that moment.

I also remember June 19, 2023, when I wrote about Gary and Joan taking Joe and me on one of their famous backroad drives (famous, at least, in our family). They treated us to lunch, and we had a splendid day together.

This is the notice we shared on our family page:

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With Love, We Remember Gary Davis
Gary Davis (1946–2025)

Gary Davis, 79 years young, died peacefully on September 29, 2025, with his beloved wife, Joan, at his bedside.

Though Gary faced health struggles over the years, a car accident on Friday, September 26th, put great strain on his body, leading to kidney failure. He was transferred to Hospice care, where he was able to spend precious time surrounded by family.

Joan described Gary’s final moments as magical. Serenaded by Colour My World by Chicago and A Whiter Shade of Pale by Procol Harum, Gary crossed over at 11:20 pm. Colour My World was Gary and Joan’s song, and its lyrics capture the deep love they shared:

As time goes on
I realize
Just what you mean
To me

And now
Now that you're near
Promise your love
That I've waited to share

And dreams
Of our moments together
Colour my world
With hope of loving you.

In honor of Gary’s wishes, a celebration of life will be held at a later date. In the meantime, we invite you to share your favorite memories of Gary in the comments.

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Losing Gary feels heavy, but I’m holding onto the memories of his kindness, his laughter, and the way he and Joan always made time for family. I’m grateful for the moments we shared, and I know he will be remembered with love.

Forty-Seven Sends Troops, Portland Sends Jokes

 

Sending 200 National Guard troops into Portland, Oregon is not funny. But at the same time, people in Portland are finding their own way of coping—with humor. The post I shared above, along with the comments, made me laugh out loud.

For those who haven’t been following the news, Forty-seven has called up 200 National Guard troops in quiet Portland, Oregon. (Some commenters have even joked that maybe he meant Portland, Maine, since there’s no war in Oregon.)

Even if you aren’t very political, I think you’ll get a kick out of the “fake” letter from a soldier and the clever responses from Portland citizens.

New Post

Sometimes the best way to deal with heavy news is to laugh at the absurdity of it all. Portland’s sense of humor is alive and well, and that’s something worth holding onto.

Sunday Quiet, Shattered by the News

Sunday mornings are among my favorite times. I love that the neighborhood is even quieter than usual and everything feels still. This morning I woke up at our usual “weekend” wake-up time of 10:00 a.m. (since Joe’s work schedule often keeps us up until 2 or 3 a.m.). I stayed in the bedroom with the lights off — blackout curtains drawn — sitting in a chair, listening to the silence, and reading on my iPhone.

I lost track of time and was surprised when it was already 1:00 p.m. before I made it downstairs to forage for food. Once I got something to eat, I settled in the sunroom and checked the news.

The headlines were devastating. In the past 24 hours there have been multiple mass shootings. One especially horrifying report came out of Grand Blanc Township, Michigan, where a man drove into an LDS (Mormon) church, opened fire, and set the building on fire. At least one person has died, with several others injured, and the motive is still unknown. Some have already rushed to call it a “targeted attack against Christians.”

I think back to the bombings and shootings in Black churches over the years — those were rarely described in those words. And I don’t recall the shooting at Annunciation Church in Minneapolis, just a month ago today, being framed as a “targeted attack against Christians.”

I hate that forty-seven takes dreadful situations and twists them for political advantage every which way he can. He’s already shown he’ll direct the DOJ to go after his enemies, proving he has no moral compass. I can’t help but wonder if his constant attacks on Portland, Oregon — calling it “war-ravaged” when it isn’t — are really about sending a message to Senator Ron Wyden, who is pressing hard for the Treasury to release Jeffrey Epstein’s financial records. I have no proof of that, but given his history, it certainly crosses my mind.

Maybe the quiet of my darkened bedroom and a good book is what I need again this afternoon.

Spicy Snacks and Sweet Moments

Coffee-flavored biscuits, cappuccino-flavored hard candies, and Kokola Super Cream pineapple cookies were the big winners from this month’s Universal Yums Indonesian snack box. With Jeremy, Megan, and Oliver off at the Gophers football game, it was just Caleb, Charlotte, Joe, and me tasting our way through the treats.

Caleb wasn’t a fan of the crackers topped with cheese and chocolate sprinkles, or the lemon and mint hard candy. I agreed with him about the crackers, while Joe sided with Caleb on the hard candy. Charlotte didn’t care for the jasmine tea drink and thought the cassava chips with spicy balado flavor were too hot. The rest of us liked both the tea and the chips. Oddly enough, Charlotte loved the Chiki Twist flaming hot extra-spicy corn snacks (basically like spicy Cheetos).

Caleb’s quote of the day was, “Isn’t it funny how I like international snacks so much?” We all laughed, and I told him, “You like snacks in the USA too!” He admitted that was true. Charlotte’s special treat this month was that none of the snacks had any kind of tree nuts. In past months she’s often had to skip at least one—sometimes more—since she’s allergic to walnuts and sensitive to other nuts.

We enjoyed spending the day with our oldest grandchildren, and we even managed to sneak in a few snuggles with Oliver before and after the football game. It was a sweet mix of snacks, laughter, and time together—the very best kind of Saturday.

Why I Stay Informed, Even When It Hurts

Some days I’m not sure if I’m tired because I’m sixty-nine years old, or if it’s from the emotional strain of staying politically informed and engaged.

I believe it’s my civic responsibility to stay informed. I get that it’s not for everyone, but I hope there are enough of us engaged to thwart the worst of the current regime’s abuses. If Forty-seven wants to know what radicalizes an aged liberal like me, it’s the crap he and Stephen Miller are pulling. Project 2025 radicalizes me. The current DOJ behaviors are radicalizing me.

One thing that is not radicalizing me is some imaginary leftist movement or George Soros. George has never even offered Joe or me a check. Antifa is not an organization — it’s a movement. For those who don’t understand what Antifa is, or are afraid of it, here’s Wikipedia’s opening paragraph:

“Antifa (/ænˈtiːfə, ˈæntifə/) is a left-wing anti-fascist and anti-racist political movement. It is sometimes described as a highly decentralized array of autonomous groups in the United States. Antifa political activism includes nonviolent methods of direct action such as poster and flyer campaigns, mutual aid, speeches, protest marches, and community organizing. Some who identify as antifa also use tactics involving digital activism, doxing, harassment, physical violence, and property damage. Supporters of the movement aim to combat far-right extremists, including neo-Nazis and white supremacists.”

While I do not condone violence, doxing, or property damage, I can imagine there are fringe individuals who do those things — just as January 6ers who stormed the Capitol were not representative of all Republicans, conservatives, or right-wing people. Meanwhile, Forty-seven posts on Truth Social and says in speeches that Democrats are the enemy. He even signed a (legally worthless) executive order designating a fictional organization as a domestic terrorist group:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/09/designating-antifa-as-a-domestic-terrorist-organization/

Why would Forty-seven sign an executive order about a fictional group? My thought — shared by tens of millions of Americans — is that it’s a way to create a common enemy to entice MAGA back into the fold. His MAGA followers have been falling away as they realize there’s something in the Epstein files that he’s keeping from them after promising during his 2024 campaign that he would release them.

He’s also losing mainstream Republicans who voted for him in 2024. Food prices haven’t come down, fuel prices have stayed the same in most parts of the country, and ICE agents have arrested citizens and immigrants with legal status and no criminal records, even tearing children from families. Sadly for Forty-seven, many mainstream Republicans — and even some of MAGA — are starting to see that his efforts are having a negative impact on their lives, and most won’t fall for the campaign against Antifa (a cartoon this week summed it up: “Anti-Antifa = Fascist”).

To amp up his war on democracy, yesterday James Comey was indicted. Most of what I’m hearing is that the case may never make it to trial and could be dismissed as baseless. Forty-seven’s Truth Social statements make it clear this prosecution is strictly political and revenge-motivated. I am not a Comey fan — I thought his actions toward Hillary Clinton were deplorable — but I don’t think anyone should be targeted simply because a president declares them an enemy. Of course, according to Forty-seven, I’m also an enemy of the country (no, he hasn’t called me out by name, just by my political affiliation).

Staying informed is exhausting, but writing about it helps me process the chaos. I remind myself that even in the middle of all this, there are still millions of people who care deeply about democracy and decency. That thought is what keeps me going.

Slow and Steady Today

For the third day in a row, I woke up with pain in my left leg. Not the way I’d choose to start a morning. So far, I have spent most of the day stretched out on the futon in the sunroom, where the light comes in just right. Between political podcasts and drifting off for little naps, the hours went by quietly.

Joe found one of our old canes, and it has been a big help. I’m planning to take it easy and continue resting today. My entertainment of choice is the Dead Zone series on TubiTV, which feels like the perfect companion for a slow day.

Here’s hoping my leg gets the memo soon. Until then, it’s me, the cane, and Johnny Smith from Dead Zone keeping each other company.

Late Night, Cozy Ending

This does not happen at my house ... Joe mows the lawn.

Quick note tonight since I didn’t get home until about 7:00pm. Dinner ended up being a late one—around 8:30—after I blew a breaker in the kitchen by running the air fryer and microwave at the same time. Once I ate, I couldn’t leave the dishes in the sink, so the kitchen had to be cleaned.

By then it was 9:00pm, and I decided a nap was in order. I stretched out in the sunroom and slept until 11:00. From there, I somehow got sidetracked with double-checking our estimated federal and state tax payments for the rest of 2025.

All the while, I had the news on in the background, which was probably a mistake—it didn’t exactly make things feel more restful.

Anyway, all is well here in the Coehlo household. I hope all is well in yours too. That’s enough excitement for one day—I’m ready for rest. May your evening be calm and cozy as well.

Guest Post: The Great Tylenol Tragedy of 2025

"The Great Tylenol Tragedy Of 2025" In the greatest medical circus ever staged, Tylenol became a villain, autism a punchline, and the nation cheered as logic quietly slipped out the back door. Michael Cohen Sep 23

Trump declared, with all the gravity of a wartime address, that Tylenol is “no good” and that pregnant women should “fight like hell” to avoid it. The cause? A supposed link to autism. The evidence? Dubious at best. The presentation? A master class in political theater.

RFK Jr., a man whose scientific qualifications end at “once attended family dinners with actual doctors,” nodded seriously as if he’d just cracked the genetic code. Dr. Oz, meanwhile, stood by like a mascot of pseudoscience, his TV career having sold more miracle cures than a 19th-century patent medicine salesman. If snake oil had a human form, it would’ve worn a tailored suit and smiled politely beside the Resolute Desk.

Now, to be fair, science is messy. Some studies have suggested an association between acetaminophen use in pregnancy and neurodevelopmental issues. Others found no such link. This is what grown-ups in lab coats call “inconclusive.” But in the Oval Office, inconclusive became gospel. Trump, who has a gift for boiling complexity down to slogans, simply declared: Tylenol causes autism.

And here’s where the comedy turns cruel. Pregnant women across the country heard those words. Women like Haley Drenon in Texas, who admitted she panicked because she’d already taken Tylenol for headaches. Imagine the anxiety that spreads when a president, flanked by two carnival barkers dressed as medical sages, transforms uncertainty into dogma. That’s not public health; it’s public harm.

Medical experts responded with the expected exasperation. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists reminded everyone that acetaminophen remains the safest option for pregnant women, that untreated fever itself is dangerous, and that no causal link has been proven. The FDA; dragged into the circus, issued a statement so hedged it could double as a shrub, admitting no solid evidence while promising new warning labels anyway.

Meanwhile, RFK Jr. pitched leucovorin, a decades-old chemotherapy adjunct, as the new frontier in autism treatment. Scientists, with weary patience, pointed out that the research is in its infancy, barely past the “maybe” stage. But nuance doesn’t trend on social media, and RFK Jr. knows the value of a headline.

Here’s the cynicism buried under the comedy: autism isn’t a “horrible crisis,” as Trump called it. It’s not a tragedy to be eradicated. It’s a spectrum of human diversity, deserving of respect, research, and resources. But when politicians frame autism as a disease to be stamped out, they’re not just spreading misinformation; they’re devaluing millions of autistic people and their families.

That’s the true tragedy here. Not Tylenol. Not even autism. But the willingness of leaders to weaponize science as performance art.

And yet, part of me can’t help but marvel at the choreography. There was Trump, the consummate showman, delivering lines with the confidence of a man who knows facts don’t matter if the performance hits its mark. There was RFK Jr., earnest in his pseudoscience, a prophet in search of a cult. And there was Dr. Oz, smiling on cue, the human embodiment of a product endorsement nobody asked for.

Forty years ago, America lived through the original Tylenol murders; capsules poisoned with cyanide, lives lost, trust shattered. That was sabotage by an anonymous killer. Yesterday’s spectacle was sabotage of another kind: poisoning public trust not with cyanide, but with confusion, anxiety, and misinformation. The bottle looks the same, but the danger now comes from the label written at the podium of the Oval Office.

In the 1980s, we were blindsided by tampered medicine. You could open a bottle, take a pill, and never know the danger until it was too late. Yesterday’s Tylenol spectacle was the same horror in a new form; truth itself tampered at the source, handed out with presidential seal and prime-time coverage. The tragedy is no longer in what we swallow from a bottle, but in what we’re forced to swallow from our leaders: a reality so warped it would make cyanide feel like a wellness trend.

Monday Memes

Some days the words just don’t come, and today is one of those days for me. Between the noise of the news about 47 and Kennedy on autism, and everything else swirling around, I’m just not in the mood to sit and write a full blog. So instead, I thought I’d keep it light and share a few of my favorite memes from this week—they gave me a smile, and maybe they’ll do the same for you.

One Big Potato and Three Big Chores

Joe did a “test harvest” of a sweet potato today, and we were both surprised at the size! After he pulled it up (and washed it, which we later learned is not the thing to do right away), we watched a YouTube video on how to properly harvest and store sweet potatoes. Turns out, once they’re dug up, they need to cure for 10 days to two weeks before they’re ready to eat. Curing lets the starches turn into sugars, which makes them sweeter, and also helps any little cuts heal so they store better. The best conditions are warm and humid, so Joe set this big guy in the garage under the sunroom to cure. His plan is to slice it up for lunches once it’s ready.

If you look at the photo of Joe proudly holding his sweet potato, you might notice the ladder in the background. That ladder got a workout today—Joe must have gone up and down at least 25 times while cleaning out the gutters. Every few trips, he’d take a break to pull a handful of weeds (also pictured). Once the gutters were done, we chopped up yard refuse and Joe still had enough energy left to make three trips to the compost site. Just watching him made me feel tired!

Joe weeding.

A small pumpkin - the other two small pumpkins on the plant are still green.

Joe grew these from the seeds of a pumpkin we were given last year.

Later in the afternoon, we made a stop in Albertville to shop for shoes for Joe. He does not enjoy shoe shopping, but Skechers was running a sale—buy one pair, get the second pair 50% off. True to form, Joe picked up two pairs of the exact same style. That way, he won’t have to think about shoe shopping again for another two years.

All in all, it was a productive day for us. Joe crossed three chores off his to-do list, and I was glad to help where I could. By the end of the day, Joe had a sweet potato curing, new shoes in the closet, and gutters free of leaves. I think he’s earned himself a good rest—while I’m just grateful I didn’t have to climb that ladder!

The Heavy Week for Free Speech

This week brought more attacks on the First Amendment, and it all feels overwhelming. On social media I saw several people suggesting that we should simply relax and let destiny take its course when it comes to restricting free speech, even quoting Bible verses about forgiveness and charity. I had a strong urge to remind them that they don’t usually show the same forgiveness and charity when it comes to their beliefs about the Second Amendment. Instead, I chose to practice what they preached—I let their comments pass, offering my own measure of forgiveness and charity. After all, I do believe in free speech.

Government retaliation and censorship

In the wake of Charlie Kirk's death, several attempts to suppress critical speech have occurred:

• Targeting political opponents: Administration officials, including Vice President JD Vance and Attorney General Pam Bondi, have vowed to use government resources to "identify, disrupt, and destroy groups the administration perceives to be an enemy". Bondi also explicitly threatened to "absolutely target you, go after you, if you are targeting anyone with hate speech". The administration also blamed "left-wing radicals" for the assassination, drawing criticism from groups like the ACLU, which said it was using the tragedy to justify a censorship campaign.
• Punishing media outlets: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chair, Brendan Carr, publicly pressured ABC to punish late-night host Jimmy Kimmel over his commentary following Kirk's death, an action condemned by the Democratic National Committee (DNC). This has been viewed by critics as weaponizing government power to silence critics.
• Intimidating educators and public servants: Reports indicate that lawmakers have pressured schools to discipline teachers who have criticized Kirk's views. Federal agencies have also disciplined public servants for expressing opinions contrary to the administration. 

Restrictions on press freedom

The Pentagon implemented new restrictions on journalists covering the Department of Defense, requiring them to sign a pledge to not report any information unless it has been formally authorized for release, even if it is unclassified. 

• The new mandate threatens to revoke the press credentials of reporters who do not comply.
• The National Press Club condemned the move as a "direct assault on independent journalism," arguing that it prevents the public from getting information not pre-approved by the government. 

Challenges to religious freedom

• The Interfaith Alliance noted intensifying attacks on free speech and religious freedom in an amicus brief filed on September 9.
• Religious liberty issues are anticipated to be a major theme at the Supreme Court this term, with cases focusing on religious speech in public spaces, faith-based therapy bans, and the rights of incarcerated individuals to seek redress for religious violations.
• A lawsuit by faith groups is challenging the administration's rollback of a 2011 policy protecting sensitive locations like churches from immigration enforcement. 

If you care about free speech, civil liberties, or understanding how our rights work in practice, the First Amendment Encyclopedia at Middle Tennessee State University is an excellent resource. Run by the Free Speech Center, this is a large, searchable, non-partisan compendium of information on the freedoms protected under the First Amendment: speech, press, religion, assembly, and petition. The site brings together over 1,700 articles (and growing) that include court case summaries, topical essays, legal concepts, and historical background. Whether you’re a student, educator, journalist, or simply someone interested in civil liberties, it’s built for all levels: you can dive in for deep legal theory or browse more accessible entries about current events. 

What makes it especially valuable is how it blends historical context, legal doctrine, and real-world issues. For example, if you want to understand how a court has interpreted “free speech” in school settings, or see how First Amendment rights intersect with modern controversies like protests, media regulation, or digital speech, the Encyclopedia offers clear, referenced articles. It also includes helpful tools like browsing by date, by topic, or by legal term, which makes it easy to track changes over time. One caveat: although it’s meant to be nonpartisan and educational, legal interpretation is complex, and many articles summarize (rather than argue) differing views — so it’s always good to supplement it with original case texts or recent court rulings. But if you want a reliable foundation to understand free-speech issues, this site is a strong go-to.

This site is also helpful for those who are interested in how the First Amendment fared under other U.S. Presidents: https://firstamendment.mtsu.edu/encyclopedia/topic/people/presidents/. A brief summary is listed and you can then click on the underlined President's name to read further. 

Links:

https://firstamendment.mtsu.edu/encyclopedia/

https://firstamendment.mtsu.edu/article/freedom-of-speech/

https://firstamendment.mtsu.edu/article/right-of-assembly/

https://firstamendment.mtsu.edu/article/freedom-of-petition/

https://firstamendment.mtsu.edu/article/freedom-of-the-press/

https://firstamendment.mtsu.edu/article/freedom-of-religion/

As heavy as these times feel, I still believe that paying attention and speaking up for the First Amendment matters.

Happy reading!

A Day of Doing

This morning the last stage of our garage improvement project was completed. Last month we had a heater installed, and today insulation was blown into the garage attic. Now Joe can stay toasty while working in his home machine shop during the cold winter months.

The two installers didn’t leave empty-handed—they went home with serrano and jalapeño peppers and yellow cherry tomatoes from our garden. In return, one of them shared some peppers from his lunch that he had brought back from Mexico. They’re called Chiltepin peppers, a wild heirloom variety native to the southwestern U.S. and Mexico. According to Google, they’re known as the “mother of all peppers.” These tiny, round peppers are only about a quarter inch across, but they pack a fiery punch!

After the installers left, we headed to Maple Grove to run errands. Joe got a haircut (while I read in the car), and then we stopped at Costco for gas and groceries. Gas prices have held steady at $2.80/gallon for the last six or seven weeks. That’s not the lowest we’ve seen—back in January 2024 we paid $2.46/gallon at Costco—but it’s nice that it hasn’t climbed higher.

Groceries were a mixed bag. Eggs are finally down to $3.49/dozen at our local grocery store, which feels like a big improvement. The price drop is thanks to fewer avian flu outbreaks and an improved supply chain. We go through plenty of eggs, so this helps balance out the rising costs of nearly everything else we buy.

Back at home, I spent some time cooking before we headed over to Megan’s. Joe worked his magic on her car battery while I visited with Jeremy and played with Oliver. With Megan and Charlotte off at a Girl Scout camping night and Caleb away at a Boy Scout campout, it was a quieter house than usual. The battery needs to charge overnight, so tomorrow we’ll know if Joe’s efforts saved the day or if Megan will be shopping for a new one.

Now we’re finally back home, listening to the rain that’s been falling off and on all day. The forecast calls for more through Sunday, which means no mowing this weekend—and Joe isn’t the least bit disappointed about that. We’re looking forward to a quiet couple of days.

Sometimes it’s the balance of big projects, small errands, and family moments that makes a day feel full. Today had a little of everything, and I’m grateful to end it quietly at home.

Adventures at Floor Level

As I was crawling around on the floor today with my eight-month-old grandson, Oliver (aka: Grandma’s Baby), I realized there’s a lot to notice down at floor level. Oliver has plenty of toys meant to help him with development, but of course, Sylvie’s slobber-covered tennis ball was far more interesting than anything designed for babies.

Several times, Sylvie dropped the ball on the floor, and Oliver immediately made a beeline for it. What struck me was that he never actually picked the ball up—he was simply delighted by the chase. As soon as he got close, he’d flip from crawling to sitting, flash me one of his heart-melting smiles, then crawl back to me, reaching up to grab my fingers so he could pull himself to standing. Meanwhile, Sylvie would move the ball somewhere else, and the whole game would start again. Looking back, I realize Sylvie was playing her own version of catch with Oliver.

Later, Oliver and I crawled down the hallway to check out two wall vents. I took advantage of the moment to dust them for Megan while Oliver carefully explored—touching the vents, running his little fingers up and down to make noise, and investigating the screws with a furrowed brow. (If he’d had a screwdriver, I think those vents might be gone by now. Or maybe he was just concentrating… or trying to pass gas!)

We also tried some outside time, but today he wasn’t as interested—at least not in the way I was willing to follow. Most of the fun things were on the ground, and I wasn’t in the mood to crawl around the deck collecting sticks from him. After about ten minutes, we went back inside where Oliver happily opened and closed the dog crate door and explored his toys.

Lunchtime was a real treat because Megan let me feed him. Oliver had corn, small strips of bread with peanut butter, bits of cob, and applesauce. He loved it all! The corn cob pieces were especially fun for him to gnaw on, and the peanut butter sandwich—new for him this week—disappeared quickly. With the corn kernels, he would grab fistfuls and shove them into his mouth, pausing only to flash his “life is so amazing” smile. His whole face lights up when he grins, and those four little teeth just make it even sweeter.

Applesauce is a special event: I put a spoonful on his baby spoon and set it on the tray. Most of the time, he grabbed it straight from my hand before I could put it down. Somehow, despite the eagerness, most of it made it into his mouth.

Cleanup took teamwork. Megan handled Oliver (about five or six baby wipes did the trick), and I washed the dishes, bib, and tray.

Later, I checked my iPhone to see if crawling counted as steps—and it does! I clocked 325 crawls this morning. Honestly, crawling is about my speed these days, but watching Oliver, I realized I’d better work on my walking pace if I want to keep up with him next month.

Spending time with Oliver reminds me that the best kind of exercise isn’t about steps or speed—it’s about joy. Whether we’re chasing a slobbery tennis ball, exploring a vent, or sharing applesauce smiles, every moment with him feels like its own little adventure.

A Chat with Eleanor and a Few Guilty Pleasures

A screenshot of a free Crash Course video I paln to watch this week.

Today I enjoyed a long virtual chat with my cousin (and friend) Eleanor. Our two-hour visit gave me a much-needed recharge of energy for the day.

Later, Joe shared a YouTube lecture he thought I’d find interesting: Amanda Montell – Crash Course: The Secret Language of Cults. The 45-minute talk is about linguistics, culture, and belonging. Montell’s delivery was easy to follow and very informative.

One of the points she made was how certain words and phrases become common in everyday life, sometimes without us realizing the impact they carry. Over time, meanings shift or get twisted, and the same word can take on very different meanings for different groups. It reminded me of how the word “woke” has become so loaded, depending on who uses it.

At first, I thought Crash Course was part of the title, but it’s actually the name of a YouTube channel that offers short, engaging lessons on a wide variety of topics. They cover everything from Native American history to “Death and the Afterlife Across Religions.” I may need to fit a few of those episodes in between my current TubiTV series binge.

Speaking of TubiTV, it’s free to watch and has a surprisingly wide range of options — from British and Australian series to U.S. shows and movies. Right now, I’m making my way through The Dead Zone while also enjoying Rosemary & Thyme and Midsomer Murders. On the book side of things, I’ve picked up Terry Pratchett’s The Truth again — always a favorite reread.

So that’s where I’m at: a little bit of learning, a little bit of TV comfort, and a little bit of Pratchett. What’s your guilty pleasure these days — in books or in shows?

Today reminded me how nourishing it is to balance connection, curiosity, and comfort. A conversation with Eleanor, new ideas from Montell, and familiar stories on screen and page — together they make the day feel whole.

Tending Gardens, Tending Connections

Taken from sunroom window. The sweet potato is the vine 

plant directly in front of the kale plants.

I enjoyed a virtual visit with my friend Kara today. It was a nice break between my cooking and food-preparation tasks.

Our kale plants are getting ready to bolt, so we harvested some. My job is to strip the leaves from the stems, wash them, and blanch them. Tomorrow Joe will chop them up the way he likes, and then they’ll head to the freezer.

When Joe tore out the cucumber plants, he discovered a few more cucumbers hidden under the leaves. I turned them into cucumber juice and froze it into ice cubes. My hope is that someday those cubes will become cucumber margaritas for guests.

Potato salad was also on today’s list, which meant plenty of chopping—olives, hard-boiled eggs, pickles, celery, and onions.

Google AI tells me it’s nearly time to harvest our sweet potatoes. In Minnesota, that usually means mid-to-late September, before the first frost. Signs include yellowing leaves or soil bulging with tubers. Only a few leaves have yellowed so far, and I’m guessing we still have a couple of weeks before frost.

I also tried to take a mini-vacation from political podcasts today. Instead, I enjoyed listening to Marissa Rothkopf and Joyce Vance talk about Marissa’s new book, The Secret Life of Chocolate Chip Cookies. If you love collecting recipes, I’d recommend following Marissa on Substack—she shares generously and for free.

Days like today remind me how satisfying the mix of small things can be—chatting with a friend, tending the garden, and listening to a good conversation. It’s a simple rhythm, but one I’m grateful for.

Small Joys in a Noisy World

“Proof that not all the noise in life is bad.”

I spent much of my afternoon and early evening talking with friends by phone or virtually online. I treasure the friendships and the conversations.

Today, I stayed off social media because it feels like a scary place. Yesterday, people were posting that if you are not grieving for Charlie Kirk then you are celebrating his death and are just as responsible for it as the person who pulled the trigger. I do not think killing someone I disagree with is ever a solution. Violence is never the answer to disagreements. At the same time, while Charlie Kirk may be their hero — that doesn’t mean he has to be everyone else’s. I know I’d be heartbroken if someone I admire was killed, but I certainly wouldn’t accuse everyone else of being murderers if they chose not to grieve people on my list of heroes. It wouldn’t even occur to me that other people have to think like I do.

For the last five minutes I have been listening to a strange scratching noise. It took me a minute to figure out it was our cat, Alto, using her scratching pad. The pad is not new; however, the sound she was making with it was different — it may be time to replace the pad portion. At least she looked up when I tried to catch her in the act so I could try for a cute cat photo. With the violent political talk happening, I think a cute cat photo is necessary for the good spirits of peoplekind. It’s days like this that remind me how important it is to step away from the noise and find comfort in the small, steady joys — like Alto’s silly scratching and the warmth of a good conversation.

Jesus Christ Superstar

Photo taken from SOAR Facebook page

This afternoon Joe and I went to see Jesus Christ Superstar in the park. The abundance of local musical talent continues to amaze me. The production was put on by SOAR Regional Arts. The Beaudry family founded SOAR, and it seems every one of them is gifted. Today’s performance was directed by the husband, the wife sang in the choir, and one of their sons stepped into the role of Pontius Pilate.

The production itself was powerful. Jesus Christ Superstar is a rock opera that tells the story of the last week of Jesus’ life through music. The cast brought strong voices, emotional performances, and impressive energy, even in the heat. It struck me again how lucky we are to have this kind of talent right here in our community.

It was hot out today. When we got into our car after the performance around 4:00 p.m., the temperature read 99 degrees. After two weeks of weather in the high 50s and low 70s, I could feel every bit of that heat. Still, it was well worth it to sit outside and take in the music.

Even with the blazing sun, the music and the story carried the afternoon. Sometimes beauty and meaning make the heat fade into the background.

Fun Memes for a Brain Rest

I enjoyed a virtual visit with my dear friend Mary Anne for several hours today. A nap, processing more garden vegetables, and making dinner rounded out my day.

Sharing a few memes is my contribution to this space today.