Just before Christmas, I bought myself a book on the Battle of Verdun in The Great War. I buy physical books for myself around Christmas, my Dad’s birthday, and the anniversary of his death as presents from him to me, so to speak. Verdun was a cataclysm nearly unmatched in the history of the worldContinue reading “Hills Worth Dying On”
Category Archives: Adult Years
Let’s Ring in the New Year … with a Migraine
Do you have any New Year’s traditions? We do. We usually say goodbye to the old year by having a blowout fight on New Year’s Eve followed by welcoming the new year with some form of reconciliation. Our most spectacular blowout happened when we lived in Bridgewater. One kid had a doctor’s appointment in Boston;Continue reading “Let’s Ring in the New Year … with a Migraine”
How the Christmas Ball Caused the Salem Witch Trials
I collect old letters and records, mostly from the Civil War era but some going back to the Colonial and Revolutionary periods. In the last six months, I acquired a letter between two cousins in the Putnam family of New England; I also acquired a Putnam letter from the early 1800s confirming the family’s involvementContinue reading “How the Christmas Ball Caused the Salem Witch Trials”
What’s My Name, Fool?
Driving back from one of Lindsay’s tournaments, we stopped at a Wendy’s attached to a gas station. We decided to make it a full break, so we all got out to use the restroom, order food, and so forth. We were the only people in line at Wendy’s, and I stepped up to the counterContinue reading “What’s My Name, Fool?”
Report from New Balance Headquarters
At the eight-hundred-meter mark, Graham was in seventh place and on pace for a 4:48-mile finish. We were at the New Balance world headquarters on one of the nicest indoor tracks in the world—in fact, the NCAA indoor national championship will be held there in 2024. Graham had qualified for the race eighth out ofContinue reading “Report from New Balance Headquarters”
The House Is Still Half-Full
December 26, a morning of rude awakenings. I’ve mentioned how the residents of Greenhill Manor are optimists, right? At 5:30 am, Graham rolled out of bed, turned on roughly seventy-five percent of the lights in the house, and headed out for his run. He has a big race on the 27th, and he had toContinue reading “The House Is Still Half-Full”
The Christmas Sword of Vengeance
Years ago, Grant had a buddy over to play. They went down to our basement and began raising royal hell, which was par for the two of them. At some point, the din got so loud that I went downstairs to make sure things were still intact. They weren’t. The boys were jumping off ourContinue reading “The Christmas Sword of Vengeance”
Snowman Got His Own Fire
We decorated gingerbread houses last night. Of course, being the Laws, we cannot just decorate gingerbread houses—we must compete. So for days, we had agreed that we would have boys versus girls, that is, Graham and me versus Lauren, Lucia, and Lindsay. Graham, who never lacks for self-confidence, said the whole week, “Obviously, we’re gonnaContinue reading “Snowman Got His Own Fire”
I Bless the Rains Down in Alcatraz
The girls are terrible at hearing song lyrics. Lindsay, in particular, is a stone-cold song slayer. When they were younger, I was driving the girls to a soccer or dance practice, and Ellie Goulding’s song “Lights” came on the radio. The girls knew the song and began singing along with all their typical gusto. WhenContinue reading “I Bless the Rains Down in Alcatraz”
A Glute Bridge of Honey that Totally Whams
Here’s the point in these stories where the snake begins to eat its tail or in other words where we revisit various story lines for updates. You may recall this photo from a few weeks ago. The girls in the family had a totally different take on it from what you all might have expected.Continue reading “A Glute Bridge of Honey that Totally Whams”
His Smile Lit Up a Room and Other Things to Say at My Funeral 