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SANDCASTLES AT SUNSET

Sandcastles, from the most ornate to a bucket of wet sand turned upside down, all have one thing in common: They don’t last. But instead of mourning the loss of the castle, think of this: You have a chance to build another one, a better one, one that will last. Knowing it won’t last never […]

DAD VALUE: THE MISSING INGREDIENT IN FAMILY RECIPE

Dad value fluctuates day to day, but one thing is certain: Father’s make a difference. Disagree? Then ask someone you know without a dad, or never knew their dad. I read an article about being raised with love and how it makes a difference when you love someone raised on survival. Had we known then […]

NEEDING MORE: HOW TO CONTROL THAT EMPTY FEELING

Needing more of something depends on age. Kids needing more kid stuff like their friends; young people need more experience than they’ve had time to acquire; old people need more time to figure out what they missed along the way. We’re needy from the start. Babies need more mom and dad time, grandparents need more […]

MISSING PARTS AND WHERE TO FIND REPLACEMENTS

When I was a kid I had a high school aged uncle who liked to build model cars with missing parts. He didn’t play any sports. I glued model cars together, too. The box of plastic pieces all linked together became a Buick Wildcat. No paint, nothing special, just following directions and putting it together. […]

GRANDDAD ADVICE: WHAT KIDS LEARN FIRST

Granddad advice is the last thing needed for a newborn? Whoever said that? If you’re a grandpa who doesn’t give Granddad advice, do you know what’s coming? Grandma advice. No matter who speaks up first, make it useful. The first thing to beware of:

TORCH PASSING? WHEN IS THE RIGHT TIME

When it comes to torch passing, timing is everything. And it’s usually the wrong time. My dad died the day after my last visit.

DAD DEGREES LIKE COLLEGE DEGREE, BUT GRADED BY WIFE

Dad degrees? If you’re never heard of one, it’s because they don’t exist. Or do they? Don’t we grade parents like we do anything else? Start with the parents from childhood, your childhood, not your kid’s. I’ll go first.

FATHERHOOD QUESTION: WHAT DID IT FEEL LIKE TO LEARN YOU’D BE A DAD?

A fatherhood question ought to have an easy answer. I’m a dad, but when asked how it felt when I first heard I’d made the team I was stumped for an answer. And it wasn’t a complicated question. How did I feel? Really?

APOLOGIZE NOW THAT YOU’VE HAD TIME TO THINK

Apologize now? For what? Who hasn’t had some regret during the coronavirus quarantine? Maybe a little remorse? If that’s you, then it’s time to apologize now. Start early and bring it up to speed.

A BIRTHDAY, VE DAY, FLYOVER PORTLAND DAY

My dad’s birthday is May 8, so it was a big day before I learned about Victory in Europe, or anything in Europe. It’s still a big day. Sharing his day with the end of the worst war in the history of mankind, where industrialized death became the accepted norm, can’t be easy. Just ask […]