Columns

I still call my dad most every morning. While I'm driving to work, he's slowly but surely making his way to breakfast in the retirement facility where Dad and Mom now live.

I sometimes have difficulty communicating on the phone with Dad since his hearing is not what it used to be. Dad just turned 89. So, I was encouraged when Dad told me he was getting new hearing aids. I thought that would make our conversations easier.

"I just got my new hearing aids," he proudly announced one morning not long ago.

At a recent Homeland Security meeting, I heard about the "If you see something, say something" campaign. The initiative was created to encourage people to report suspicious activity in their community.

The "See Something, Say Something" campaign was developed to address terrorism happening in our country. While it's hard for me to imagine that there could be terroristic activity going on around here, I understand that it's not outside the realm of possibility.

The advice given by this initiative should be considered by everyone.

Recently my son bought a small farm that has an old well pump in the front yard.

In looking at it the other day, it brought back memories of my childhood when most farm families had a water pump in their yard, along with a tin drinking cup that hung from the side. It suited us just fine, though, especially on summer days when hard work in the blazing sun seemed to bake every drop of liquid out of you. In fact, I've never tasted anything sweeter than the cool, clear water we pumped by hand from deep under ground.

Tomorrow is the beginning of a much-anticipated three-day weekend, thanks to Monday being Memorial Day.

A day set aside for honoring those loved ones who are no longer with us, Memorial Day is also considered the unofficial beginning of summer.

While many of us will experience some sadness this weekend as we place lovely flower arrangements on the tombstones of our loved ones and listen quietly as the names of people who died in the last year are read in church, we also look forward to spending time with our families and having some fun in the sun.