"Who was that?" asked our new friend as the taxi sped away. Panda had run to the edge of the street to get a better look. "I know who I hope it wasn't," I said. "We had issues with some men in a taxi like that when we were in Tokyo for the Olympics." The …
"Hey, is that Daddy?" Panda and I were looking at some old pictures on Mom's computer. We only know Daddy from pictures, but I was pretty sure Panda was right. "Yes, that's him," I replied. "You can tell by his happy smile and disposition." Panda nodded. "It looks like they were at Cayucos," he observed. …
There was a time when the students at Augustana College, in Rock Island, Illinois, were living the typical 1917 college life. As a seminary student, my grandfather, Emil Johnson, was highly involved in the college experience. In this photo of the Augustana basketball team, Emil is in the front row, second from right. Sports and …
So Mom had been telling me it was almost time for my yearly shots. But I had kind of forgotten about it, and was enjoying a nice nap in my red chair, when before I knew it. . . …I found myself in my cat carrier in the garage. This did not bode well. When …
I'm sure you've seen these before. Known as plant stakes, fairy sticks, fairy wands, I knew I had to try making some as soon as I saw them. While I sincerely doubt there are any fairies in my garden, (or faeries, if you are keeping up with Chris Hall's latest story from Luna's Online), I …
Okay, I know this is a rooster. But I really liked my title. Anyway, awhile back, a friend "commissioned" a mosaic rooster for a tray she had. She paid me in stained glass, which if you ask me, is the way to go! Excited to make my first "commissioned" piece, I went online to look …
The cold water in the guest bathroom sink hadn't worked for at least 23 years. Only the hot water worked. Which was fine, as long as we told the guests to wash their hands quickly while the "hot" water was still "cold" enough to do so comfortably. With the hot water heater located only a …
A new goal for 2021 Did you ever think of becoming a social media influencer? I did, when I saw this photo on Pinterest the other day. As usual, whenever I see a cool idea on Pinterest, my first thought is, "I could do that!" Not that I thought I could redo my pantry to …
Building vocabulary with Foster and Panda When Panda and Foster's adventures became popular with the students at our church's Christian school, I realized that the stories could be a great way for kids to learn vocabulary. As a teacher (albeit retired) of both Spanish and English as a second language, I know that one of …
"Just add water!" So, if you've read "Just Add Water" (part 1) you know that it's easy to make your own cement. It comes in very handy for making cement spheres, which can then be painted and used as yard art. (Actually you don't want to know the story behind this "easy DIY" Pinterest project.) …