Just came back from my local town's (Bowie, MD) fireworks display. For such a small town they really do a good job. This is really saying something where the fireworks show right next door (Washington DC's) Fireworks on the Mall gets national coverage. Although the show in Washington did get Jerry Lee Lewis out of his rocking chair and sing Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On and Great Balls Of Fire while playing the piano, of course. Although the lyrics sound slightly creepy coming out of his septuagenarian yap. "Shake it baby, shake." Sounds like he's asking for his pureed peaches to be mixed a little. And 3 miles down the road is Six Flags where owner Dan Snyder (also owner of the Washington Redskins football team) puts on quite a show. Driving home from our quaint by comparison show, we could see the Six Flags show but Washington is a little distant (10 miles in a straight line). But still, a satisfying show that my daughters adored.


Web Junkie

Steve West scours the Web searching for interest or absurdity and then shakes his head ruefully when he finds it. Read more »

Santa Claus Can Kiss My Ass

That title is almost blasphemous in the American belief system, I know. We took the girls to a local ice cream store, Coldstone's, to get ice cream and to see and get a photograph taken with Santa. It occured to me that Santa gets a lot of credit for stuff that I do and provide. Go »

Driftwood Horses

I walk along the beach and I see firewood and that opening scene from Jaws. This lady sees Go »

Halloween 2015

A pretty fun time again this year. My brother and his wife hosted a costume party and because Cheryl is a breast cancer survivor, she requested that each costume contain a touch of pink. I carried around a baguette and sang I Want to Rock 'n' Roll All Night in French (Je veux du rock 'n roll tour le soir, et jeter tour la jour). Go »

Half-time

At about the halfway mark between Halloween and Christmas, I ran across this gift idea suitable for both holidays. Zombie lawn sculpture. Dave Barry included this in his annual gift guide and I found the original source for it. Go »

Stuff Happening

Brenda and I have placed a bid on a little house in Bowie about a mile from where we currently reside. It keeps the children in the same school district and keeps us in the little town we've grown to love. Closing is set for a month from now on Friday of Labor day weekend so it gives us three days to move furniture and settle in. Go »

My Faith in Humanity is Restored

This is a true story I saw on a travel blog website. Late one night, a woman and her husband received the tragic news that their three-year-old grandson in Denver had been murdered by their daughter’s live-in boyfriend. The boy was being taken off life support at 9 o’clock that evening and his parents opted for organ donation which would take place immediately upon his passing. Go »