Thanksgiving grace

You’ve probably already planned every detail of your Thanksgiving meal – at least those of you who subscribe to Southern Living – but have you thought about the one act that gives next week’s holiday its name? At the risk of sounding preachy, Thanksgiving is supposed to be as advertised. But often, the last thought … Continue reading Thanksgiving grace →

Bake me a cake as fast as you can

I pulled Harris’ overflowing train molded cake pan out of the oven precisely at 3:30 p.m. and put the bowl containing Barron’s yellow cake mix in at 350 degrees for 42 minutes. Then I left. As I drove to Alpharetta for yet another weekend work commitment, guilt pursued me like a Lilburn cop after someone … Continue reading Bake me a cake as fast as you can →

A 10-minute conversation

When was the last time you had 10 minutes with nothing to do? Think about it. Let’s take it one step further: When was the last time you had 10 minutes with nothing to do and you did nothing? Umm-hmm. That's what I thought. I’ve been doing a lot of weekend travel for my day … Continue reading A 10-minute conversation →

Holy costume, Batman, it’s Halloween!

Life is filled with difficult decisions. When you are the ages of my boys, one of the most agonizing choices is which costume to wear on Halloween. The conversation this year began in earnest about April. My boys have a bin of costumes from which they could select any number of identities: Power Ranger (Red), … Continue reading Holy costume, Batman, it’s Halloween! →

Muzzle control

There once was a day when it was presumed that all Southern males intuitively knew how to handle a firearm. That day ended in Georgia when the state required everyone born after 1961 to take a hunter education course before applying for a hunting license. With the onset of deer season for firearms this weekend, … Continue reading Muzzle control →

A foot in two states

Heavy clouds and the threat of rain couldn’t dampen our enthusiasm for a trip on the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway last Monday for Carlton’s third birthday. For weeks leading up to the big event, I felt pangs of sentimentality about my youngest son following the same journey as his brothers from toddlerhood to full blown … Continue reading A foot in two states →

Two nights in Texas

Mississippi-born singer songwriter Kate Campbell intruded into my awareness in the late ‘90s, and since then, each lyrical and patently Southern album she releases is a must-own in my limited collection. On Sept. 27, she released her latest, a live album called “Two Nights in Texas,” with recordings from back-to-back shows April 8-9, 2010, at … Continue reading Two nights in Texas →

Watching the Braves with Paw Paw

At 11:39 p.m. , Wednesday, – well past my bedtime – Braves rookie first baseman Freddie Freeman grounded into a double play, ending the Braves season. As I struggled to stay awake during the final two hours of the 13-inning marathon game, I couldn’t help but think of my grandfather as I watched the drama … Continue reading Watching the Braves with Paw Paw →

What’s your name?

After going through Cub Scouts all the way from Bobcat to Webelos with my oldest son, Barron, I’m now re-entering the cycle with Harris, my middle son. Only this time, I’ve put myself on the sacrificial altar of den leadership. Planning and executing meetings and outings with my co-leader, Kathy, isn’t the hard part. The … Continue reading What’s your name? →

Running on fumes

Glowing like a nightlight in my reflective vest, I barreled down the hill as a Parkview school bus chugged past. On the last leg of a four-mile pre-dawn run, my lungs filled with the noxious fumes the bus belched as it crawled up toward the intersection. In my 18 years as a runner, this scene … Continue reading Running on fumes →