The Sheda family took off from Ft. Lauderdale on Saturday, January 4 for a cruise on the "Grandeur of the Sea," Royal Caribbean Cruise line. It's the smallest of the four ships of their fleet but still was quite large from my perspective. The entire crew consisted of about 800 crew members, ...
I guess you could say I believe in omens. I'm not going to see a bluebird fly overhead and then move to Belchertown, Massachusetts, but sometimes there are signs. And particularly what I love is when the universe reassures those moments of precognition, no matter how insane or stupid they might ...
Coming home for the holidays, the best feeling of all. After an arduous and long semester away, the tests were done and classes concluded. My Tama-Toledo home was waiting for me. Arriving home on a Sunday night, I was welcomed in by my dog Bailey. My beautiful yellow lab jumped and barked and ...
In the mid 1800's the US government persuaded the Meskwaki to sell their inhabited Iowa lands for 7-11 cents per acre. Capitalist land grabbers quickly leaped in, knowing the US government was actively seeking white immigrants from Scandinavia and British Isles with offers of rich farmland and ...
Tama citizens have been wondering what is happening as far as the Lincoln Bridge is concerned. People are probably aware of the new store built on the east side of town. The store has put in a drive leading to their business. The city will finish the drive taking it to Fifth Street. This will ...
By no means would I call myself a “TV guy”. Never big on watching anything, I’d rather be outside…usually. Usually a run or some time with my dog would suffice, yet this winter those things haven’t satisfied me. Gloomy weather and growing “old” has me parked in front of my ...
Like I've said before, my family is superstitious, but if you have as much bad luck as we do, you get that way. The number thirteen is taboo, no one ever walks under a ladder, and black cats are the root of all evil. If I could sum this all up in one quick anecdote It would be one about my ...
As everyone knows, it's that time of the year to make our annual resolutions for the new year--2025--Lose weight, exercise more; go to church; read more, watch TV less; and so on and so forth. And usually before the end of January, most if not all our resolutions have been long forgotten and ...
As 2024 wraps up, I’m reflecting on the past 12 months. What memories did our family make, how did things go on the farm, and how are things going in my community and across the state? One of my biggest memories is about Summit Carbon Solutions and its controversial CO2 pipeline. Two days ...
My family doesn't really have traditions, but we do have habits, addictions, and superstitions. The main addiction I know I have when it comes to those special days of the year is movies. I love movies. And when something comes up like a holiday I have a list of films to watch. Now, you are ...