In Other Words with Dave
Imagine snapping your forearm as you reach into your mailbox or shattering a few vertebrae during that perfect golf swing. Or simply rolling over in bed and fracturing your ribs. Fractures and bone pain are common ways people discover they have multiple myeloma, a rare blood cancer. The rib fractures happened to me. One minute…
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What I Learned From My Grandmothers!
Someone recently asked me what I learned from my grandmother. Well, I was fortunate to know all four of my grandparents, and that question took me down memory lane. My paternal grandparents lived in a three-room house in the country with no modern facilities. My grandmother still cooked on a wood stove. But that didn’t…
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In Other Words with Dave
Alison and I enjoy scrolling through the news with our morning coffee. A few weeks ago, she was deep into an article about President Jimmy Carter’s remarkable century-long life. She mused aloud, “Wow, 100 years.” I paused mid-sip, equally puzzled and flattered. I gave her a look and asked, “What did you just say?” She…
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Heart-Keepers
February is sometimes called the “Love Month” with Valentine’s Day bringing elaborate marriage proposals. I once saw a movie with a young couple at a ritzy restaurant and the young lady found an engagement ring in her glass of champagne. Wow! If that’s the norm, my late husband, Carl and I missed the memo. I…
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In Other Words with Dave
The web marketing company that creates this magazine, Back40 Design, is celebrating 25 years this January. That’s right, folks—a whole quarter-century. Not bad for a start-up consisting of a folding table, a spare dining chair, a well-loved Mr. Coffee Maker, and a beige Mac connected to the internet via a shaky dial-up connection. Back in…
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Broken and Blessed
I have a passion for broken things. The cuckoo clock that no longer calls out the hour. A music box that doesn’t play. I identify with such things. On the outside they look perfectly normal but inside they are damaged. I often feel that in my own life. I look in the mirror and identify…
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In Other Words with Dave
As Christmas approaches, a familiar ritual begins here at the Miller house: accommodating our ever-expanding circle of relatives and friends for our holiday dinner. First, we need a solid headcount. This is serious business— standby status is not acceptable. Once we confirm the final count, Alison takes charge of menu planning, and I start organizing…
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Christmas In My Heart
I can’t believe it’s December with Christmas around the corner, and I’m having a hard time getting into the holiday mood. It has been a difficult year, especially with breast cancer surgery. But I am beyond thankful that God has given me a great pathology report. However, even though my spirit is jumping for joy…
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In Other Words with Dave
After five years of life’s detours—thanks to COVID and my bout with blood cancer—I finally revved my engine and hit the open road with my motorcycle buddies. I was a little rusty, a little slower, and very mindful of my recent absence from the hobby. It was wonderful to feel the wind in my face…
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Thankful Things!
I call November the “thankful” month. It’s pre-Christmas and post-Halloween and a great time to practice gratitude. No wonder we call it “Thanksgiving.” It’s a season I love because it’s everything family. When I was young, my grandparents visited our farm home every Thanksgiving. I remember how my mother and grandmother seemed to enjoy fixing…
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In Other Words with Dave
I’m pretty good at sitting and reclining. I may even be an expert, as evidenced by our worn-out sectional in the den. This gray-green, low-slung beauty has been a trooper. It hugged us through the pandemic, provided much-needed rest through my chemo treatments, and was our companion through countless binge-worthy (and not-so-binge-worthy) Netflix series. On…
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