One Man’s Cancer Survival Story ********** To My Wife, Children, Family & Friends  Who’ve Lived & Fought Alongside Me  Every Day We’ve Been In ************ AUTHOR’S NOTE: “I’m Sorry- It’s Cancer.”      Those are words no one ever wants to hear.   I know.   I’ve heard them three...

     The event that I’m about to describe has haunted a dark corner of my mind since the night it occurred. Some may find it disturbing. I still do. **********   It was a Saturday evening in 1986.  I was a young lieutenant recently assigned to the 10th Mountain...

     Comic book war heroes. As kids, growing up in the ’70’s, my brother Ray & I loved ’em.  The Haunted Tank, Unknown Soldier, Weird War Tales- & my personal favorite -SGT ROCK.      “ROCK” was “Easy Company” Platoon Sergeant, “Top Kick” in a long series of WWII comic...

“Welcoming In The New Year” “Stayin’ Warm by The Stove”      Well, here we are!  Another decade behind us- it’s  ours now.  We own it.  2020 before us- who knows what lies on the trail ahead!      This decade certainly ended with a few nice surprises.      My wife...

Early last fall, when Robin & I were first planning our Christmas gift shopping list, we asked my Mom, who lives with us now, and has everything; “Mom-What do you want for Christmas?” Mom’s answer? “A really neat Garden Gnome.” Which made perfect sense. Mom has always been a...

Author’s Note: This story was published in The Adirondack Almanack’s December 21, 2021 online edition. **********      We  moved to Saranac Lake from Lake Placid in the summer of ’73.  I had just finished 4th grade.               My brother Ray (“Raymond” then) & I explored the river, rode bikes,...

Author’s Note: A little over a year after debuting as my blog’s all time most viewed post, this story was published in The Adirondack Almanack’s November 26, 2021 online edition. ********** “Saranac Lake Redskins” “This Here Is Monk” Saranac Lake High School. Varsity practice field – July, 1978:      ...

Author’s Note: This story appeared in the September 25, 2021 online edition of the Adirondack Almanack in a slightly modified version under the title “Outlaw Duck Hunters”. “Regular Ducks” **********  My first brush with the law came in ’74. I was 10.  Fresh out of 5th Grade, I still...

“A year Round Treat” ********** “Outlaw Santa & His Posse” “Just Bagged Some Grinches”      So you’ve been doing some hunting – managed to bag a few Grinches!  Congratulations!  So….Now What??      Well, I wanted to take a moment and offer some suggestions and an easy original Grinch recipe...

When I was a young officer in the 10th Mountain Division’s 1-22 Infantry Battalion, one of my most memorable experiences was standing in battalion formation, 550 battle ready men strong. Led by our Battalion Command Sergeant Major, echoing his words in single voice unison, line by line we belted...