U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Racheal Watson, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports that the keeper and Phyllis will be heading off toward Roxbury to participate in the Saturday wedding celebration of granddaughter Sarah and Jessy Noble at the Dorf House. It promises to be a …
Read
Month:October 2022
Kickass and Haunted House
Photo by Bill Stokes By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports that the keeper and Phyllis were thrilled to learn that their former Mazo house–now occupied by grandson Andy, his wife Ari and their three young ones, has been seriously haunted and may have to be condemned until after Halloween. While it is a …
Read
Autumn Leaves
Gwenllian Rees, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Geoff Carter It’s that time of year. Autumn. I took my dog for a walk along the river trail yesterday. It was about fifty degrees with a cool north wind blowing, but the sun was out, warm and inviting when it was able to peek through the …
Read
Kickass and Eye Treatment
د.مصطفى الجزار, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports that the keeper’s treatment at the VA’s eye clinic includes a series of shots–at anywhere from six to ten week intervals, to ward off the effects of macular degeneration. While the procedure sounds intimidating, it is, in fact, not that bad–a …
Read
Kickass and Bird Migration
Photo by Chris Briggs on Unsplash By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, listens to the keeper as he stands out on the balcony in the dark of night and delivers a message to the millions of birds now flying invisibly through the night to get to more tolerable locations as the planet tips away from the sun: …
Read
Kickass and Document Boxes
University of Illinois Library, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, agrees with Phyllis that the Justice Department’s help may be needed with the keeper’s boxes of documents that are cluttering up the premises as he paws through them in compiling “Treeson,” his book-length apologia to the trees that were …
Read
The Pen in Hand Guide to the Movies: The Legacy of Alan Arkin
Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons By Geoff Carter He is a comedic genius, an accomplished dramatic actor, and probably one of the most underrated actors of his generation. His deadpan delivery, sublimely expressive silences, and impeccable timing make Alan Arkin one of the most unique screen presences of his time. From the …
Read
Kickass and Cousin Fest
Photo by Bill Stokes By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, joins the keeper and Phyllis in saluting “cousins,” the occasion being a riotous assembly of great grandkids at a Kim and Dick family dinner in Mazo. Both the keeper and Phyllis have fond memories of their own cousins, most of whom have departed; and …
Read
Kickass and Being a Tree
Good Free Photos, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, is rendered helpless in the face of the muse that sometimes attaches to the keeper like a woodtick: ON BEING A TREE I wish that I could be a tree. Gaudy now in autumn glee. I’ll undress soon for winter …
Read
Kickass and Computer Fail
Photo by Ilya Pavlov on Unsplash Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports that the keeper is slowly recovering his emotional equilibrium–such as it was, after losing three days of computer work on a project he has been working on since the days of hand-cranked automobiles. Usually, Phyllis can repair his keyboard fumbling, but something mysterious occurred …
Read
Kickass Cows Over Women
Rawpixel Ltd, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Kickass, the doorstop dog, joins the keeper in observing that two occurrences in Madison this week make it plain that in Wisconsin, cows are much more respected than women: one event is the World Dairy Expo which is a week-long celebration honoring cows from around the world; the other …
Read
The Hall of Shame
MN National Guard, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons I grew up in Wisconsin. One of my first childhood memories is sitting in the living room in front of an eighteen-inch television set watching the 1967 NFL Championship Game, better known as the Ice Bowl. I saw the final play of the game, Bart Starr’s winning …
Read