Attribution: BruceBlaus, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, passes along the keeper’s observation that a day that starts with an early morning needle poked into an eye is likely to improve as the hours go by. The eye treatment procedure for macular degeneration is one that many people endure …
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Kickass and Andrews Fling
Photo by Phyllis Stokes By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, notes that the commitment to land, trees and people was never more apparent than at Tim and Cyndy Andrews’ “spring fling” at their impressive home and business out on the Mazomanie hills. Cyndy’s culinary skills matched up with Tim’s gracious hosting made a great …
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The Pen in Hand Guide to the Movies: Into the Western Wilderness
Illustration by Michael DiMilo By Geoff Carter During our recent annual visit to New Mexico, we took a day trip to the beautiful Ghost Ranch, which is situated in a valley surrounded by breathtakingly beautiful rock formations streaked with a veritable rainbow of colors. In past years, we have been lucky enough to visit other …
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Kickass and Daughters
Photo by Bill Stokes By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, agrees with the keeper that while sons are okay, daughters are better, or at least different when it comes to parent-child relationships. That is especially true for mothers, mother-daughter bonding being one of those special human traits that endures for a lifetime as the …
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Kickass and Changing of the Hat
Photo by Bill Stokes By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, was proud to attend the official “changing-of-the-hat” ceremony conducted recently on behalf of the keeper as he transitioned from his winter to summer headgear. In keeping with the long-standing identification of accurately labeling so many elements of the keeper’s life, the long serving appropriate …
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Kickass and Newspaper Columnist Appreciation Day
Photo by Phyllis Stokes By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports the keeper’ appreciation to George Hesselberg for the reminder that yesterday—Apr. 18 was the anniversary of Ernie Pyle’s death—1945 by enemy sniper, and was thus chosen to be an annual newspaper columnist appreciation day. Pyle, of course, was the premier WWII newspaper columnist, …
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Kickass and Dumbness
Illustration by Michael DiMilo By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, notes that the keeper, ever alert to significant milestones in life, recognizes that the tipping point may have been reached in the national dumbing down effort and it will be smooth sledding from here on out as those with the most outlandish conspiracy theories …
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The Winding Road
Attribution: http://www.ForestWander.com, CC BY-SA 3.0 US, via Wikimedia Commons By Geoff Carter I happened to be running an errand in my old hometown, the village I grew up in the other day, and I barely recognized the place. My middle school was gone; they’d razed it. Most of the businesses, including Falls Music, Sergeant Pepper’s Record …
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Kickass Welcomes the Trees
Attribution: Paul Berzinn, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, joins the keeper and Phyllis in thankfulness and appreciation for once more being present with everyone else in the great dressing room as the magnificent cast of trees costumes up for yet one more sensational performance. Having endured a long …
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Kickass and Lake Living
Photo by Bill Stokes By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, joins the keeper in acknowledging that living in proximity to a lake is not only symbolic of economic status but also presents the opportunity for quality recreation, particularly in a four-lakes town like Madison. However certain economic factors prevent people like the keeper and …
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Kickass at the River on Sunday
Photo by Bill Stokes By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, agrees with the keeper that a family gathering at the river on a Sunday as flawless as yesterday may be a high mark of tribal cohesiveness. With younger members attentive to the keeper’s comfort and appetite as he and Phyllis occupied comfortable chairs, ate …
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The Pen in Hand Guide to the Movies: Review of “A Ghost Story”
Illustration by Michael DiMilo Haunted: Film Review of A Ghost Story By Geoff Carter Sometimes, despite the best efforts of The Pen in Hand to stay hip and current, we find ourselves hopelessly behind the times. The other night as I was surfing through Max (HBO 2.0), I ran across a fascinating little film called A …
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