How we treasure our family heirlooms, if we are fortunate enough to have some handed down to us. Maybe we treasurer them a little too much. Sometimes we store these heirlooms safely and neatly tucked away in a chest, a drawer or a cabinet. There they...

Jacob is officially a licensed driver! I dropped him at the courthouse Tuesday morning and had him call me to bring the car down when his number was called. I’m so proud of him but nervous at the same time. Not quite as much as when his older...

Progress . . . Everyone wants progress in the traditional meaning of the word. The dictionary defines the word as “to move forward or to develop to a higher, better or more advanced stage.” Gosh, I’m sure we all want that. How-so-ever . . . I j...

After last week’s below zero temperatures, it almost feels like we are living in a tropical paradise. On Monday afternoon, at least one person called at The Express window in shirtsleeves. That didn’t happen last week. Following the death of...

Maybe I’m considered to be old fashioned in today’s society, but I enjoy holding a book in my hand to read instead of looking at the words on a tablet screen. When I go shopping for something, I like to hold it in my hands, look at the exact...

Memories . . . Not all memories are great, but for the most part, it seems we remember the “good memories” more than other memories. (Or even the good things about bad events.) I don’t know if that is true or not, but I’ll go with it as that...

Even though there is still white stuff in the forecast, spring is on its way! I noticed a tulip pushing through the earth near my foundation and the tiniest buds on my lilac bushes. I enjoy watching nature come back to life. I can’t wait for the...

One hundred years ago today my father was born in a farm house a couple miles or so north of Abdal, Nebraska. He was his parents fourth and last child. I don’t remember Dad or his parents talking about the circumstances surrounding his birth. But...

Word travels fast in a small community, so it’s likely not news to many of you that my husband and I had COVID. The hubby tested positive on Feb. 2, and me on the 5th. The teenager’s test came back negative. He has been isolated in his room. We...

A reminder that Sunday, February 14th, is Valentine’s Day. So it’s time to get or make that special someone a special something. Maybe that “something” is a flower bouquet, a piece of jewelry, a box of chocolates, or a sentimental card. No...

I read a book several years back entitled How The Irish Saved Civilization. It basically detailed how books and education were being destroyed in Europe back in the Middle Ages. As different group of people conquered different areas, books were...

Regular readers of this column know I grew up in a house that wasn’t much more than a stone’s throw from my father’s business. The house was designed so my fathxer could keep a close watch on his business. There was even a switch within reach...

As a youngster I disliked wearing jeans, I much preferred overalls but apparently overalls for youngsters were falling out of favor. The J.C. Penney store quit offering overalls in the smaller sizes I needed and I bought the last two pair the Troudt...

I’ve heard couples say, my children are so noisy and cause so much ruckus at church on Sunday that we don’t think we should come until they get a little older and behave better. I try to assure those couples their children may be a little noisy b...

This time of the year it seems that I read a lot more about children. Especially, about unborn children and it’s usually because so many people commemorate the date of Jan. 22, 1973, with sorrow and prayer and hope. That was the date the U. S. Supr...

Not a whole lot is happening around here, just the normal. messy house, unruly children, work, bills, laundry...nothing eventful to speak of. I’m still not feeling myself. Waiting on doctors to call back is as eventful as watching the grass grow in...

Regular readers of this column know I grew up in a house that wasn’t much more than a stone’s throw from my father’s business. The house was designed so my father could keep a close watch on his business. There was even a switch within reach...

With this week’s winter weather. It has been a bit hard for this weather watcher to focus on the newspaper work he should be doing. Instead of working, I would have liked to have taken a position where I could watch people coping with the falling...

Monday was a “Snow Day” in this part of Kansas! School, events and some business closings were announced Sunday as a winter snow warning was issued. The large snowflakes began falling in the late night or early morning. It was coming down so...

Greg Manning was a Tuesday afternoon visitor of Cliff and Glenny Barnes. Mary Foley and Walt Wilson picked up the government commodities in Belleville last Wednesday morning and delivered them to the Christian Church basement for sorting and boxing....

After writing a weekly column for the better part of five decades, I fear I repeat my stories all too frequently, and with the continuing pandemic and an attempt to avoid exposure to the COVID-19 virus, I’m not acquiring new stories. Last week a...