RHONDA MAY BE EXPERIENCING A LITTLE STRESS My son and I just got done replacing his deck. It was pretty poorly constructed. One of the main issues was the decking and rails were not adequately anchored down. As the members dried in the sun, or resisted the force of gravity, they began to sag, twist, and cup. It was back breaking work; well it was for me anyway now that I’m a little older. Initially we screwed each deck board once at each location with the intent to add a

ANOTHER BIKER IN ONE OF THOSE RIDICULOUS OUTFITS There goes another one of those bikers hogging the road. Who do they think they are? And what’s up with those ridiculous clothes? Neon jersey, skin tight padded shorts, fingerless gloves. You wouldn’t catch me in such a ridiculous outfit. I just don’t get my friend Ron either. Who takes a week of vacation to ride a bike in RAGBRAI? He and I certainly have different ideas about what a vacation should be like. That was four

I’m learning to ride a bike. Don’t get me wrong, I learned when I was young. I even broke my arm when I was five. Now if you know how to ride a bike, or don’t ever have intention of riding one again, don’t write this story off. Some of the things I’m learning can be applied to everyone. Shortly after I spent more money on a bike and supporting equipment then any one Dutch person could hardly stomach, I had a friend tell me I should mountain bike. This of course, would ta

What color do you think of when you think of Ireland? Green, right? Leprechauns, four leaf clovers, and the Emerald Isle, right? I was curious as to how Ireland became known as the Emerald Isle beyond the obvious, the emerald green landscape. The first time the words ever appeared in print in reference to Ireland was in a poem by Belfast-born Dr. William Drennan, titled “When Erin First Rose.” Drennan, a poet, a physician and a political activist who helped found the Socie

THE WALL ABOVE IS ONE WE SAW LAST SPRING ON A TRIP TO MOROCCO It’s a hot topic right now, because our President wants to build one. I’m going to stay out of the politics of that, so don’t mistake this for an opinion on the border wall. Today we are going to see Hadrian’s Wall. Construction began in AD 122, and it is considered the northerly border of the Roman empire. Though the border is close at some points of the wall, it is a myth that this was the wall separating Engl

That's my favorite foursome. The cute one is my caddy. We are headed to Scotland today, the birthplace of modern golf. As one who loves golfing and watching golf, it’s really too bad we can’t make it to St. Andrews. The modern game originated in Scotland, where the first written record of golf is James II's banning of the game in 1457, as an unwelcome distraction to learning archery. James IV lifted the ban in 1502 when he became a golfer himself, with golf clubs first reco

OK, we’re in Ireland and I’ve been researching important things like, “who was St. Patrick, and why does he have his own day when green beer seems to be in order? Where did the phrase “luck of the Irish come from?” “What are Leprechauns, and why are they associated with the Irish?” According to Edward T. O’Donnell, an Associate Professor of History at Holy Cross College and author of "1001 Things Everyone Should Know About Irish American History," the term “The luck of the

Only those of you who have seen Rhonda's sailing lessons will appreciate the humor in that photo. Schools just back in session and I’ve been thinking about teachers, specifically, some of mine. I know it’s not an easy job, and unfortunately, I have to confess I was not the easiest student. There was Mrs. P who assured me when I was in the 3rd grade that I was going to end up in jail someday. Thankfully she was wrong on that account, well at least I hope I’m out of the woods