Stories & Blogs
McDonald’s DRIVE THRU
I go to McDonald’s drive thru once a week for two Sausage Biscuits, one of which is shared with Jazz the dog. In peak times both lanes are in use, with a line of cars. Each driver, from vans to pick-ups to SUV to the smallest of small, make our way to order, to the…
Roy’s Sunday Letter, July 17, 2022
* For SL readers over 50 I would say these titles of time and heritage have little current meaning, and/or less and less relevant Politics/Political Republican Democrat Younger SL readers, in general, pay little attention, nor care about these old style words, lacking action or values If we must apply tag lines to identify the…
Women & Men Weekend Trips
Beth recently joined three women friends for a Friday – Sunday weekend of travel, food, life updates, and shopping. These four departed knowing the where and some of the what of the weekend. The joy, the fun of their time together was allowing the travel, day, and evening to unfold before them. And, all of…
Roy’s Sunday Letter, July 10, 2022
* The 1st SL through Aweber went well. Most were able to Open and read, but not all. There seems to be a difference in look and feel with laptops, ipads, and phones. WordPress font size and color can be improved. To Register or ensure you are registered, go to “royswritings.com“….site opens on my book….scroll…
Roy’s Sunday Letter, July 3, 2022
* One part of my 2nd career as Writer is to enjoy learning and stretching together. The switch from traditional Gmail to Aweber email look and feel is one of many examples. Tim of SmartWebNow.com is our guide. Now published, I am asked “What have you learned?” OR “From what you have learned, can you…
Finding My Digital Way – Where Is My GPS?
Finding my way through the many, ever-changing digital platforms can be a challenge for anyone, at any age. This is especially true for elders, especially this elder. Just when I find doorway or a way around a suddenly appearing wall, there is the need for a code or undefined symbol to post a photo or…
Roy’s Sunday Letter, June 26, 2022
* James Patterson and Dolly Parton have partnered on a book. Run, Rose, Run. Dolly is an amazing achiever, songwriter, philanthropist…a hero to us all….& more. ** For my adult life I watched Mark Shields. PBS News Hour, CNN. HIs recent death at 85, brought forth comments Mark would appreciate:. Generosity of spirit….Irrepressible humor….Could spot…
Resilience
In 2005, the storm surge of Katrina over-whelmed planned protections and levies, leaving New Orleans a city underwater with residents stranded on roofs, homes, jobs… a city destroyed. The New Orleans Jazz Festival is an annual international event of music, food, and culture. In 2006, the artists, sponsors, and festival planners decided to at least…
Roy’s Sunday Letter, June 19, 2022
** Do you love the printed page (or did before ebooks)?? “Hello, Bookstore” is an intimate documentary of the now aging owner of his beloved bookstore, and his supporters in Lenox, Mass. Matt Tannenbaum is the town’s bookseller, through the Pandemic, the economy slowing, and growth of Amazon and digital/audio books.YouTube has trailers and…
Roy’s Sunday Letter, June 12, 2022
* First encouraging and celebrative news: Diebeda Francis Kere has been awarded the Pritzker Prize as Architect of the Year for 2022 Born in an African village with no school, Kere’s determined way carried him through education to become an Architect His education and public place design are astounding, pleasing, functional, and magical. Find him…
Roy’s Sunday Letter for May 24, 2026
The Songs & Artists of Youth & Senior Years Music, both the sounds and the lyrics, were woven into my youth, working years, and now elder years. Today’s Sunday’s writing will present five of my forever songs. Most Sunday Letter readers were too young, or not even born, in 1966 when Joan Baez came out…
Roy’s Sunday Letter for May 17, 2026
Creating and Sustaining Community This week’s Sunday Letter has been inspired by Beth’s Delta Zeta Sorority’s magazine “The Lamp.” The current issue focuses on creating and sustaining sisterhood communities. Some readers of the Sunday Letter may participate in a local church, civic, or neighborhood association. Other readers may yet to have that experience or opportunity….
Roy’s Sunday Letter for May 10, 2026
MOTHER’S DAY 2026 Writing about mother’s is an opportunity as well as a challenge… Readers of the Sunday Letter may have experienced birth mothers, stepmothers, mothers-in-law or other family members who provided the role of mothers as best possible. Through our service at the Hope & Healing Place in Amarillo, we also know of mothers’…
Roy’s Sunday Letter for May 3, 2026
All About Goodness First Goodness: I had been dreading the clinic appointment with the Cardiologist. I had completed 3 recent heart tests and would hear test results and recommended next treatment…perhaps a Pacemaker or new medication. Instead, our MD explained my heart had a minor flow issue but were not health threatening. “See you in…
Roy’s Sunday Letter for April 26, 2026
About HOPE….How To Keep….Offer HOPE To Others Lately, as I have talked and listened to friends and family, I heard and felt their general despair. This despair seems to be from reports on the news, decisions being made by the unqualified, random acts of violence and harm to the innocent. I also heard and felt…
Roy’s Sunday Letter for April 19, 2026
Benefits of Letting the Old Man or Woman In Toby Keith wrote and recorded Don’t Let the Old Man In during his last months of treatment and eventual death from stomach cancer. There is a popular site offering T-shirts, hats, and bags with this message. I understand the resistance and push back of letting the…
Roy’s Sunday Letter for April 12, 2026
Paying Attention And Accepting My Limitations Beth, Peter, and I gather twice monthly to share writings and journals. We three also share of our individual lives. Beth and Peter encouraged me to allow a recent individual writing as the content of a Sunday Letter and thus I have done so this week. This Sunday Letter…
Roy’s Sunday Letter for April 5, 2026
This Easter weekend Beth & I walked our neighborhood block of 16 homes. Beth had prepared a gift bag for each neighbor with Zucchini bread, a card with her original art on the front and contact information. Both Jesus and Mr. Rogers spoke about neighbors. By knocking on 16 doors, we extended the hand of…
Roy’s Sunday Letter for March 29, 2026
Neighbors and Neighborhoods 2026 I am writing this week about the ways both neighbors and neighborhoods have changed, never to return to the days of images and memories of our experiences often reflected in a TV series or movie. Beth and I live on a traditional block of 16 homes. In my youth I grew-up…
Roy’s Sunday Letter for March 22, 2026
Being Safe, Prayers All Will Be Safe Where was your safe place as a child and later as a teen? Who were the individuals or groups who taught you about safety and provide you safety as a child…as a teen. Today, who are you teaching about safety and being free from harm? In what ways…