Kelly Learns
A compilation of my columns from the Sunday issues of the Daily Courier, Prescott, Arizona.
I’ve been writing an every-other Sunday column for the Daily Courier in Prescott, AZ since late 2020, thanks to the kind encouragement of long-time columnist Ron Barnes, who spent over 30 years contributing his wisdom not only to the newspaper but to many other people and organizations in the Prescott area. He put in some good words to the publisher and editor for me when he decided to retire from column writing. It’s one of those gifts you never knew you wanted and then realize how grateful you are to have it.
The Daily Courier has exclusive rights to my column for 60 days after publication, which is why you might be reading a Christmas column in February. I love writing but seem to need a project and deadline to do it. Hopefully this blog will inspire me to write more. Thanks for stopping by to check out my site!
Bottomless cup
The self-serve beverage station is one of my favorite food inventions of the modern era. I choose my restaurants based on the availability of endless cups of coffee without having to bug the staff for a warm-up. Some places will plop an insulated thermos of it on the table along with what they guess might be the appropriate number of creamers. That works for me too, but I love places with giant canisters of multiple flavor options, which allows me to mix and match the potency – half decaf, half flavored, dark roast or only decaf — whatever the correct combination of caffeination is for me at that particular time of day. It’s not just a frugal thing, although I do love that the price is usually cheaper than a fancy coffee shop and the refills are unlimited during my visit. It’s also the...
As Long As I Can Remember
(My mom and dad on Mom's 70th bday) I had the honor of speaking at the Sunrise Lions Club the other day, and after we got through the questions, someone mentioned a beloved former Lion named Al, who made it to 103 before he died this year. One of the members always...
Curse of the Auto-Renew
The other day I noticed a hefty charge for a popular virus scanner on our bank statement. I didn’t remember using the product, much less buying it for more than I would ever agree to pay. I visited their website to find the customer service number and logged in with...
Gift of time
I discovered at 6:30 a.m. on the day of the Walk to End Alzheimer’s that despite having read up online on all the steps to make percolator coffee, I had forgotten one critical element – the cups to pour it into. Luckily, we live in a town where early store hours are a...
Spinning back the years
We had a parking lot sale last week as a fundraiser for our Lions Club. As we sorted through all the donations, figuring out the best way to showcase the unique collection of donated treasures, I got distracted by four storage boxes filled with vinyl records and...
Kitchen table wisdom
My dad complimented me on my Sunday column last week about Prescott’s growth and I gave him a strange look. That wasn’t me, I said, and after a few minutes of back and forth, he fished it out of the recycling bin and handed his copy to me. He was right, and so was I....
An uphill climb
It’s hard to start over. I think we’ve all been there, where something we took for granted sneaks out the back door in a worn pair of running shoes when you aren’t paying attention. Something about the last few years made me forget I used to think working out was fun,...
Walk in their shoes
After 67 years, you would expect to build many good memories together, including stories about your life your kids still laugh about and share. Bob was a dentist and Peggy ran a health food store. Their son Mark remembers having carob cake instead of chocolate at his...
Shake, rattle and roll with it
I was standing by the washing machine, talking to my husband about the yard project we were attempting to pull off in the sweltering heat when the rumbling started. I figured our finicky front loader was shuddering from the weight of an off-kilter load of jeans and...
Exit row
When you’re tall like me, having a few extra inches on the plane can make the trip better. I rarely splurge for an exit row seat, but I figured a long flight to Dublin and the return trip from London might justify the extra money, just to be able to stand up and...
Across the pond
A few months ago, one of my college roommates invited me to spend some time with her in Ireland this summer. She would be co-teaching an Irish literature class in Dublin and guiding 11 students around on a multi-week tour. There was a spare bedroom in the campus house...
A history of caring
One of the first doctors I met when we moved to Prescott was Dr. John Oakley. By the time I met him in early 2013 at a local non-profit for end-of-life education, he’d been retired for a number of years. I didn’t notice the building I was sitting in was named the...