A tyrant in our house

By Joe Rector Amy and I were strict parents, I much more so than she because my hateful voice matched my sore disposition. I didn’t say we were abusive; however, our children weren’t strangers to spankings. Our children did not run the household; that was Amy’s job,...

Spring Flowers, Summer Sun and DST

By Joe Rector joerector@comcast.net Dark always crept up on us, especially when the winner of an intense game of football was being decided in the lower lot of our yard. One by one, the boys in the neighborhood set out for home. Some traveled with a slow pace brought...

Houses should be homes

  By Joe Rector My brothers and I rode on the dirt road cut for the new subdivision. Daddy had given the developer twenty-five feet so that he could build the road. We always came home in the evening dusty and dirty from the dirt storms we kicked up with sliding...

Sweet revenge

By Joe Rector Summer nearly burned us up a couple of weeks ago, but the rain arrived in the nick of time. The weather forecast for the coming week lets us know that summer isn’t finished with us yet. August brings the beginning of school, and children wear new clothes...

The first year away from home

By Joe Rector Caden Rector, like many young people, left for college the other day. He’s attending Western Carolina, where he signed to play baseball. Although he’s Jim’s grandson, the boy was on my mind, so I sent him a text message, wished him well, and told him to...

Are we patriotic enough?

  By Joe Rector Well, evidently, the more things change, the more they stay the same is a true statement. Our world seems to take one step forward and two steps backward. The US is having a bit of trouble gaining its footing in so many areas. Sometimes I wonder...