W^2 or W squared for Wordless Wednesday, September 2, 2026
Dolly Parton (1046-2026) Wheaton, IL, Wednesday August 26, 2026 4:57 PM CDT
On my way home last week I took the above photo. The world learned of death the previous day and many people shared the sign’s sentiment.
And the other side of the sign…….the flipside.
The flip-side of Dolly’s sign Wheaton, IL, Wednesday August 26, 2026 4:57 PM CDT
I didn’t pay any attention to it at the time, but is the flipside is brighter. It faces the sun in the later afternoon and is fully illuminated on a beautiful sunny late summer afternoon.
The other side is in the shade and appears darker, even though it is a positive thought.
There are always two ways to look at things – we can be sad, or we can be happy for the memories we have and what learned.
We played her song “9 to 5” in the hallways Friday when school let out for the weekend. Many of the students were signing the words as they walked to their bus, their pickup, or walk home.
Dolly helped us smile one more time.
We finished Day 13 today, but who’s counting when you are making the days count? We have a lot more to go, so I’d better finish this post and mow the lawn before I am mowing by flashlight.
This week’s sign of the week is actually three. I discovered the image below on a drive by, actually a ‘drive passed’ this morning.
Sign of the Week for August 17 – 23, Wheaton, IL
School is back in session and I have FIVE days with kids under my belt and additional three with adults before the kids arrived this past Monday, August 17. I have been busy keeping up.
I passed the church nearest the local high school and elementary school where my kids and our neighborhood attend. They often have a great message to pass along, so I am passing it along. Officer Hedge and I posed with the school sign after cleaning the street and waving cars, walkers, and riders this into the circle drive Thursday morning. Former traffic duty is my morning duty every Thursday and Friday through the end of the year. It jump starts day even when it is -10F / -24C.
School is off to a great start and my students are beginning their 6th grade year with curiosity and excitement. They have lots of questions – especially why I have so many photographs of peanuts.
the back of the classroom has many of the peanut photos I have taken in my bucket list travels
I was able to squeeze in a baseball game the evening before school started. I went with two retired teachers and we had a great night at the ballpark. The ballpark promotion was a ‘Pope Hat’ in honor of Pope Leo XIV, the current Pope and a Chicago native who grew up a baseball fan rooting for the Chicago White Sox. If you have time, here is a great story from the New York Times – A Pope From Chicago Was Elected. The White Sox Were Resurrected.
It was also dollar dog night, though I only had one. My friends and I had a great night even though the White Sox came up short in ten innings.. It was the perfect way to close my summer break and kickoff one my friends first day of retirement.
So house it going? Pretty good, but I’ll admit penning a blog post was not on my ‘urgent’ list of things to do. So, I’d better get going on my Sunday. today is going to be an amazing day, could be a million and six times better than Saturday. I am jumping up, jumping in and seizing the day. Making the Days COUNT one day at a time, even when it is not on my list.
What is on your list for the day?
NOTE: I have changed Sign of the Week to SotW moving forward. Thanks for reading this far.
W^2 or W squared for Wordless Wednesday, August 5, 2026
DIY – do it yourself. I am not handy; I can fix simple things. But when it comes to repairing the clothes dryer, I tremble at the thought.
the clothes dryer, disassembled and ready for the new heating element – it’s on the back right corner
A couple weeks ago, I was doing laundry and I noticed the dryer wasn’t drying clothes, it was tumbling, but it wasn’t getting hot. I thought the problem might have been the vent tube was clogged. That is something I can do and feel confident about. I tried cleaning that, but it wasn’t. It was clean.
Last fall, our daughter replaced the heating element, and it appeared the replacement had failed.
I called her – she’s at the lake – and asked when she would be home. She told me she was planning to be at the lake with the dogs until after Labor Day, but she told me,
“Dad, you can do it.”
So, she ordered the replacement heating element, and I came home with the part last week. I warned her I wasn’t going to try the repair until I had a FULL day to do it. I planned to replace the exterior dryer cover as well.
Sunday night she asked when I was going to do the repair and I said,
Monday.
I had watched the repair video and figured it would take me at least two hours. The only tools I needed was Phillips head screwdriver and a pair of pliers.
I started late Monday morning and finished Tuesday, as it turned out setting aside one day wasn’t enough for me. For most home improvement projects, I count the number of trips to the hardware store as a measure of my success. It is usually at least two trips – one to get the parts I think I’ll need and a second to get the parts I didn’t know about or something else; and sometimes more trips.
Following the YouTube video made it easy. There were times when I had to review a segment more than once, but the repair went smoothly.
The hardest part was getting the belt back on the drive mechanism. After almost a half hour, I decided search for another video to explain it – once I did, the belt was back on and driving the dryer drum. I spent about 45 minutes on the drive belt.
Once the drive belt was back on, I could reassemble the dryer. Fortunately, the video covered that, too!
The repair was successful and the dryer works.
I texted my daughter and I got back,
Yay, you did it!
Yes, I did. I have a few more projects around the house but appliance repair is not among them.
Today is going to be a wonderful Wednesday. It is Wednesday morning and I have laundry to do. Today could be a million and six times better than yesterday. So, I’d better jump up, jump in, and seize the day and go grab the laundry basket. Making the Days Count, one day at a time, one DIY project under my belt.
How are you with DIY projects?
He’s correct, there was a satisfied sigh after I watched this video.
It’s been a busy few days since I last posted. I skipped the sign of the week and a few other things. I have been at the lake for the Independence holiday weekend.
Sign of the Week
America’s 250 years since declaring our independence from the United Kingdom, pales in comparison to our mother country and almost every people across the globe besides those of us whom live in the New World. Yet, we celebrate our milestone proudly.
I bring you three flags, yes there is a third flag in the background.
Attempting to capture a image which does justice to the alignment of hundreds of American flags flying in the breeze is impossible, but I tried.
I was allowed to pick up the flags and planted them along the road at our lake house Friday.
I left Friday morning and was surprised by the lack of traffic on the highway as I patiently drove east, then north.
I was two hours into my drive when I remembered a blog post from my friend Dawn at Change is Hard. She had posted about a field filled with poppies which she and a friend had visited in mid-June. I commented that I drive past the field on my to our lake house. At the time I thought about driving over and back, but decided I had other things I should be doing and filed it away for another time. As I drove along, I remembered the poppy field and recalculated my route to include stopping and paying a visit.
I am glad I stopped. Words cannot describe, nor can a picture; but I tried.
The poppy filed was stunning. I’ll be passing there this evening as I head home for a doctor’s appointment and a few other things before coming back for the canoe race. I am excited to see the poppy field in the evening sun.
Independence Day at the lake is always fun, except if you are a dog. Especially, Fern who is terrified of fireworks. She’s a hunting dog breed, but we aren’t hunters so she hasn’t been acclimated to the sounds. She’ll hide when the Guard Camp is doing live fire across the lake or during thunderstorms.
There were fireworks on the lake Friday and Saturday evening, but I chose to stay close to Fern and Nova.
Saturday morning was the day of the boat parade and my daughter had been busy creating her theme for this year’s 250th Independence Day Lake Margrethe Boat Parade.
She dressed as George Washington with her ‘troops’ riding behind. It’s her cousin and his young family as American soldiers crossing the Delaware for a sneak attack on the British at Trenton on Christmas night 1776.
The boat parade wound the shores of the lake and lasted a little over an hour before we finished and gathered for hot dogs, hamburgers, and judge’s results. I am surprised our little band of soldiers made it.
I created the video of the event with other entries, but not all of them. I set it to Ray Charles’ rendition of ‘America the Beautiful.’ Enjoy.
So there you have it, three flags (in front of the house) with three events to celebrate American independence.
It’s Wednesday and it’s already the best Wednesday this week. I’ve got a couple of chores and some packing before I head home. So, I’d better jump up, jump in, and seize the rest of the day. Making the days COUNT, one day at a time, making every moment worthwhile.
Have you ever been somewhere special and gone back to see it in a different light?
the original photo, taken Thursday, 6/25 at 12:04 PM. It was a beautiful sunny day.
an updated photo taken Sunday, June 18 at 4:54 PM. It was raining.
Yesterday on the way home from Loaves and Fishes, I was listening to the Astros baseball game. They were behind 6-5 in the top of the eighth inning.
The Detroit Tigers made a pitching change which didn’t work out for them. The Astros clawed their way back into the game with a couple of hits and a little misfortune on the Tigers part. While I was listening, my mind wondered and it found its way to a book I read a more than a dozen years ago, Imperfect, an Improbable Life.
The book was about a baseball player, Jim Abbott, who was born with a partially formed right arm who taught himself to play baseball. It’s an inspiring story and I wrote about in this blogpost – Saturday Morning – late April – published April 28, 2012. And I went back to read it. As I have discovered with many older posts, my writing has changed and the links I added, no longer worked. So, I did a little revising to the links.
This morning’s post was about book lending and it took me back to the book I had read about Jim Abbott and his journey from Flint, Michigan to Yankee Stadium and beyond.
I lent that book, Imperfect: An Improbable Life, a few times before I lent it a final time. I haven’t seen that book since, or that person for that matter.
It doesn’t matter, I could (and probably should) lend more of my books and never get them back.
Beth’s post sent me on a rabbit chase of sorts where I discovered a video about Jim Abbott that was produced by ESPN last summer. I missed it, I was busy with other things. The trailer below is about how he learned t play baseball one handed.
Jim Abbott overcame an incredible amount of hardship in his life. Much of it through his own hard work and determination. But baseball, like life, is a team sport.
Nine players on the diamond to play a game.
Every player has to be all in for it to work.
before editing
after editing
Today is going to be a great day, especially when I go down a rabbit hole in time. Like every day, I have a lot to do and today is no different. I am watching the grandies in a little over an hour and as usual I am behind on the things I thought I’d get to this morning.
Rabbit holes.
So, I’d better jump up, jump in, and seize the day. Making the Days Count, one day at a time, even when I am diving into rabbit holes.
When was the last time you dove into a rabbit hole?
NOTE: I posted this unedited versions of the sign on Sunday and only noticed the mispelling after a commenter noticed it. I went back Sunday afternoon and the error had been corrected. As always, I was reminded that some times my most effective proofreading comes AFTER I press publish.
W^2 or W squared for Wordless Wednesday, June 17, 2026
a thunderstorm is heading our way – view of South Bay – Grayling, MI, June 16, 2026 3:35 PM CDT
It is that time of the year when late spring storms cross the Midwest. Yes it is still celestial spring for a few more days. Last week’s storms spawned 11 tornadoes in Chicagoland.
Yesterday afternoon thunderstorms popped up by the lake in the afternoon and again in the evening. Neither of the storms were severe, but we did get rain and some hail and a lot booms which scared Fern.
Today severe storms will pass south of us at the lake, but will pass through home. We are keeping your fingers crossed.
a black and white version of the above photo
My brother’s visit was success and we had cool temps and very windy weather which kept us off the lake, but it was wonderful to visit and catch up in person.
There is always something to do and I have been going back in time on the blog and finding things which need fixing. When I started blogging in 2010, I was learning blogging and using WordPress. In the sixteen years since I wrote those posts, much has changed on the internet. I’ve discovered many of the images on MtDC’s older posts are not visible because the link has changed or some other reason, so I’ve been going back to restore the images and update each post – it’s time consuming, but fun to go back and realize how far I’ve come with MtDC.
When I began, I wanted to practice writing and put my words into action. One of first blog projects, after going to France with my step-mother and brothers in early June, was blogging while I was at summer camp with my son and his Boy Scout troop. I posted daily and sent an e-mail home to share. Blogging from camp was a hit and I continued for the following two summer camps. A form of it still happens on the troop’s website.
When I go back, I cringe at the writing, and I see how I’ve grown. I also can see where WordPress has evolved as well.
It is also amazing to realize who far those scouts have grown, too.
Time moves quickly, especially when it is summer. Today is day nineteen of this year’s summer break and in a lot of ways I have made the days count, and in others I could have done better.
So make every minute count, jump up, jump in, and seize the day, And let’s make sure that in every single possible way, Today is gonna be a great day!
It’s Saturday and eighth day of summer break and I am feeling very relaxed and rested.
I was able to remember a few more of the promises I made about summer and acted upon a few before we left town for the lake. We arrived at the lake house very late Tuesday night/Wednesday morning. The dogs barked, but our daughter (who was already here) did not wake. We brought in the essentials before collapsing into our beds.
We fully unloaded Wednesday when we awoke to an amazing day.
We’ve been busy since. Thursday I ran to town for errands and got the fixings for dinner and thought I’d capture a few signs for this week’s post and I discovered one of the signs hadn’t changed since late April!
I laughed at this one which can be seen as you drive north along M93.
and I swallowed when I read this one… on the flip side of the first.
Friday was a lazy day. Truly, it was overcast and it rained.
yes, those are my feet…
This morning it was cloudy and wet from the overnight rain, but it has since cleared and the sunshines brightly. Which means my moments of writing are few and fleeting.
The local veterinarian always has good signs and I captured the signs below when we were here in February and the images were ‘out of date’ by the time I had time to write.
cats can be viewed driving west along M72
and dogs can be seen driving into town on the flip side…
There was snow on the ground and it was much colder than it is today. There is a breeze on the lake and it promises to warm to the mid-70s (about 24-26C). Hopefully, it will trigger more memories of other promises I made about getting a few chores done.
It’s Saturday and it is going to be a full day and as I think back to my first post at MtDC I am reminded,
This could possibility be the best day ever! (This could possibility be the best day ever,) And the forecast says that tomorrow will likely be a million and six times better. So make every minute count, jump up, jump in, and seize the day, And let’s make sure that in every single possible way, Today is gonna be a great day!
So I’d better jump up, jump in, and seize the day. Making the Days Count, one day at a time, because that’s how they come.
Do you have any promises you’ve made which are coming due?
I have been driving past this sign for years. It’s next to the elementary school where my kids went and down the street from their high school. The church sponsored my son’s Cub Scout pack and the sign has been dispensing encouragement and reminders for years.
School’s out for summer and today is Day 1.
It’s a beautiful spring afternoon and I am trying to remember all the things I promised I’d do when summer came – but there are too many to remember. So, I’ll start with the lawn, then the mulch, and maybe my memory will return. Until then, I am going to have fun and stay safe. Making the Days Count, one day at a time, especially when getting started is the hardest thing to do.
What’s is a hard thing for you to get started with?
It’s the third Sunday in May and I am winding down on another year of teaching. There are eight days remaining in our school year with the kiddos, then it’s summer break and another opportunity to rehearse for retirement.
Sunday May 3rd, on the way how from somewhere…. blessings > problems
I was reminded by the sign below that I have a great deal for which to be thankful. I found it a couple of weeks ago, and I found the time this morning to write about it.
A week ago, I had a flashback to my first year of blogging and I reached out to a parent of a former student from the 2010-11 school year. It was my first year of blogging and she introduced me to another blogger whom she had met the summer before. I was, and still am, thankful. My message was brief and it took several attempts to find the correct email address before the message went through without a mailer-daemon reply.
Good morning,
I am not sure if this going to work… but I’ll give it a try.
Thought of you and your son this morning as I started my day – it is the day the first Coca-Cola is served in Atlanta!
I remember your family came back from a trip to the UK with a copy of a CD by One Night Only as it wasn’t available in the US.
My son – who’s your son’s age and grade, is now a firefighter paramedic, married, and has twin boys (18 months old). How is your son? And how are you doing?
I hope all is well, peace. BTW, I am still blogging at https://makingthedayscount.org
Semper sharkus,
I received a reply and I have yet to reply, but I will before the day is done. It was great to hear of my former student’s successes since he left my class, I knew he was destined for greatness as he showed curiosity, resilience, and great sense of humor as a seventh-grade boy.
Friday afternoon, I attended a retirement celebration for three of my fellow educators who are finishing their careers and retiring this year. One of them has been at our school since it opened in 2001 and many former teachers and administrators showed up for the party. It was wonderful to see so many people I haven’t seen for several years and catch up.
One of them was a band teacher who left about the time I had Edward, or maybe it was before. But it’s been a while. As we talked, he shared how he remembered the MtDC posts I would share via Facebook. I stopped sharing my blog posts on the platform when FB labeled them spam and contrary to the rules of the platform. I never understood how it happened, but it was probably a word or phrase that got flagged, so I stopped. The entire thing had me in knots, before I let it go.
Friday evening, it was hazy and humid early in the evening. May 15, 2026, 7:36 PM CDT.
It’s true I have far more blessings than I have problems as the sign says. Sometimes I just need the reminder.
In a few weeks, my sixteenth year of blogging will roll over to seventeenth. It is hard to believe it’s been that long, but it has. I have learned a lot along the path, and I know I am a better person for my years blogging.
Today is going to be a great day, if I can only trust it. It could possibly be a million and six times better than yesterday. So, I’d better jump up, jump in, and seize the day. Making the Days Count, one day at a time making time to be present and patient.
I have a few signs of the week that haven’t made it to the blog, yet. I am not sure if any of them are relevant anymore as time ran out before I could write the post.
This week’s sign is too good to allow to wither away on the vine. I found it by accident. I drove past this week’s sign Saturday morning. I was in the left lane and didn’t see it until I was almost past it.
This morning, I went back to capture the sign I missed yesterday. I’ve have added the sign to my ‘must curate’ list, and I will be driving past it more often!
Mother’s Day in our house means celebrating my wife by weeding, spring yard cleaning, and spreading mulch, and getting the yard and garden, and anything outside looking great for spring.
It’s a labor of love.
At the end of a day’s work, we sit down and have dinner together on the deck, if it’s warm enough.
Mom, me and younger brother Warren. My youngest brother hasn’t arrived yet. late 1963, or early 1964.
Every year on this day I think of my mom, and my stepmom.
Those two moms shaped me onto the person I have become. Like the craftsman that shapes a block of wood; my mother sculpted me by knocking off corners first, then craving, and sculpting me before sanding to finish me. My stepmother aided in the process. I would not be the person I am without those two.
photos of my stepmother – upper left clockwise – dad and her, as a baby, probably her mum, and Juliana was a young woman – long before my father met her.
And the rough spots that remain, are the dominion of my wife (and daughter) who continue the work of removing any blemish or growth that remains.
It’s a labor of love.
I am work in progress and I am trying to be a better every day.
I am already behind my self-imposed schedule so; I’d better jump up, jump in, and seize the day. Today is going the be an amazing day. Making the days Count since 1961, one day at a time with the help of some very special women.
