Today is my mom’s birthday. If she were still this side of heaven, she would be 79. I have said much about her and what she taught me in an article I published in the Akron Beacon Journal, mailed out to my family a few weeks ago. I won’t repeat that here. But I will [...]

My 57th birthday advances. My mother, Betty Lou, died in her 57th year, the year we all packed up and moved to Australia for three months, and I said to myself secretly that year (and in private journals since), I said that I hoped that I would exceed the years she spent in this world. [...]

I am pretty certain that I am: the only only child, son of a Teamster truck driver and Akron Dime Bank bookkeeper, grandson of Goodyear Tire Rubber worker, living in Akron, OH from 1950-70s who got to spend every summer from age 6 to 17, and a few selected special holidays, including a pre-wedding trip [...]

I read Roger Ebert’s summer memoir and thought again of some of my own summers, growing up in Akron. So, on July 2nd, the heart of summer, a few of those gleanings. Norka is Akron spelled backwards, and Akron had its own summer soft drink, in several flavors. Mine was the Ginger Ale, best cold, [...]

You will have seen by now the Facebook photos from last weekend that depict my childhood houses, school, park, and favorite comic book/drug store. This is a different set of Akron stories, for those who cannot get enough Akron stories! Little snippets of memory while they last. And their purpose is to name events and [...]

Since the Apostle Paul did not shy away from sports analogies in sacred scripture, perhaps you will indulge me this one for our communion setting this morning. Friday evening something happened that may help finally erase from the collective memories of NE Ohio sports fans a series of nightmarish events known only by their perilous [...]

How good to be a Dad. I am here sitting near a special neat gift, The Beach Boys boxed set of singles. You can click on it for a larger view. Wow. Each of the 16 CDs come in a sleeve resembling the original 45 rpm jacket. I even still have some of those. Takes [...]

While wandering through WalMart yesterday, I found myself next to the toy department and walked through the aisles to see what toys were popular this year. It transported me back to the last Christmas that was really a Toys r Us (TrU) Christmas for the Edwardses. I mean a Christmas shopping season where toys were [...]

Can anybody quote the next line of this Lovin’ Spoonful classic summer rock song? Here it is: “Back of my neck getting dirty and gritty.” Next line? “Hot town, Been down, isn’t it a pity/Doesn’t seem to be a shadow in the city?” It was my favorite summer song growing up in Akron. It’s actually [...]