Tag Archives: Family

Lex Oliver (Nov. 15, 2007 – Sept. 4, 2025): A Tribute

Posted on September 12, 2025 by ivanbenson

He and his two sisters were just a few weeks old when they were found in an abandoned warehouse. We chose the boy; my eldest daughter took his two sisters. I wasn’t eager to engage in this new venture; I … Continue reading →

Posted in Family History, Stories, Uncategorized | Tagged dog, Family, Lex, pet, tribute | Leave a comment

My Personal Triumvirate

Posted on July 29, 2025 by ivanbenson

Maybe I’m not all that different from you. Or maybe I am. But most people I know are controlled (or at least highly influenced) by one or more childhood experiences. I was recently reminded of some of mine in a … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged blog, Family, heart attack, Life, love, memories, mental-health, writing | Leave a comment

Losing Altitude

Posted on July 5, 2025 by ivanbenson

They’re not usually the words you want to hear when you’re flying in an airplane (“We’re losing altitude”), because more often than not they spell impending disaster. They say these words in movies moments before the inevitable crash unless the … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging Parents, Family History, Stories, Uncategorized | Tagged adventure, aging, aviation, death, Family, grandchildren, Height, Losing altitude, pilot, travel, writing | Leave a comment

The Concession Stand

Posted on May 8, 2025 by ivanbenson

I have never understood concession stands! I mean, I know what they are, and have made use of them through the years when I’ve been hungry or thirsty at a sporting event. But what I don’t get is WHY they’re … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Family, Life, politics, travel, writing | Leave a comment

This Is Us

Posted on June 5, 2022 by ivanbenson

Finally watched the final show in the sixth and final season of This Is Us last night; I rank this series up there with the series, LOST, in terms of cinematography, acting, and story line. Excellent stuff! One of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Family History, Stories, Uncategorized | Tagged addiction, alcoholism, body image, cancer, death, dementia, discouragement, disillusionment, divorce, Family, Forgiveness, grandparents, LOST, love, Pittsburgh, racism, sex, sibling rivalry, This Is Us | Leave a comment

The State of the Onion Message

Posted on January 22, 2015 by ivanbenson

Two nights ago President Obama presented the annual State of the Union message. To say that it “made history” is an understatement! Whether or not you agreed with all the President had to say, or whether you think our country … Continue reading →

Posted in Family History, Stories, Uncategorized | Tagged 2015, benefits, better days, citizens, Family, flourish, Jim Carrey, Nation, onionskin, peel, personal, President Obama, public policy, State of the Union, The Grinch, unruly | 6 Comments

Sunday Morning Musings (45 minutes at Dunkin’ Donuts)

Posted on April 6, 2014 by ivanbenson

Watching people eating, interacting, working . . . with George Strait singing in the background. Cars arrive at the drive thru, people place their orders of sugar and/or caffeine then drive away. A constant stream of humanity. A father negotiates … Continue reading →

Posted in Stories, Uncategorized | Tagged beauty, cleansing, Dunkin Donuts, embrace, Family, flowers, George Strait, humanity, Indian accent, iPhone, Life, people, prejudice, rain, soccer, springtime, story, tattooed, the grace of God, yellow pollen | 4 Comments

Hitting Hard

Posted on December 7, 2013 by ivanbenson

On Wednesday of this week the traffic on the way to work was unusually heavy, and the pouring rain made it an even greater challenge to navigate. As I crept along in the seemingly endless slow moving stream of cars … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging Parents, Assisted Living, Family History, Nursing Homes, Stories, Uncategorized | Tagged accident, Alzheimer's, amazing star, appreciation, Bedouin, bleeding on the brain, change, Christmas, clarity, dead teeth, dementia, dentist, falling, Family, friends, give of ourselves, hard hit, ice, irreparable, Jesus, life events, murder of infants, pause, rain, refocus, routine, sacrifice, Salvation Army, shepherds, slipping, trauma, value, wise men | Comments Off

Thanksgiving

Posted on November 6, 2013 by ivanbenson

Three weeks from this Thursday families across this country will celebrate a day that Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national Thanksgiving Day in 1863. Prior to that there is evidence that some form of it had been celebrated by various colonies (and later by … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging Parents, Family History, Stories, Uncategorized | Tagged 1621, 1863, Abraham Lincoln, Alan Jackson, aunts, children, Family, Garrison Keillor, Gettysburg, grandparents, it takes a village, Kermit the Frog, love, Massachusetts, mother, niece, parents, pets, Plymouth, roots, seasons, Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving Day, togetherness, tryptophan, uncles, unifying, Wampanoag, Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning) | 16 Comments

The Perfect Day

Posted on October 5, 2013 by ivanbenson

I might be wrong about this, but . . . today may have been “the perfect day.” My wife got up early (for a Saturday) and drove off with a good friend at 7:22 AM, headed for a day of … Continue reading →

Posted in Family History, Stories, Uncategorized | Tagged Dunkin Donuts, errands, Fall, Family, gifts, grande salted caramel frappuccino, hard work, leisure, love, mowing, perfect day, Red Bank TN, Saturday, Starbucks, tasks, The Perfect Storm, The Wonder Years | 6 Comments

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