Kevin Gray With cabin fever about to overtake her last Thursday, Diane wanted to go walking. Why not? Just because most of our neighborhood was covered in anywhere from 8 inches to waist deep drifts did not seem like much of a hindrance. Oh, and it was 16 degrees out there but under a very [...]
By Kevin Gray History came alive for the 150th birthday of Kansas Friday morning at La Cygne Elementary, as familiar names from Kansas’ past dropped by to see the students. From Josette, a Native American, who lived in Kansas in 1841 to football great Barry Sanders and so many others in between like John Brown, [...]
By Kevin Gray Just when I was finishing my column for this week, a more pressing topic caught my attention. I had read a brief story online from the Lawrence Journal World about a “suitable education”. Then, I was struck by something our new Governor had said in his inaugural address using the same word, [...]
By Kevin Gray Over the years, I’ve become savvy about finding old friends by using the internet. Much of this took place, even before I dove into Facebook, which has helped put me in touch with so many more people I last saw more than 40 years ago. Originally, I had to find comrades of [...]
By Kevin Gray I’ve always blamed the book, “The Cat in the Hat”, for my having “flunked” second grade. As if it happened yesterday, I can see my teacher placing this brand new book with the blue-laminated cover on the book shelf right next to my desk. Day after day, I sat there while the [...]
By Kevin Gray Just think, I was out in the yard with our dogs last Thursday evening in my shorts and a T-shirt. And when we were on a nice long walk late that afternoon, Diane asked, “What’s that sound?” I knew what she meant, and we both said at the same time, “Kids!” From [...]
By Kevin Gray As another Christmas approaches and “a wrap” placed on another semester, I can’t help but take a few moments for reflection before considering the question, “What do I want for Christmas?” I can’t believe how fast this year went. Gone just like that! Christmas will be the same, too. Kind of like [...]
Kevin Gray Little did I once realize or suspect what a mark Dr. Alicia Arbaje would make in the field of medicine someday. But, then, that was about 20 years ago, and I was focused on the present time and a new student I was told had been jumped a grade or two. When Alicia [...]
Kevin Gray All I could think at the Miami County Big Brothers Big Sisters first annual Pancake Feed on Saturday morning is how they got that title all wrong. It should’ve been the Miami County Big Brothers Big Sisters first annual pancake, eggs, sausage, bacon, toast, etc., All You Can Eat Feed thanks to the [...]
Kevin Gray It was a nice Thanksgiving as always. This year, we drove to Atchison on Wednesday to bring Diane’s parents back to Paola for the night and to eat turkey and the fixings at our place the next day. The drive up and back also gave me a chance to say hi to my [...]