Out and About Blog by Norm Stutesman

It’s becoming more and more difficult to tell the difference between the makes of cars these days. Back in the Fifties this problem didn’t exist. Back then there were no KIAs or other many other foreign cars here in the USA. General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler dominated the automotive market. Now, it’s next to impossible to tell the year of …

I’m at that age when my list of goals isn’t all that large. I’ve done about as much damage as I can and have tried to live a life that my parents would be proud of. I still strive to be a better person than I was ten years ago, and I do that by surrounding myself with good people. …

Beware, for the Tax Man cometh. If you haven’t met with your tax person yet, you might want to make arrangements soon. I applaud those who have submitted their tax information and paid what they owed. I also envy those who are getting money back. The latter is getting harder to do every year. I try my best to let …

Welcome to the month of April. We’ll have to see if “April showers will bring May flowers”. My how time flies. This month marks ten years that I’ve been putting this column together. I’ve loved every minute of it, because the column gives me the opportunity to share my thoughts and adventures with you readers. I’ve learned a lot about …

We set our clocks ahead one hour over two weeks ago, we celebrated Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and Easter, so this has to be spring. It’s one of my favorite times of the year, because I can usually leave the house without a jacket and not have to worry about scraping the ice off my car windows. On the subject …

The media is filled with the trials and tribulations our veterans are faced with on a daily basis. Veterans are having difficulty finding jobs and receiving proper medical care. The Veterans’ Administration is doing what they can to help, but many things get bogged down due to the amount of paperwork that needs to be filled out. Our veterans have …

Here we are in the middle of March and my snow blower still has some gasoline in its tank. I’m at a loss as to what I should do. Should I run the snow blower out of gas and hope that we don’t get another storm, or should I hold off for a few more days? Suddenly I regain my …

“If March comes in like a lion, it will go out like a lamb.” This phrase has been around for as long as I can remember, and is usually pretty accurate. If you live in the Three Rivers area, you are well aware that March came roaring in like a true king of the jungle. Some of us feel that …

I have recently come to the conclusion that chivalry is indeed dying. It’s just not that important anymore, much like social graces. Gentlemen don’t open doors for ladies, because ladies don’t expect or insist on it. Helping a lady off or on with her coat is something rarely seen, because gentlemen haven’t been taught this courtesy. The dying of chivalry …

Prior to going into the Army, my brother gave me some well-known advice: “Never volunteer for anything.” I followed his advice most of the time. I chose the right time to volunteer and it paid off. Since retiring, I’ve found myself volunteering more and more. If someone were to ask me what I do, I’d have to answer, “I’m a …