Author Archives: jimholleran29

   The old saying that preaches empathy suggests you walk a mile in another man’s shoes to understand his point of view.    If I encouraged you to walk 6.8 miles in my golf shoes, you would figure out that I’m a golf nut, exercise nut, and one of the cheapest nut jobs in NorthContinue reading “Wet golf shoes lead me to a walk on the wild side of spending money on myself”

    When you examine the story of Art and Cindy Quackenbush, it would be easy to say life is unfair.    You could argue that fate was unfair when Art suffered a life-threatening brain injury while reffing a girls basketball scrimmage at  Thanksgiving 2023. However, his medical emergency led his wife Cindy to early detectionContinue reading “Quackenbushes leave a legacy of care, commitment, loyalty”

   The retirees in my neighborhood bask in empty-nester status. Run our errands, complete our volunteer work, visit the grandkids by videocall, check to see what we can stream on TV.    We’ve regularly endured the deer that munch on the hostas that Mary has nurtured, as if she were catering to them with aContinue reading “How much wood could a woodchuck chuck … just go away varmint”

  (An earlier version was published May 30, 2021 in Old School Sports Journal.)   Christy Mathewson’s life had become a struggle by Memorial Day 100 years ago in Saranac Lake. He was one of the greatest pitchers in major-league baseball and later would join Walter Johnson, Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb and Honus Wagner as inauguralContinue reading “Memorial Day salutes Hall of Fame ballplayer and Saranac Lake patient”

   The emails frequently read: “Fellas, PIE Day will be (insert day here). Who’s in?’’     PIE Day is the call for the fellas – Dan and Jeff – to show up in my kitchen for a piemaking session. PIE Day means we’ll be making apple pies, then giving them away to whomever we determineContinue reading “Before we give away pies, we gather for comedic routines   “

   Around our home, I’m known as the “finisher.’’     Need the dishes put away?  At 6-4, I handle the ones on the top shelf. No step stool required.     Can’t finish your steak? Pass your plate. I’ll make it disappear.     Is the clothes hamper too heavy? I’ll lug it down the stairs. IContinue reading “I could write a book on unfinished books”

   An email arrived at my cellphone on a hectic morning at the church rummage sale. I intended to read it later, but the subject line caught my eye:    Fwd: 1164 Genesee Park blvd   The address of my family’s first home intrigued me so I opened it. I was stunned. Our old house had caughtContinue reading “Our old house burns, but memories remain unscathed”

     Our mood is always upbeat during the twisting, turning drive through Pennsylvania coal country, knowing that our two grandchildren await with smiles, hugs and a dozen or more readings of “Go, Dog. Go!’’     We prefer the hilly, local routes more than the interstate on the way to Reading, Pa., because they are lessContinue reading “Over the river and through the woods to a natural disaster”

     President Trump could best be described as a cigarette boat on a tranquil St. Lawrence River morning. In his wake, he leaves a din of noise and high waves crashing along both shores. The trouble is the swells are still pounding away on southern Ontario, and Canadians remain upset, “elbows up,’’ to co-opt anContinue reading “Icy relations with Canadians require a thaw at White House”

   The lakers and salties have returned to the Seaway shipping lanes. The sunsets over the Canadian shore remain picturesque orbs of gold set in orange and violet horizons. Soon we’ll be able to pull out a deck chair and enjoy warm, gentle breezes during peaceful spring and summer evenings on the St. Lawrence River.Continue reading “St. Lawrence still an infant but the romance lasts a lifetime”