FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: Selfish.

by Dave Markwell Tonight is a quiet time in my house. The dogs and I don’t make a lot of noise. My wife and daughter are gone for a week. My wife is at a “retreat” with a bunch of women. I’m not... [Read more]

LETTER: Des Moines Mayor Dave Kaplan upset with Comcast customer service

[EDITOR'S NOTE: The following letter was published on Des Moines Mayor Dave Kaplan's Facebook page; we have received permission to post it here. It does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Waterland... [Read more]

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: Bats…

by Dave Markwell I had the distinct pleasure of visiting with a batty old lady the other day. As the calendar pages turn on my life, I have come to appreciate and enjoy “bats” more than I have previously.... [Read more]

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: Compliance.

by Dave Markwell My son mowed the lawn after being asked one, single time. I did not have to cajole, bribe, beg or threaten. This is a new development. It felt like a parallel universe, one in which my... [Read more]

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: Mirrors

by Dave Markwell I had the unfortunate experience of passing a mirror the other day. I did not look as good as I felt and it made me mad. I felt like the mirror was tricking me, because in my head, I... [Read more]

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: Dads’ Day…

by Dave Markwell Approaching another Father’s Day, I look forward to a thoughtfully handmade card and a shirt I probably won’t wear. I am happy to receive both. Each year, my wife and daughter hopefully... [Read more]

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: Birds and Songs.

by Dave Markwell “A bird doesn’t sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song.” - Maya Angelou Unlike human beings, the song bird is unconcerned with having an answer. As human beings,... [Read more]

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: Loud.

by Dave Markwell My house is loud. My kids make a lot of noise. My dogs scratch and moan and bark. My father-in-law is visiting and he is perhaps the loudest one of all. No one seems to enjoy silence,... [Read more]

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: Nicks

by Dave Markwell My son is embarking on a weekend long sailboat race with my old neighbor, Nick. He’s excited. Nick’s excited. And I’m excited. As a legitimate crew member, my son is learning about... [Read more]

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: Moms are mean.

by Dave Markwell Moms are mean. That’s right. I said it. Moms do the majority of the yelling, spanking and band aid ripping-off. As a small child, my dad never made me lay on my back with my pants down... [Read more]

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: Left-hand Turns

by Dave Markwell While rifling through an old wallet the other day, I found a jewel. This wonderful little gem was tucked in a far corner of the broken zipper pocket. I remember replacing this wallet after... [Read more]

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: An Important Thing.

by Dave Markwell Each weekday at 2:10 pm I pick up my fifteen year old son from high school. He opens the truck door, throws his back pack on the floor and climbs in. Then, I start asking questions: “How... [Read more]

LETTER: ‘Some council members want to tell us when we can trim our trees…’

[EDITOR'S NOTE: The following is a Letter to the Editor, written by a Reader. It does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Waterland Blog nor its staff:] Some council members want to tell us when... [Read more]

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: Fuddy-Duddy

by Dave Markwell I am approaching “old fuddy-duddy” age. Next week, I will turn 45. This seems to have happened rather suddenly, though I have no big feelings about it, except that I’m glad I made... [Read more]

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: Seagulls

by Dave Markwell While sitting in my truck down at my Des Moines Marina, I was writing a different column in my notebook. As I pondered important words and profound thoughts, I watched some seagulls sitting... [Read more]

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: Fifteen.

by Dave Markwell My son, Aden, turned fifteen. How this happened I do not know. Time, I suppose, does this. Time and a couple of rare, but fortunate, demonstrations of parental self-discipline during those... [Read more]

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: Old People.

by Dave Markwell An old man died this week. Probably many old men died this week. I only knew one of them. This old man lived in my hometown of Des Moines, Washington for nearly 50 years. His contributions... [Read more]

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: A Long Walk…

by Dave Markwell The other day I was tired. This is not news. I am often tired. I wake up early and don’t always go to bed early. This makes me tired. On this day, I was so tired that I took a nap. This... [Read more]