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August 2025
FADED PHOTOS, STRONGER BONDS Through Time’s Lens: How Memory Transforms a Father’s Legacy
My dad died 20 years ago in August. Partly because of the work I do, I know people don’t stop thinking about loved ones after their death. You keep having a relationship. You have conversations in your head. You get mad at them, or you appreciate them more. Death does change the relationship, though, in ways that can lend new meaning. As we recognize International Forgiveness Day on Aug. 7, I see how memories of my dad have been evolving, enabling me to understand him more thoroughly. Dad was a very loving parent, but he struggled with addiction and was not always present in the ways one hopes a parent will be. There were events missed, promises broken for things like pickup after school, and other times when my sister and I, or Mom, were left holding the bag. Dad was an engineer for the railroad, but a lot of his income was consumed by his drinking. So, Mom had to be financially nimble. She was, in many ways, a single parent. Looking back, I can see that Dad faced a lot of challenges in his life. His mother died when he was 17, and the person his father remarried made it untenable for Dad to continue living at home. So, he left. He enlisted in the Navy and did two tours in Vietnam. He saw some very WORKSHOP Have you (or your clients) “been meaning” to get a plan in place? It’s easy to get started with our 7 Hazards to Your Estate Plan Workshop . This free workshop explains the key planning concepts, documents, and factors in selecting a plan that is right for you. Plus, workshop participants receive a complimentary consultation with no obligation to retain our services. The workshop is available on demand or in person, so stop thinking about a plan and create one. Register online at PromiseLaw.com/Estate-Planning-Workshop or call (757) 351-4017.
traumatic things there. Many soldiers coped by collectively medicating their way through things they couldn’t un-see, things they couldn’t undo. As time went on, my judgment softened, and I began to see the totality of the man. Dad was a very astute reader of people and circumstances. He could get past all the BS to the bottom line. He told you the truth, including the truth about himself. And that is something I appreciate to this day. I remember Dad’s humor. He was very, very funny. If he wasn’t actively drinking, we loved to be around him. He had a huge laugh. He was very inclusive with people, and he loved to talk. He cared a lot about how children were treated. I think that’s why he never drank in our presence. Even when he had a hard time showing up for my sister and me, he was very proud of us. He derived great joy from our family. Thankfully, he had some years of sobriety. Some of the things he couldn’t do during our childhood, like being attentive and present, he did later. During my law school days, he and I would talk nearly every day. That was a lovely
gift. Dad died just after he turned 60 years old, and ultimately, I feel now, he was a best friend.
In our idealistic youth, we tend to see the world through an either/or lens. As life goes on, I feel less judgment and more forgiveness for him. Drinking was the only way he had to deal with his challenges, and it became a pattern that was very hard to break. Anybody who has had the challenge of parenting knows that you screw up. Even if you’re not someone who has been
battling addiction, you still screw up. Ultimately, in remembering Dad, I am learning to be less judgmental and hard on myself, and I try to extend this grace to others, too. –Geneva N. Perry, Esq.
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Rethinking Retirement
The Rise of Part-Time Retirees
These days, more people are scaling back on long working hours, especially Gen Z and millennials. Many pick up part-time work or projects that give them space without completely severing ties to working life. It’s a slow shift — not a sudden stop — and it’s gaining traction. And for those approaching retirement, it’s something to consider. Retirement doesn’t have to mean walking away for good. This shift is partly fueled by remote and flexible work options, making it easier to downshift without leaving the workforce. A recent study from Fidelity Investments found that 66% of younger workers would prefer a
phased retirement, and more than half of all respondents said they plan to work part-time during retirement. The reasons vary. Some want more time for travel, hobbies, or personal projects, but still value structure and purpose. Others want to stay active or involved in their field. Working in some capacity can also help with cash flow, delay Social Security, or cover insurance, which is especially important for those retiring before age 65. That said, partial retirement brings its own planning challenges. Health coverage is often limited for part-time workers. Income from consulting or
part-time jobs could also reduce early Social Security benefits. And scaling back hours usually means scaling back contributions to retirement savings. Still, for those who plan ahead, semi- retirement offers a flexible way to ease into the next stage of life. It provides space to try new things without giving up the financial or emotional benefits work can offer.
FOOD ON WHEELS THE NUTTY CRUISER ROLLS OUT
Food companies have tried every trick in the book to get your attention, but few can
on tiny parachutes, just in case the giant almond wasn’t enough to grab your attention. Inside, it has room for 10,000 snack packs, making it one of the tastiest vehicles on the highway. The Nutty Cruiser tours state fairs, sporting events, and festivals and draws a crowd wherever it goes. Drivers say it handles surprisingly well, thanks to its smooth, aerodynamic design — though they still get pulled over by curious police officers who just want a closer look. From hot dogs to nuts, food-shaped vehicles have a strange way of sticking around. Maybe it’s because they’re fun, a little bit ridiculous, and impossible to ignore. In a world full of billboards and pop-up ads, there’s still something special about spotting a giant almond cruising down the highway.
beat the simple charm of a giant snack rolling down the street. It all started early in the 20th century when
people dressed up cars with quirky decorations to drum up business. The most famous example came in 1936, when the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile hit the road and turned heads everywhere it went. The tradition is still alive today, and the newest edition is as nutty as they come. Blue Diamond’s Nutty Cruiser is a 20-foot-long almond on wheels, designed to spread the love for almonds across America. It even has an almond cannon that will shoot small bags of almonds
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TAKE A BREAK
The $100K Reason to Get a Pet
Beer Family Leo Lunchbox Mustard Peridot
New Study Says Pets Are Worth Plenty
Poppy Sisters Twins Vacation Watermelon Zucchini
Most pet owners already know their furry friends make life better, but according to a new study, the value might be higher than anyone realized. Some researchers say it’s close to $100,000. Researchers in the UK aimed to measure how much happiness dogs and cats bring to people’s lives. Using data from more than 700 people, they found that owning a pet can boost life satisfaction as much as getting married or landing a massive raise. In economic terms, it’s the emotional equivalent of earning nearly $93,000 more per year. To determine whether pets actually improve happiness, rather than the opposite — happy people are more likely to have pets — the team factored in things like age, income, personality traits, and family size. They also used a clever workaround: They asked people whether they look after their neighbor’s house while they’re away. That behavior is linked to pet ownership but not directly to happiness, which helped researchers isolate the impact of pet ownership. It’s not just a fun fact, either. Experts say findings like this could affect everything from housing laws to public health programs. If pets fight loneliness and lift people’s moods, it might make sense to rethink rules that prevent pet ownership in some apartments and assisted living facilities. While the researchers focused only on cats and dogs, the message came through clearly. Pets matter, maybe even more than we thought. And if you already live with one and know how they benefit your well-being, the science now backs you up. That wagging tail or soft purr might be worth more than you ever guessed.
STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE ICE CREAM BARS
Ingredients
Inspired by ThePioneerWoman.com
• 1 pt strawberry ice cream • 1/4 cup strawberry preserves • 1 pt vanilla ice cream
• 1 5.25-oz package crispy sugar cookies • 1 0.8-oz package freeze- dried strawberries
Directions 1. Stir strawberry ice cream in a large bowl until spreadable. Fold in preserves until evenly streaked throughout. 2. Stir vanilla ice cream in a separate large bowl until spreadable. 3. Spoon 1 1/2 tbsp of the strawberry mixture into the bottom of 8 (1/3-cup) popsicle molds. Spoon 1 1/2 tbsp of the vanilla mixture on top of the strawberry mixture into the molds. Repeat, alternating the 2 mixtures, until each mold is full. 4. Place sticks into the popsicles and freeze until solid, 4–6 hours. 5. In a large zip-lock bag, crush sugar cookies with a rolling pin until pieces are rice-size; pour into a shallow dish. 6. Repeat with freeze-dried strawberries and stir the pieces together. 7. Run the ice cream molds under warm water to wiggle popsicles out. 8. Coat bars evenly with cookie mixture. 9. Eat immediately or place on a cookie sheet and freeze.
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
A Daughter’s Memories of Her Father Resonate and Grow Deeper
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A Softer Step Into Retirement
The Nuttiest Car in America
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Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars
Why Pets Beat Pay Raises
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The Ghost Flight of L-8
The Day a Blimp Lost Its Crew WWII’S REAL-LIFE AVIATION GHOST STORY
In August 1942, a Navy blimp called L-8 floated over a neighborhood near San Francisco. But when it came down, something vitally important was missing. The L-8 had taken off on a routine patrol that morning, scouting for enemy submarines off the California coast. Around 7:50 a.m., the crew radioed that they were checking out a suspicious oil slick. After that, the blimp went silent. Witnesses later reported seeing it drift far off course, rise too high, and then lose altitude and bump into rooftops and power lines. By the time it landed, thousands of locals had gathered. Everyone had the same question: Where did the crew go? Inside the gondola, nothing seemed out of place. The life raft, parachutes, and even a
briefcase full of classified documents were still there. The engines and radio worked, yet Lt. Ernest DeWitt Cody and Ensign Charles Ellis Adams were gone without a trace. Theories popped up fast. Maybe one man fell out, and
the other tried to save him. Maybe both jumped into the ocean and
vanished. Some even whispered about secret missions gone wrong or unknown equipment failures, but no hard evidence ever surfaced.
Following the incident and a thorough review, the Navy repaired the blimp and returned it to service. But the crew’s disappearance never made sense — no wreckage, no radio calls, and not a single clue.
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