By MARY RICHE DES MOINES, Iowa, Jan. 19, 2023 — I love celebrating my birthday. And I like the pivot point of a birth date, giving me reason to reflect on the past year while dreaming about the year ahead. On my birthday in late 2021, there was absolutely nothing, not even a distant glimmer,…
By MARY RICHE DES MOINES, Iowa, Dec. 30, 2022 – My husband Chuck Offenburger and I received so many wonderful holiday cards, photos and letters with personal messages that, yes, it seems a bit lame to send holiday greetings and recap our Christmas travels and celebrations in a column. I’m hoping you’ll indulge me in…
By MARY RICHE DES MOINES, Iowa, Nov. 6, 2022 — These days, I’m moody as all get out. I’m probably cranky and no fun to live with, though my husband assures me otherwise. I’m frightened that I might be living in a state and country that retreat to values opposite of mine, after all the…
By MARY RICHE DES MOINES, Iowa, Nov. 1, 2022 — It’s not every day that a couple of septuagenarians marry, then return from their honeymoon to hear a lot of their friends saying, “We sure enjoyed your honeymoon!” Of course, I’m referring to readers of our social media posts who tagged along virtually, not in…
By Mary Riche DES MOINES, Iowa, Oct. 22, 2022 — I’m voting for Deidre DeJear, and I’m hopeful she will be the next Governor of Iowa. DeJear has been endorsed by the Des Moines Register, however, her endorsement by influential Janel Tyler, a registered Republican from Des Moines and a group of Janel’s Republican friends,…