Zain Mackey

Life Artist

Problem Solving

Whoa, did you see that too? Is he okay?

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 “Do you think he’s okay? Should we have stopped and checked on him?” Ken asked me. “Nah,” says I, “He’s just drunk. Did you hear a huge crack? I think he broke the fence.”  We were in the little red convertible around 7 PM when we’d noticed a big guy having trouble walking up a

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We laughed so hard we had trouble breathing

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The Slippery Noodle blues bar in Indianapolis was in the news the other day. Sadly the owner Hal Yeagy passed away. I remember a trip we took to the Noodle to see Pinetop Perkins many years ago. Pinetop was in his 90s but still rocking the blues. He was 100% a gentleman, very dapper and

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What does it take to be confident? One day I found out.

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Before we built the primitive cottage we lived in for 14 years, we rented a place that had one room with a wood stove and no plumbing. Living primitively is not for weenies, especially when something goes wrong. It takes grit and self-confidence. Here’s an example: One afternoon I went out to gather a load

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Squirrels are eating our cars!

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Conversations are all stories. Everything that comes out of our mouths gets filtered through the cheesecloth of our brains. Ick. I’m not sure I like that analogy but you get my drift.  Here’s an example: Today I was making breakfast and noticed that Ken was tip toeing across our deck with a gun in his

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One Skunk, One Cat and Tomato Juice: Recipe for Disaster

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My sister Mary called to tell me her cat Shaman had been been sprayed by a skunk. She said it wasn’t your regular gee-the-cat-stinks story. Oh no. This is OUR family. She knew she’d have to give Shaman a bath. She prepared the traditional skunk scent removing bath of tepid tomato juice, scooped up the

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Don’t tell me he’s harmless! He’s still big

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I joined the chicken co-op here at the farm and the “girls” are laying eggs like crazy. I have Tuesdays which pretty much keeps us set with eggs until my next stint. I have a history with chickens. If you haven’t read my blog about being the alpha chicken, you can find it here: I’m the

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Talk to me darling, I promise to listen

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My friend and I challenged one another to make eye contact with everyone we meet. Here’s what I learned:  #1: Do you make eye contact with friends when they’re talking? Not me. So I changed. Friends and I were having drinks and talking. I looked folks in the eye whenever they spoke. I was mesmerized

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Moe Saves the Family

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The night after my first marriage there was a terrible tornado. So tempting to draw an analogy here but that would be a cheap shot. It was a small wedding in my parent’s backyard in June. It was a balmy, wildflower scent wafting, sunny day. But the next day was Midwestern hot and humid with

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Danger: Bored Creative Kids

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My older brother was always getting into trouble and dragging me along with him. Worst of all was the cat and the laundry chute incident. Our house had two floors and a basement. In the hallway on the second story was a laundry chute for dirty sheets, towels, and clothing, all of which came out

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Which One is the Marrow Spoon?

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My Mother was a real stickler for manners. As the youngest, I caught the convergence of Mom’s good manners and a passion for all things British which included formal dining.  I was about 8, when she called me into the dining room for lessons on how to successfully dine. I enjoyed these sessions with my

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Coworkers: cats are lousy ones

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I’ve been talking to my cats Zim and Jack several times a day. I consider them my coworkers since I’m home more what with Covid-19 social distancing and moving my coaching and Sister Circles on-line. Zim and Jack are crappy coworkers. I’d be calling HR about their harassment but I am HR. They demand food

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