“They” (whoever “they” are) say you can never go home again. I disagree! After 38 years of living in central Ohio, I returned to Wilmington in 2020.

For many years Jack and I had a house and two properties near Cowan Lake. We spent much of our summer free time there.

Jack, a Columbus native, came to love Wilmington, and agreed to eventually settle here. He retired for the second time last October.

For several years I was a print and broadcast journalist. I was a staff writer, columnist and photographer for five weeklies. The crash of 2008 was devastating for newspapers. Many of us found ourselves unemployed.

That opened another door.

My editor and I were invited to host a radio show for a public station. And no, we did not resemble the stigma portrayed on “Saturday Night Live.” It was fun for a few years until the owner of the license and the owner of the studio had a parting of ways.

Another opportunity soon presented itself. A lifestyle magazine that was distributed to the more affluent suburbs offered me a column. I love writing human interest stories, and I was able to do that for “New Albany Life.” Sadly, the publication went into bankruptcy after a year.

However, I did garner three covers. Not an easy feat for a rookie magazine writer.

Over the years I have interviewed authors, wine experts, alpaca farmers, and everyday people with interesting stories, as well as several celebrities.

Spending a week with the cast and crew of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” was great fun. I remain friends with the executive producer. What an experience learning how a TV show is filmed.

And yes, the star, Ty Pennington, is like the Energizer Bunny. One has to run to keep up with that guy!

Another favorite was time spent with Jerry Mathers of “Leave It To Beaver” fame. He was in Columbus to speak at an event for diabetes awareness. I spent over an hour with him one-on-one. He is truly one of the nicest guys. Again I learned some fun behind-the-scenes facts. I bet most do not know he is very into quantum physics.

Now I am here writing a guest column for my hometown newspaper. I am honored to be able to share my thoughts and musings. Thanks to Editor Tom Barr for the opportunity.

I hope, dear readers, that you will find humor and insights from future columns. Anyone who knows me, is aware that I’ve always got something to say. Thanks for reading.