Owen Thomas

1 month ago | csmonitor.com | Owen Thomas

| A beach in high summer is predictable: hot sun, murmuring surf, a bright expanse of sand filled with people, towels, beach chairs, and the scent of sunscreen. But an offseason beach often holds surprises – even treasure. Sometimes a lot of it. My wife and I live in a northern latitude that would seem to limit what TV meteorologists deem “beach days,” but we have humbler criteria. A good beach day is sunny, without too much wind or too many people. New Year’s Day, for example, is now a...

Jun 26, 2024 | csmonitor.com | Owen Thomas

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May 20, 2024 | csmonitor.com | Owen Thomas

“Where did we get this?” my wife asks me when she comes across a new-to-her item in our household. She already knows the answer: Either I bought it at a yard sale, or I found it on the street. Items in that category include: the desk chair I’m sitting in, a much better potato masher than the one I broke, a splitting maul, silverware I keep in the car so we don’t use plastic stuff when we eat at the fish place, a banjo, and a didgeridoo. And, uh, six vacuum cleaners.

Feb 26, 2024 | csmonitor.com | Owen Thomas

It was opening night of our middle school production of “Half a Sixpence.” My buddy John and I were seventh grade stagehands. Lisa was an eighth grade star. And I admire her to this day for a moment that had little to do with the play itself. It had to do with an ironing board. The auditorium filled with families, friends, and faculty. The lights dimmed; John and I rushed onstage with the props. As the scene opens, Lisa’s character stands at an ironing board, ironing.

Feb 26, 2024 | csmonitor.com | Owen Thomas

It was opening night of our middle school production of “Half a Sixpence.” My buddy John and I were seventh grade stagehands. Lisa was an eighth grade star. And I admire her to this day for a moment that had little to do with the play itself. It had to do with an ironing board. The auditorium filled with families, friends, and faculty. The lights dimmed; John and I rushed onstage with the props. As the scene opens, Lisa’s character stands at an ironing board, ironing.