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Articles by Scott Peterson
Scott Free: Sometimes, owning a home requires superish powers
Please cue the “Mission Impossible” theme music. Scott is going into the bathroom. Wait, it’s not what you might think. This isn’t about to be a blow-by-blow account of what happens in that room, but it is a story about what wasn’t happening in that room. Let me start over. It began, as all household problems do, with my wife sheepishly alerting me to some household maintenance issue that needed immediate attention.
Scott Free: When to take a pass on a mountain pass
“Bad decisions,” the sign in the shop said, “make great stories.” Put another way: “What doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger.” I’m not sure I fully subscribe to either saying, but vacations do test us. On our recent trip out west, we flirted with the panic stage. We intentionally planned our trip for September to sandwich between summer tourism traffic and mountain snowstorms.
Scott Free: I just can’t wait to get on the road again!
The term “nerd” was not in wide usage in my childhood, but I guess I was one. Yes, I loved sports, music and hanging out with my friends, most of whom were not nerds, but in the quiet solitude of our home, it was common to find me scouring encyclopedias and other books. The space program, history, natural wonders, politics, science and dozens of other pursuits occupied my time. I was a sponge and could not soak up enough about the outside world.
Scott Free: Advertising guilt trips have not lost their punch
“Ring around the collar! Ring around the collar!” You might be old enough to read that quote from those infamous 1970s commercials and play it back in your head with the sound of the same grating chorus of annoying, taunting voices from those detergent commercials.
Scott Free: Owning a dog makes no sense or does it?
Human beings love to pretend we are so logical. We smugly proclaim we are use sound reasoning to make all of our decisions, but it’s a fib really. How many people, when falling in love, other than the nerdiest of nerds, walks into a relationship with a clipboard — real or imagined — listing all the traits they are hoping for? Yes, I am seeking is someone who is attractive, smart, has exceptional hygiene, has an interest in being a parent someday, is careful with money, is faithful, etc.
Scott Free: How does your life look from the far end?
I remember in high school imagining that when I turned 60 my life would be over, with ominous black clouds of death hovering over every move, clinging to life and living on borrowed time. Through that warped lens of my senior year in high school I now am trying to reconcile my senior years of life. Our 50th class reunion has arrived and I ask myself: How did I get here? Sadly, as the rolls are tallied for our classmates, I am learning that many of them did not make it.
Scott Free: Like flowers in the garden, the times keep moving on
I don’t have many rules around our house, but there is one I have always been outspoken about: I don’t want artificial flowers. Don’t get me wrong. There are some beautiful silk, plastic and other manmade creations and arrangements that are lovely. But to me, the beauty of flowers, whether they are in a garden or a vase, is that they are fleeting. Their beauty, their fragrance and their attraction must be savored and enjoyed for the short window in which they live. Today, they are heavenly.
Scott Free: Simple truths about hair and marriage
We just paid over $90 so my wife could complain about her haircut. First, to be clear, I think her haircut looks great. And I am not just saying that because I don’t like sleeping on the couch. But she, every few months, buys herself the privilege of complaining about her hairstyle. I cannot explain it any other way. She goes to great lengths to find just the right look she wants online.
Scott Free: If life is too hard, go mow your yard!
The world needs to mow the lawn more. There, I solved most problems. You’re welcome, everybody! No, this is not a plug for lawn fertilizer. It’s a plug for mind fertilizer. [Mildred, this Scott Free fellow has lost it again. Sounds like he’s got manure on the brain!] I’m serious. Mowing the lawn rejuvenates my brain. I’ll admit, mowing a couple times a week is overkill, but once-a-week mowing is more normal, and that is just what the doctor ordered to reorder my brain.
Scott Free: What’s in Scott’s brain?
There’s no science to prove it, but when you get older, things rattle around in your head that you don’t need. Old people are not necessarily feeble-minded. It’s more likely you’re trying to fit 10 pounds of memories into a three-pound brain. When you’re young, you have ample room to spare, but as you get older, there is a lot of clutter in there that you can’t seem to get rid of. Some things are useful, like knowing that with most screws and valves it’s: righty tighty and lefty loosey.
Grãos sem saída: ataques russos no Mar Negro ‘sufocam’ exportações da Ucrânia
Bloomberg — Há mais de quatro anos, Ravil Dzhamally fugiu de sua fazenda na região de Kherson, na Ucrânia, depois que ela foi invadida pelas tropas russas. Quando as forças de Moscou foram repelidas, ele voltou para remover as minas de seus campos e plantar trigo, cevada e girassóis. Depois de investir suas economias e pedir empréstimos a amigos, o agricultor de 38 anos mal conseguiu cobrir os custos em 2025, sua primeira safra após o retorno.
Scott Free: Don’t stop the car, because I can’t get out!
A retired friend of mine likes to tool about in his convertible Mazda Miata. It’s a small sports car reminiscent of the old European models popular in the 1960s. (Think James Bond or Steve McQueen). And it’s about the size of a bedroom slipper. OK, it’s bigger than a bedroom slipper, but for old, fat guys who want to look cool, it feels as snug as a slipper but our whole bodies and not just our feet are shoehorned into them.
Scott Free: I don’t want to walk on the wild side anymore
Walking used to be a great escape for me. But lately, I feel like I need an escape from walking. About a dozen years ago, when my weight, blood sugar and health were out of control, I committed myself to walking 10,000 steps (about five miles) every single day. In 12 years, I might have missed that goal a couple dozen times and none since I retired almost four years ago.
Scott Free: My pantry is crying out
These days, to get the best deals, you have to buy in quantity. You can’t just buy a six-pack of soda, a four-pack of toilet paper or a four-pack of AA batteries if you want to stay ahead of the inflation game. That means you have to devote a room in your house to overstock. Think of it as the modern-day equivalent to the 1950s fallout shelter, except we don’t have cots and a storm-cellar hatch to get in.
Scott Free: Imagining life before modernity arrived
My oldest grandchildren were seated at desks in the front row of the classroom and their eyes lit up when we caught up to them and walked in. They were excited to be here. This was not their classroom, not even their school and far from their era. This was the Raspberry School in the Norwegian village at the historic re-creation community in Eagle, Old World Wisconsin. We were in a one-room schoolhouse dating back up to 130 years, originally located near Bayfield, Wisconsin.
Scott Free: Hot enough for you?
I can still remember the family trip, driving home from Mount Rushmore when the station wagon’s air conditioning broke down and we had to drive home with the windows down. I drove over 800 miles in sweltering summer heat with my wife and a car full of kids. My shirt was so sweat-soaked you could see the salt residue outline on my T-shirt. I never took air conditioning for granted again. It was 25 years ago that we managed to find enough money to install central air conditioning in our home.
Scott Free: A cottage getaway or an albatross?
We just spent almost two beautiful weeks at a family cottage on a quiet lake in ‘Nowheresville,’ northern Wisconsin. It’s the same place we’ve visited for some 33 years. It can be heavenly. It holds a special place in our hearts. Over the years, the lake was home to our golden retrievers, all of whom loved swimming and retrieving endlessly. My sons, my wife and I — and now those “children” and their growing families — enjoy this little nirvana. We spent many a summer hour fishing those waters.
Scott Free: Displaying the flag gives each other hope
July 4 is near and I will be one of what feels like a declining number of people posting the flag outside my home. Growing up, Memorial Day, Flag Day and Independence Day were not optional. The flags went up as a sense of duty. It is what Americans did. Just about every home in our community posted a flag on those days. Most homeowners in our neighborhood were from the Greatest Generation. Many fought in World War II or Korea.
Scott Free: Video doorbell calling!
Whether it was trick-or-treating or selling fundraisers, I spent a lot of my childhood ringing doorbells. A lighted doorbell, I always thought, signaled that people were living the high life. When I bought a house, one of the first things I did was swap out the ordinary doorbell for one that glowed. It just seemed more inviting. Although I had to replace it a few times, it served me well. Its faint illumination glowed like a tiny welcome sign.
Scott Free: Let’s face it, you’re Mr. Ordinary!
You can probably tell by my column photo that Scott Peterson did not get ahead in this world based on his looks.When it comes to eye appeal, Scott certainly isn't
Scott Free: When you get old, one big thing is hard to prepare for
You can drive yourself silly trying to digest all the articles about how to retire properly. Pundits are lining up out the door, happily sharing their advice in books, articles, newsletters, websites and social media, detailing the do’s and don’ts of retiring right. And, being retired, we have all this time on our hands, so we happily drink the Kool-Aid. If you haven’t experienced it yet, take a deep breath and try to say the following paragraph without taking another breath.
Scott Free: When grandparents are in charge
When word arrived that we were being called on to babysit Violet, our 5-month-old, we were thrilled. Unlock the rest of the article with a subscription.
Scott Free: When grandparents are in charge
When word arrived that we were being called on to babysit Violet, our 5-month-old, we were thrilled. This was our first time with Violet. She’s a healthy baby and her parents have been vigilant about restricting her surroundings to keep her that way until she is more fully vaccinated. Plus our other grandchildren lived much closer so spending time with them as babies had been more commonplace.
Scott Free: Surprising milestone that makes you feel truly old
There are certain milestones your kids cross that hit you harder than others. Thank you for reading Unlock the rest of the article with a subscription. Your support keeps the good stuff coming. Subscribe now for full access to local reporting, breaking news, and more.
Scott Free: Surprising milestone that makes you feel truly old
There are certain milestones your kids cross that hit you harder than others. I don’t mean the obvious ones, which you expect to be tough, but the ones that sneak in the back door when you aren’t paying attention. My older son crossed one of those landmarks and it suddenly hit me. The baby I held in my arms for the first time decades ago, is on the threshold of middle age.
Scott Free: The internet is down; this is not a drill!
The klaxon horn sounds the warning and everyone scurries to their posts. “Media stations! Media stations!” is the cry that rings out as everyone scrambles. For effect, we could add a red flashing light as the “ooga horn” blasts, just like a diving submarine in those old World War II movies. But this is no black-and-white war scene. This is a modern-day calamity. The crisis? Loss of the Internet! Heavens to Murgatroyd! Sunday was crisis mode at the Peterson house.
Scott Free: The internet is down; this is not a drill!
The klaxon horn sounds the warning and everyone scurries to their posts. Thank you for reading Unlock the rest of the article with a subscription. Your support keeps the good stuff coming. Subscribe now for full access to local reporting, breaking news, and more.
Scott Free: The latent joy in being a father on Mother’s Day
There need to be more days like Mother’s Day. I know we just had one, and I am sure a lot of you are saying right now to your newspaper: “Aw, come on! It’s hard enough to find a gift for Mom once a year. Don’t make me do it again!” I guess I had it easy. It’s been 32 years since my mother died and six since my mother-in-law died, so it’s been some time since I have to worry about pulling another rabbit out of the gift-idea hat. But I have come to appreciate the day for my wife and daughters-in-law.
Scott Free: Our dog is king of our castle
There are times, as a dog owner, I have asked: Is my dog better off than if he were in the wild? Like all things with dogs, they have already figured it out; we’ve been bamboozled. With every tail wag, sad-eyed look and cuddle on the couch, we’re been gaslighted into thinking we’re in charge, that we’re king of the castle. Yes, it is true, they have to ask permission to go outside for bodily functions. They get stuck at home when the humans go out and have fun.
Scott Free: 'Eh? What’s that you’re saying?'
It’s been said that most of marriage consists of one spouse yelling to the other in the next room, and the other spouse responding with, “What?! I can’t hear you over here!” Never is that more true than when you are older. As we age, our hearing ebbs and that can make the marriage even more interesting. To quote the Chinese proverb, “May you live in interesting times.” Nancy has been retired for almost five years and I am going on four.
Scott Free: Remember when we all had the patience to wait?
I was maybe 7 years old and I was enticed by my cereal box. That’s right; my cereal box convinced me I should send in box tops to get a small record with songs from the new Yogi Bear movie. Honestly when it came to cartoons, I was always more of a Bugs Bunny guy, but this cereal had an offer I could not resist. I was maybe 7 years old and the thought of having my own record was too hard to pass up, even if it was Yogi and not Bugs or any of his Looney Toons friends.
Pray for more workers
Matthew 9:37-38 - "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." I have heard a lot of information over the years about the mission fields both here in America and around the world. Depending on where you live in this world, the statistics can be a little bit different, but the message is usually the same: many people need to hear the gospel, and we need more workers for that to happen. Explore newsletters
Scott Free: Somehow, using grandparent power, we will get through this!
It’s 5:55 a.m. and the “baby” monitor is alive with chatter. How can this be? I just got to bed at 11:30 p.m. and fell asleep sometime later. I can hear my wife moaning next to me. She’s thinking the same thing: This clock can’t be real! But our aching and fatigued bodies are telling the story we cannot deny.
Scott Free: Saving stuff for retirement isn’t always so smart
We have a shoebox full of little bottles. It seemed like a good idea. I didn’t know what retirement would be like, but I imagined it to being like scrimping and saving, something akin to lyrics from the Beatles song, “When I’m 64.” kAm$@ 6G6CJ E:>6 H6’5 8@ 2 9@E6= 5FC:?8 >J H@C<:?8 J62CD[ x H@F=5 4@==64E E96 3@EE=6D — D92>A@@[ 4@?5:E:@?6C[ 92?5 =@E:@? — H6’5 D2G6 E96> :?
Scott Free: Get rid of clothes? Over my dead body -- and it might come to that
“It’s time to come out of the closet.” Those were my words to my clothes. during our recent forgettable seasonal transitions. Every year in spring and again in fall, the clothes in our closets and drawers get swapped with the clothes appropriate for the approaching weather. Shorts are out. Flannel is in. Sweaters are in. T-shirts are out. The new season moves up to bedroom status and the rest is demoted to storage, in the basement or someplace out of sight.
Scott Free: Get rid of clothes? Over my dead body -- and it might come to that
“It’s time to come out of the closet.” Those were my words to my clothes. during our recent forgettable seasonal transitions. kAmtG6CJ J62C :? DAC:?8 2?5 282:? :? 72==[ E96 4=@E96D :? @FC 4=@D6ED 2?5 5C2H6CD 86E DH2AA65 H:E9 E96 4=@E96D 2AAC@AC:2E6 7@C E96 2AAC@249:?8 H62E96C] $9@CED 2C6 @FE] u=2??6= :D :?] $H62E6CD 2C6 :?] %\D9:CED 2C6 @FE] %96 ?6H D62D@? >@G6D FA E@ 365C@@> DE2EFD 2?5 E96 C6DE :D 56>@E65 E@ DE@C286[ :? E96 32D6>6?E @C D@>6A=246 @FE @7 D:89E]k^Am kAm(96?
Scott Free: A lot has happened in 30 years, Mom Original
Dear Mom: I know it’s been 30 years since you walked the earth with your trusty cane, but you are not going to believe our world today. kAmu:CDE[ D@>6 72>:=J 3FD:?6DDi *@FC 8C2?549:=5C6? 2C6 8C@H?[ >2CC:65 2?5 =:G6 :? E96:C @H? 9@>6D] zJ=6 2?5 |2?5J 92G6 2 =:EE=6 8:C= 2?5 3@J[ 2?5 J@F H@F=5 25@C6 E96> 3@E9] }2E92? 2?5 p>J 2C6 E2=<:?8 23@FE <:5D[ E@@] }2?4J 2?5 x 2C6 3@E9 C6E:C65[ =:G6 :? E96 D2>6 9@FD6 J@F’5 C6>6>36C 2?5 ;FDE 46=63C2E65 ca J62CD @7 >2CC:286] x H:== D92C6 >@C6 A6CD@?2= 56E2:=D :?
Scott Free: Get away from that mailbox! The catalogs are attacking! Original
“He’s coming!” I shouted nervously, as I lowered my binoculars. “You’re kidding me! How does it look?” Nancy asked, rushing to join me at the front window of our home. kAmx EC2:?65 >J 7:6=5 8=2DD6D @? E96 >2:= ECF4< 2?5 >256 2? 2DD6DD>6?E 2D :E =F>36C65 5@H? E96 DEC66E[ 362C:?8 5@H? @? @FC 9@>6 2?5 @FC 2=C625J @G6C3FC56?65 >2:=3@I] “%96 324< 6?5 :D 5C288:?8 @? 9:D G69:4=6] xE =@@<D 962G:=J =@2565[ 2=>@DE D288:?8] x E9:?< H6’C6 :?
Scott Free: Football has grown to be (almost) a religious experience in my home
A great joy of childhood was fall, a time of crisp leaves, sweatshirts, chilly temperatures—and football. Ah, football! Just saying it puts a smile on my face. kAm%96C6 2C6 52JD[ 2D 2? 25F=E[ x E9:?< x 4@F=5 ;FDE D:?< C@@ED :? E96 4@F49 2?5 H2E49 82>6D 2== H66<6?5 2?5 D6G6C2= @E96C ?:89ED @7 E96 H66<[ 2?5 ?6G6C E:C6 @7 :E] |@C6 E92? 2?J @E96C DA@CE[ :E :D =:<6 D@>6 <:?5 @7 5CF8 7@C >6] W$=:AA6CJ #@4< :D A=2J:?8 $9:AA6?D3FC8n (92E 492??6=nXk^Am kAm!6C92AD 3642FD6 DA@CED @? E6=6G:D:@?
Scott Free: Hitchcock got it wrong; a movie about wasps would be scarier
There’s an old saying in marketing, that you don’t sell the steak, you sell the sizzle. And I was thinking about that as my wife and I laid in our bed and heard not sizzle, but buzzing. kAm%96D6 2C6 2== E96 E9:?8D J@F 5@?’E E9:?< 23@FE H96? J@F 3FJ 2 9@FD6] (6 E6?5 E@ :>28:?6 E96 3=:DD 2?5 3=:E96=J @G6C=@@< 2== E96 F8=:6C A@DD:3:=:E:6D[ =:<6 2 H2DA ?6DE :? E96 H2==D]k^Am kAmxE :D =:<6 3FJ:?8 2? $&' 3642FD6 J@F 86E 42F89E FA :? 2== E96 4@>>6C4:2=D D9@H:?8 9@H J@FC G69:4=6 42?
Scott Free: The empty chair and a few weeks of worry
Uncertainty overcame me as I sat alone in one of two chairs that overlook our backyard. The chair at my right hand was vacant. In my chair at left, I stared ahead and tried to imagine the future, now suddenly enveloped in uncertainty, loneliness and trepidation. Nancy and I don’t sit much in these chairs, but we aspire to.
Scott Free: The empty chair and a few weeks of worry
Uncertainty overcame me as I sat alone in one of two chairs that overlook our backyard. The chair at my right hand was vacant. In my chair at left, I stared ahead and tried to imagine the future, now suddenly enveloped in uncertainty, loneliness and trepidation. kAm}2?4J 2?5 x 5@?’E D:E >F49 :?
Scott Free: What’s in a name? Less than you’d think, apparently
I pulled into Culver’s drive-through last week. When the clerk on the loudspeaker finished taking my order, he asked me my name. I said “Scott” and he said, “Thank you for your order, Josh. Please pull around to the first window.” kAm“|J ?2>6 :D $4@EE[” x :?E6C;64E65]k^Am kAm“~9[ x 2> D@CCJ[” 96 C6A=:65 367@C6 C6>:?5:?8 >6 E@ AF== 7@CH2C5]k^Am kAmxE 4@F=5 36 E96 A@@C DA62<6C^>:4C@A9@?6 >@DE 5C:G6\E9C@F89D 92G6[ 3FE :E 4@F=5 2=D@ 36 E96 4FCD6 @7 >J ?2>6] $4@EE D66>D D@ D:>A=6[ 3FE x 42?
Scott Free: Uh-oh! There’s an alarming truth about human nature
They should call the red key-fob button the False Alarm Button; because that’s the only time it ever goes off. Countless times I have heard in parking lots, in our neighborhood and yes, even in my own garage, the pulsating blare of the car horn, which marketers somehow convinced us was going to make us safer. Instead it just cries wolf.
Scott Free: Uh-oh! There’s an alarming truth about human nature
They should call the red key-fob button the False Alarm Button; because that’s the only time it ever goes off. Countless times I have heard in parking lots, in our neighborhood and yes, even in my own garage, the pulsating blare of the car horn, which marketers somehow convinced us was going to make us safer. Instead it just cries wolf. kAmx 5@?’E <?@H @7 2 D:?8=6 A6CD@?
SCOTT FREE: How can this precious infant be ready for school?
How can this little girl be old enough to spend the whole day in kindergarten? Annie, the little baby I held in my arms on the day before I started work at the Watertown Daily Times, arrived in 5-year-old kindergarten this week. kAm|J 7:CDE 8C2?549:=5 4@F=5 32C6=J <66A 96C 6J6D @A6? E92E 7:CDE 52J[ 2?5 ?@H 96C 6J6D 2C6 H:56 @A6? E@ E96 H@C=5 2C@F?5 96C] w6C 3:8 962CE :D ;FDE 2D H:56 @A6?]k^Am kAmw6C >@E96C 92D ?@E 366? 92G:?8 2?
Scott Free: My dog and the lessons he shares about life
There are times I wish I could just be a bum. I’m not sure I want to spend the rest of my life wasting away in Margaritaville, as Jimmy Buffet might have suggested. I admit margaritas are an enjoyable way to pass the time, but I don’t think I could spend my life doing that and nibbling on sponge cake. kAm%96C6’D 2 =@E @7 v6C>2? :?
Scott Free: The secret to liking Wisconsin is pretending otherwise
By our nature, Wisconsinites are reluctant to brag about our state. We all secretly love it — admit it! — but we are a humble lot. Bragging isn’t in our DNA. kAmu@C 6I2>A=6[ r2A:E2= qC6H6CJ :? |25:D@? >2<6D 2 366C E92E 46=63C2E6D @?6 @7 E96 8C62E @C82?:4 :?DE:EFE:@?D :? E9:D DE2E6[ E96 DFAA6C 4=F3] (:D4@?D:? =@G6D E96D6 4=F3D[ 3642FD6 :E :D A2CE @7 H9@ H6 2C6] (6’C6 :? E96 4=F3]k^Am kAm%96 =236= @? $FA6C r=F3 564=2C6D :E :D “p (:D4@?D:? $E2E6 @7 |:?5]” (:D4@?D:?
Scott Free: A trip up north seems to slow my life countdown
Oddly, my packet of daily medications — the ones I had packed in a plastic bag for our vacation — has suddenly turned into my time clock. It’s become common practice when I travel to count out and pack all my pills — for cholesterol, allergy, blood pressure, etc. — into a Ziploc bag to save space in my luggage. But this was the first trip I realized they were actually a countdown clock for my vacation. Each time I took a pill, the contents would become less and less.
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