Chocolate Cows and Purple Cheese

Real life, not reality television life, is lived on the "homefront" - that area of 1,000 shades of gray stretching from the dinner table to the workplace and everywhere in between - colored by joy, sadness, certainty, doubt, conflict and communion.

As individuals, citizens, parents, spouses, siblings, family and community members we wonder what to think and do about the issues that life presents day to day, sometimes even minute to minute. Then we wonder again if what we thought and did was really the right thing. And so it goes...

This mental, spiritual, emotional and social tug-of-war can be at turns funny, frustrating and fulfilling. But it is never dull.

"Chocolate Cows and Purple Cheese" is a collection of essays written by a typical suburban husband and father, delving into life in all of its myriad facets.

These essays reflect on topics like aging; politics and patriotism; the adventures and challenges of parenting; marriage; death; faith and religion; and family life with a sense of honesty, candid exploration, wit, exasperation and even a slight hint of appreciation for the daily grind we all endure - and if we are really lucky, survive with a smile.