List of 40 Things I Enjoy

l.  Reading
Since childhood, I have enjoyed reading.  It may be due to my mom's profession as a reading teacher, or simply having been read to as a young child.  During the summers of my childhood, I participated in the summer reading programs offered by the public library.  I worked hard to read enough Encyclopedia Brown books to earn the major prize--a coupon for a sundae from McDonalds.  My favorite authors include C.S. Lewis, John Grisham, J.K. Rowling, Robert Heinlein, Dan Brown, Madeleine L'Engle, and Gregory McDonald.

2  Gardening
My dad had a large garden growing up.  We are finally living in a place that makes gardening possible, and I have been getting more into it.  This year in addition to the small raised bed in our back yard, we have several plots at the community garden at my church. 

List of 13 Vintage School Menus

Remember Millersport school lunches?  Remember meatless Fridays and vegetable-less Mondays?  Remember when a healthy lunch included french fries AND donuts?  If not, check out these vintage school lunch menus from the Pairan Archives.  Sadly, none of these include the signature entrées "Laker Steak" or "Taco Delight." 

School Menus** for Dec. 20, 1982 to Jan. 14, 1983

Mon. Dec. 20     Hot Dogs, French Fries, Donuts, Milk

Tues. Dec. 21     Ravioli, Peanut Butter Sandwich, Pickles, Fruit, Milk

Wed. Dec. 22     Pizza, Corn, Potato Chips, Icies, Milk

Mon. Jan. 3         Coneys, French Fries, Donuts, Milk

Tues. Jan. 4         Ham Salad, Bread, Scalloped Potatoes, Icies, Milk

Wed. Jan. 5         Chili/Crackers, Peanut Butter Sandwich, Pickles, Fruit, Milk

Thurs. Jan. 6       Macaroni and Cheese, Slaw, Cinnamon Rolls, Milk

Fri. Jan. 7             Pizza, Green Beans, Potato Chips, Applesauce, Milk

Mon. Jan. 10      Hot Ham and Cheese Sandwich, Tomato Soup/Crackers, Fruit, Milk

Tues. Jan. 11      Ravioli, Peanut Butter Sandwich, Pickles, Lettuce Salad, Fruit, Milk

Wed. Jan. 12      Pizza Subs, Green Beans, Potato Chips, Fruit, Milk

Thurs. Jan. 13     Chili, Grilled Cheese Sandwich, Pickles, Fruit, Milk

Fri. Jan. 14           Fish Sandwich/Tartar Sauce, Baked Beans, Fruit, Milk

** Menus Subject to Change

List of Birthdays

52^nd Second Sabbatical Birthday.  The kids and I continued with our second day of vacation and third day of my 2026 sabbatical.  Aunt Lois bought fresh Krispie Kreme donuts, one of which served as my birthday cake.  The kids and I left Raleigh around 10 a.m., with our first stop in Zebulon N.C., where Jon's character's parents from Bright Star conceived him after the Couples' Day picnic.  After an appropriate number of photos, we continued on toward the Outer Banks.  We visited the Wright Brothers Memorial at Kill Devil Hills, then checked in to our KOA cabin, then returned north to Roanoke Island to see The Lost Colony, an outdoor drama.  The behind-the-scenes tour guides claimed Chillicothe's Tecumseh! outdoor drama is a "descendant" of the show.  Afterward we returned to the KOA for our night of "glamping."         

51^st  Raising a glass of Diet Coke to Shanks Bakery & Boba and the Calvary Fellowship Team for the most excellent birthday cake. It was 51-derful.

50^th The Big Five-Oh.  Since I was not able to spend my 50th birthday in Hawaii, I did the next best thing.  I threw an All-American birthday party for myself.  The menu (inspired by a Martha Stewart magazine) included Sack and Save fried chicken, sweet corn on the cob, marinated hotdogs, homemade ice cream, and birthday cake.     

46^th  The Pandemic Birthday.  Anne and Nick went out early and got Crispy Creme donuts.  Lunch at Chik-fil-a drive thru and then shopping at IKEA with masks and appropriate social distancing.  I bought lamps for the master bedroom, that look nice with our sliding barn door bedroom furniture.  Salad for dinner and store-bought red velvet birthday cake.  Opened presents at home.  Added license plates to my art installation on back deck.  Took Jon out for a little Pokemon Go.  Earlier in the week, all of us (except Anne) got together for dinner with Mom & Dad and then Scott, Noah and Chris came over for pizza.   

45^th  On the family calendar, it's the celebration of my 45th birthday. On the church calendar it's the celebration of Thomas, Apostle. So it is with trust in the Risen Christ that I announce the conclusion of my ministry with Nazareth Lutheran Church, Chatfield, Ohio and St John's Lutheran Church, New Washington, Ohio and the beginning of the next chapter of ministry with Calvary Evangelical Lutheran Church, Chillicothe, Ohio. Thank you for your prayers for our family and congregations during this time of transition.

44^th  Breakfast in bed (yogurt tube and bagel with cream cheese and Coke Zero).  Dollar kids movie at Cinemark Tiffin followed by lunch and cakes at Phat Cakes.  Then New Washington Laundromat to try to get caught up before our trip.  Opened presents at home.  Luau themed dinner including chicken kebabs from my Retro Luau cookbook.  Pudding for dessert. 

42^st  Bucyrus Farmers Market and Ashland BalloonFest on July 2.  Opened package from Scott and Kelly, which included book "Uncle Tom's Cabin," as their Baby Pairan is due any day and I will be an uncle.  Led worship at St. John's and Nazareth.  Both congregations sang "Happy Birthday."  Kathy Scott made red velvet cupcakes for after church hospitality.  Grilled turkey cutlets on the new grill (Thanks Mom & Dad!) Mowed the lawn (an hour of peace and quiet... lol).  Anne made Sue Benson's spaghetti sauce for lasagne for dinner and Brownie Sundaes for "cake."  Gifts from the kids include homemade "soda," mixed in the garage while I was mowing and bath items from Farmers Market.  Gifts from Anne include Edward Gorey book and Superman vanity license plate for van.  :)  

41^st COSI After Dark on July 2, which included the performance of 1812 Overture with exploding hydrogen balloons.  Took kids to The Works in Newark on July 3, with Skyline chili for lunch.  Dinner and presents at Mom and Dad's with kids, Anne, Scott and Kelly.  Cake was Red, White, and Blue Velvet.  Trip to Niagara Falls with Mom and kids on July 4, then to 100th Knauff Reunion on July 5 where we met Dad, Scott and Kelly.

40^th Special thanks also to Scott Pairan and Kelly Colpitts Pairan for 40 birthday gifts, including a babysitting coupon for 40 winks, an XL t-shirt (get it?), “40 Acres” cd single, a book about the National Road (Rt 40), 40 Coke codes, a can of WD-40, "This is 40" on Blu-ray, 40 flavors of Jelly Bellys, 40 lima beans, 40 Krona, and a “foaty,” (complete with paper bag).

39^th The kids gave me gifts before I left for work.  Jon got me a Superman t-shirt.  Nick a comb, Noelle a brush, and Abbie a "bowl full of mush."  I had the mush (oatmeal) for breakfast, then left for work.  After work we went to Scott and Kelly's for a cookout.  Anne and Jon made a Superman-themed tie-dye cake with cream cheese frosting, which melted in the heat.  Then we packed up and left for Mom and Dad's, and I caught a few fireworks over the lake as I was putting the babies to bed.  On July 4, we went to breakfast at the Masonic Lodge in Thornville.  Anne said we should stay for the parade.  I ended up riding on the Grace Lutheran float with Jon and Noelle.  Mom, Anne, Nick and Abbie watched.  Afterward we went to the Pizza Cottage for lunch.   

36^th  I, Thomas Pairan, took my son Jonathan Thomas to mass at St Thomas Church in Fort Thomas, Kentucky, on July 3, the Feast of St Thomas, Apostle.

33^rd    Scott came down to Louisville on July 1 for my “Bachelor Bowling Bash.” I went to worship at the 11 a.m. service at Christ Lutheran, with my little brother Scott sitting on one side of me and my little brother in Christ, Matt Dowell, on the other.  After worship we went to King Pin Lanes for the party.  All of the boys that had ever been in my youth group were invited.  It was a good time.  On July 2 Scott and I drove up to Northern Kentucky together.  Along with Anne, we worked on “wedding stuff,” ordering our cake, visiting the bridal shop, visiting the tux shop.  In the evening, we ate dinner at Pompilio’s, where scenes from the movie Rainman were shot.  [This is probably a good time to point out that I share a birthday with Tom Cruise, one of the stars of Rainman.  He also grew up in Louisville.]  Then we rented the film and watched most of it before going to bed.  On July 3, my actual birthday, we drove up to Columbus and went to mass at a Catholic church that observed the feast day of St. Thomas.  Anne wasn’t excited about mass, but it was meaningful to me.  We spent the night at Mom and Dad’s, and I watched fireworks from the window of my room.  We left early on July 4, because Anne had a parishioner in the hospital.  I took a nap while she was there on her futon.  It was one of the best naps of my life.     

32^nd       Letterboxing Adventures

31^st        Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream Cake. My 31^st birthday fell on a Sunday, and I don’t recall why, but there didn’t seem anyone around to celebrated it with.  I came up with the idea of an ice cream cake from Baskin-Robbins, home of the 31 flavors.  Then I took it a step further and decided to forgo the cake and just get 31 scoops of ice cream.  I shared the ice cream with the people at Christ Lutheran in Jeffersontown, Ky.  

30^th        On sabbatical, in Greece:  "Today is my 30^th birthday. I opened a card my brother gave me before I left. It contained 30 Euros. It took me about a half hour to figure out the significance. We’re on our way to Delphi. The bus and all the passengers went across the Gulf of Corinth on a ferry,

crossing from the Peloponnese to Central Greece. They are constructing the world’s longest (?) suspension bridge, which would presumably take the place of the ferry service. Before we crossed over, we stopped for morning refreshments in Patras. Steve bought me a chocolate donut to serve as my birthday cake. Across the street was the church of St. Andrew (Hagios Andreas), the largest Orthodox cathedral in Greece. We are driving along the Gulf of Corinth, with its beautiful blue water and fish farms. We stopped for lunch at a restaurant wide a wide selection of seafood, including “octapus.” I had pork chops… what I would really like is a turkey sandwich. I am also disappointed that none of the restaurants I’ve been to serve hummus. I thought it was a Greek dish because they serve it at the Greek restaurant back home.

I attempted to do laundry last night. I should have waited until the cruise, as my clothes did not dry overnight. I had a bit of a scare this morning when I couldn’t find my money belt and passport—they were buried in my suitcase. Repacking every morning is getting old… it should be nice to be on the cruise ship several nights.

The couple sitting in the bus in the seats in front of me are Stephen and Judy from Los Angeles. The Joneses are from Idaho. They sit in the front behind the driver. The Italian family also sits up front, behind Marilena, the tour guide. Both of the girls have some difficulty walking, but their spirit has brightened the tour bus. They serve as translators for their parents, who speak little English. Jacinta and Morick (?) sit to the right of me. They are teachers from Australia. In the back are two young women from Sydney. There is another family toward the back. The dad is from Greece, and the mom is apparently from Argentina. I believe they live in Philly. That leaves Bill and Loretta, a couple from NYC. Our tour guide is Marilena and the bus driver is Demetrius."

25^th      Christ Lutheran Birthday Party

^8th      From "Baby's Book": Went to McDonald's with Mom, Dad, Scott, David Conner, Jason Myers, and Tim Levacy.  Gifts included Serendipity book and Star Wars figure (from Timothy Knauff), puff paint set (Lisa), book, bike and party (Mom & Dad), General Lee car (Scott), Boggle (Aunt Kris), $10 (Great-grandma Knauff), Cub Scout uniform, Star Wars figure, sugarless gum (Great-grandma Carson), Major Morgan, rod & reel, Speak and Spell module, Ranger Rick magazine, (Grandma & Grandpa Pairan), Bible Story Book, Make It Lion & Elephant, jeans, long-sleeved shirt (Grandma & Grandpa Knauff), $4 (Mrs. Wynn), Pac-Man game (Jason Myers), Magic Book (David Conner), $2 plus Missing Link puzzle (Tim Levacy).

7^th      From "Baby's Book": Dinner at Grandpa and Grandma Pairan's.  Three layer cake with red, white, and blue frosting.  Went shopping and chose Whiskers the gerbil, cage, etc. the day before.  Memorable Gifts: Three Star Wars figures and Tauntaun, Ape activity book. 

^6th      From "Baby's Book": Pork chop supper with angel food cake with Grandma and Grandpa Knauff here.  (Daddy was at school at Xavier).  Party Saturday afternoon with games, cupcakes, veggies and dip.  Guests were David, Ben, Julie, Erin, Tim Levacy, and Scott.  Steak dinner and three tiered cake at Grandpa and Grandma Pairan's Sunday after birthday.  Many days of presents; lots of cards.  Star Wars people and Mickey Mouse bubble gum machine seemed to be the hits.  Other gifts: soap crayons and stuffed monkey (Ben & David), Batmobile (Erin), Stormtrooper, portable tic-tac-toe (Mom & Dad), $5 plus whiffle ball and bat (Tim L.), See Three Pio [sic] (Uncle Dennis and Aunt Kris), Superman Underoos (Grandma and Grandpa Knauff), Batman Underoos, small Ben Kenobi and Luke Skywalker (Great-grandma Carson), small Princess Leia and Han Solo, X-wing Fighter (Grandma and Grandpa Pairan).  Favorite activities: eat pizza, make crafts, plan parties, swing on swing set, swimming, Star Wars, drawing.  

5^th      From "Baby's Book": Chocolate cake with white frosting--bunny.  Dinner and Grandma and Grandpa Pairan's.  Grandma Knauff and Grandpa Knauff visited the week before and you also enjoyed receiving cards in the mail.  On your special day you went to lunch at Famous Recipe Chicken.  (Grandma Carson took you).  In the afternoon, Julie Smith, Ben and David Conner, came to play, have snacks, and play games.  Memorable Gifts: Underoos, Mom & Dad; Big Bird Bank, Julie Smith; Superman t-shirt, Grandma and Grandpa Pairan.  Special Interests: Drawing, composing stories, picking berries, cutting and pasting, pretending (especially Super Heroes), beach, sand and water play, Vacation Bible School.

4^th      From "Baby's Book": Grandma Knauff baked a chocolate cake with chocolate icing.  Opened one gift for several days while in Newton.  Aunt Linda decorated a bunny cake on your "real" birthday at Lake Panasoffkee and you received a Mickey Mouse watch.  Back home you had another celebration with Scott at Grandma and Grandpa Pairan's.  You enjoyed Scott's toys as much as yours.  You helped him unwrap his.  As far as you were concerned, the best part of the dinner was the ripe olives. Memorable Gifts: Swing Set from Great-grandma Carson, Mom & Dad; Mickey Mouse watch, tricycle, Grandma and Grandpa Pairan; Animal Book + $2, Aunt Judy, Uncle Mark & Lisa.  Special Interests: Pirates and Peter Pan; Sesame Street, Mister Rogers, Electric Company; library books; helping in kitchen; Sunday School; preschool.  

3^rd    "Golden Birthday - 3 on the 3rd"  From "Baby's Book": Birthday dinner (ham) at Grandpa and Grandma Pairan's the day before.  Mom baked a chocolate cake shaped like a balloon and basket to ride in.  Aunt Linda and Uncle Phil were there from Florida.  You liked mowing the lawn with your toy lawn mower and selling everyone McDonald's hamburgers. At Sunday School on your special day, you received a birthday glass and your teachers sung to you.  Mom and Dad took you along to get your pool at Hart's and you were thrilled to be able to swim around in it with your inflatable fish  You really understood the concept of your birthday and had been requesting toys since Christmas.  Went for a boat ride with Dad and Uncle Jim on July 4 and watched fireworks with Grandpa Pairan.  Memorable Gifts: Mickey Mouse hoppity, golf set, McDonald's set.  Other: Likes library books and Mickey Mouse Club and cartoons on tv.  Loves Sunday School and singing.  Likes to feed ducks at Grandpa Pairan's pond.  Can carry on a fairly lengthy conversation on the telephone.  Likes to go swimming at the big pool.  Loves to ride glider on swing set.  Loves playing in sand. 

2^nd      From "Baby's Book": You had two birthday dinners--grilled chicken when Grandpa and Grandma Knauff, Aunt Lois and Uncle Craig were here.  Aunt Lois decorated a flag cake for you and you loved everyone singing and blowing out the candles.  Mom made another cake for you at Grandpa and Grandma Pairan's.  You loved the frogs' legs and peas and also the Mickey Mouse honey cake.  Memorable Gifts: Mickey Mouse bank, Fisher Price cash register.  Other: Still loves his "swimmin' pull."  Fisher Price cash register and talking phone fascinate you.  Likes to look at pictures of people and identify them.  Likes ambulances, fire trucks, and motorcycles.

1^st      From "Baby's Book": Mom made a honey cake with orange frosting.  Birthday dinner at Grandma and Grandpa Pairan's.  Aunt Linda had flown up from Tampa and Great-grandma Carson was there too.  You enjoyed playing and watching the fireworks at Great-uncle Jim's home later.  Grandma and Grandpa Knauff stopped a few days later and helped you enjoy an angel food cake and another candle.  They took you for a stroller ride.  Memorable Gifts: Yellow toy shelves, which Dad made himself.  Other: Weight, 24 lbs.  Height, 32 inches.  Loves to play in wading pool.

 

List of 3 Great Road Trips with My Brother

Gettysburg Luther Bowl | November 2008

The annual "Luther Bowl," in which the various ELCA seminaries compete against one another in flag football, served as an excuse for a Gettysburg road trip.  The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg served as the host.  The campus is part of the history of the battle.

Scott and I had visited Gettysburg as children, but it was far more interesting as adults.  In addition to cheering on Trinity Lutheran Seminary, we did some sightseeing, including the Cyclorama.

We also took time to check out Eisenhower National Historic Site, the home and farm of General and President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

On the way to Gettysburg, we stopped at the Tiki Lounge in Pittsburgh. 

Chicken Run | Christmas 2004

After Christmas, Scott and I went to Georgia to visit our cousins.  As the trip progressed, it took on a "chicken" theme.

We ate at the Dwarf House (formerly the Dwarf Grill) in Hapeville, Ga., opened by Truett Cathy in 1946. The Dwarf Grill is the predecessor of the modern-day Chic-fil-a restaurant.

Then we stopped at a KFC in Marietta, Ga., which has a giant chicken atop the restaurant.

On the way back to Louisville, we stopped in Corbin, Ky., to eat at the Colonel Harland Sanders Cafe and Museum, completing our fastfood chicken "trifecta."

Mark Twain's Hannibal

List of 5 Hymns I've Heard Sung by the Composer

It struck me last night how cool it was to hear Amy Grant sing "Thy Word," a hymn that has been included in three of our ELCA Hymnals: This Far By Faith, Worship & Praise, and the Renewing Worship Songbook.  I can't say that about many of the other songs in our hymnals, many of which were written by people who died long before I was born.  Here are some songs I've (probably) heard sung by the composers:

Thy Word RWSB R165, TFF 132, W&P 144 Text: Michael W. Smith, stanzas, Music: Amy Grant, b. 1960 How Majestic Is Your Name LS 120, W&P 66 Text and Music: Michael W. Smith Great Is the Lord W&P 53 Text and Music: Deborah D. Smith and Michael W. Smith Lord, Listen to Your Children Praying ELW 752, LS 94, TFF 247, W&P 92, WOV 775 Text and Music: Ken Medema, b. 1943 By Grace We Have Been Saved All Creation Sings 1006 Text and Music: Jonathan Rundman

List of Things Which No Longer Exist a.k.a. "We Hardly Knew Ye List"

List compiled with Scott Pairan

Stuff What Doesn't Exist No More
Bacon's (Clothing store)
Big Bear (Grocery store)
Bonanza (restaurant)
Boron (Gas station)
Burger Chef (Fast food restaurant)
Cantina del Rio (Mexican restaurant)
Chi Chi's (Mexican restaurant)
Cooker (Restaurant)
Drug Emporium (Drug store)
Fotomat (1-day photo processor)
Gold Circle
Harts (Department store)
Hecks
Hills (Department store)
Lazarus (Department store)
Le Creme (whipped cream)
MasterCharge (Credit card)
Mr. Toad's Wild Ride (Walt Disney World attraction)
Service Merchandize (store)
Sizzlean (Bacon-type food product)
Soda in glass bottles &
Returning bottles to the grocery store
Sohio (Gas station)
SupeRx (Pharmacy)
Tan M&Ms
Woolworth's (5 & Dime)

Endangered Species
Arthur Treacher's (fast food fish 'n' chips)
Ponderosa (steakhouse)
Rax (fast food restaurant)

List of Really Cool Places I've Visited

The Edward Gorey House.  In 1979 Edward Gorey purchased the 200 year-old sea captain’s home at 8 Strawberry Lane on the Yarmouth Port Common, Cape Cod, Massachusetts. After his death in 2000 the house became a museum, dedicated to Gorey’s life and work and his devotion to animal welfare. The house and its annual Gorey exhibits are open to the public from April through December.

http://www.edwardgoreyhouse.org/

List of Books I've Read by John Grisham

Books I've Read (in black print)

1989 - A Time to Kill

1991 - The Firm

1992 - The Pelican Brief

1993 - The Client

1994 - The Chamber

1995 - The Rainmaker

1996 - The Runaway Jury

1997 - The Partner

1998 - The Street Lawyer

1999 - The Testament

2000 - The Brethren

2001 - A Painted House

2001 - Skipping Christmas

2002 - The Summons

2003 - The King of Torts

2003 - The Bleachers

2004 - The Last Juror

2005 - The Broker

2006 - The Innocent Man

2007 - Playing for Pizza

2008 - The Appeal

2009 - The Associate

2009 - Ford County (including Fetching Raymond)

2010 - Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer

2010 - The Confession

2011 - Theodore Boone: The Abduction

2011 - The Litigators

2012 - Calico Joe

2012 - The Racketeer

2012 - Theodore Boone: The Accused 

2013 - Sycamore Row

2013 - Theodore Boone: The Activist

2014 - Gray Mountain

2014 - Theodore Boone: The Fugitive

2015 - Rogue Lawyer

2016 - Theodore Boone: The Scandal

2016 - The Whistler

2017 - Camino Island

2017 - The Rooster Bar

2018 - The Reckoning

2019 - Theodore Boone: The Accomplice

2019 - The Guardians 

Movies I've Seen (in black print)  

1993 - The Firm
1993 - The Pelican Brief
1994 - The Client
1996 - A Time to Kill
1996 - The Chamber
1997 - The Rainmaker 
1998 - The Gingerbread Man
2003 - Runaway Jury
2003 - A Painted House
2004 - Mickey
2004 - Christmas with the Kranks