We love going up north for any reason at all. In fact, one time I drove one hundred and sixty miles to get what was supposed to be an incredible deal on coffee pods. Turned out not to be such a great buy and I spent thirty-five dollars to save eight. I didn't complain, though, …
The nice lady asked me how old I was. I worked hard to hold up three fingers, and then I was 70. My mother stood outside looking at me through the window. I was abandoned forever in my seersucker jacket and bow tie on the first day of kindergarten. And then I was 70. I …
If I say "swamp-water," what comes to your mind? Green algae with unseen beasts waiting just below the surface to bite off a toe if you dare step in? Lilly pads? Frogs? Snakes? Large-mouth bass? Swamp-water is none of those things, except, I guess it could be if I were talking about a real swamp. …
Continue reading Growing Up Lapeer: Missing Some Favorite Places
Our triplet boys were born ten weeks early, at Hurley Medical Center in Flint, Michigan. We learned Mary was expecting three babies instead of two just seven days before. At 3:30, 3:31, and 3:31:30, our precious tiny babies were lifted into the world. Baby A weighed four pounds. Baby B weighed three pounds, three ounces. …
All teachers have the opportunity to shape young minds and hearts, providing building blocks that students can use to construct a lifetime of experiences. I was blessed to have many terrific teachers, most of whom I can still name from second grade to graduation. While attending Lapeer High School from 1968 to 1971, it was …
I remember riding into downtown Lapeer for the first time and noticing the cars were all parked against the sidewalk diagonally. I don't know why that impressed me. The second thing I noticed was the long lights bending over the street. We spent a lot of time downtown, as did many other people. The only …
I have always liked elevator music. I remember my mom had easy listening music on in the house while she was doing her Leave It To Beaver kind of thing. She didn't wear a dress all day, but everything else followed a well-written script, right down to sprinkling clothes before ironing with water from a …
Continue reading Growing Up Lapeer: Bud Guest and the Sunny Side of the Street Club
We were married on this date, forty-nine years ago. It was a Friday night, an ice and snow storm blew in during the day. The ceremony started late because my wife's brother, mother and step-father had not yet arrived, and her brother was giving her away. My mother-in-law was bringing the wedding cake. Mary and …
Continue reading Married Forty-Nine Years to the Love of My Life
It’s significant to me, as a lifelong fan of model railroading, that on the first Christmas morning I remember, there was an American Flyer train set on the living room floor. It was a present for my brother, but that didn’t matter. It was still the neatest thing I had ever seen, and my love …
Continue reading The Undeniable Magic of Christmas Train Sets
Maggie joined our family in 2011. Mary found a breeder in Indiana who offered mini-golden-doodles, and we were immediately hooked. We visited the puppies to meet their parents and the owner. There were a few little fluff balls left, but someone else had first pick between the remaining two females. I noticed one had a …
A Coffee State of Mind 