Family

“Have You Stayed Here Before?”

I walked up to the counter and the attractive young attendant countered my, “I have a reservation.” with “Have you stayed here before?”  I had. Another time, another place, I might have thought that this was a pick up line, but I’m too old to be picked up.  The last time I stayed at the …

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Family

The Hippies Are Back

My hippie daughter, her hippie husband, and their hippie dog are back with Ruth and me in Michigan.  To be fair, they arrived before we did.  They came back in early April.  Ruth and I arrived on May 2nd. Prior to returning to Michigan I received the following information from the hippie clan. April 7th …

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Family

Batman and Robin

My granddaughter, Eva, was named after three of her great-grandmothers.   Kathryn was Ruth’s mom,  Katherine was mine and Eva was her grandfather, Larry’s.  When her parents put all three names together, her name came out Eva Katheryn. Eva never knew Kathryn.   She was lucky to share a few years with Katherine before she …

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Family

Girls or Whiskey and Horses

I have an item on my bucket list that, hopefully, will be fulfilled.   I’d like to sing a duet with my son, Michael.   It first hit my list several years ago in Las Vegas.   Ruth and I  were there with all three kids, their then girlfriends/boyfriends, a couple of the kids’ friends, …

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Current Events Family

Lost and Found

Several days ago an associated press news article was written about a lost wedding ring. A woman from New Jersey “accidentally flushed” her wedding ring down the “toilet”. The article went on to say that she “noticed it was missing while she was cleaning her bathroom”. I question the connection between “accidentally flushing” and “cleaning …

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Childhood Memories Family

Traditions

I expect that most, if not all, families have traditions.   The holidays are filled with them. Growing up my family had ours.  I don’t know how they originated, but they were truly a part of our annual holiday celebration. My Grandpa Barner made homemade custard.  It was rich with eggs and cream.   We …

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Family

Our Santa

One Christmas afternoon, while we were at our Grandma and Grandpa Barner’s home, my cousin, Gene asked if  I “still believed in Santa Claus.”  I was about nine or ten.   (maybe eleven)  I lied.  I said ,”No.” I have never questioned the existence of Santa Claus.  He’s real.  When I was growing up, I …

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Family

Brady and B

My first Christmas I received a teddy bear from my dad.  He’s not a handsome bear, but he’s mine.   We’re celebrating our 71st Christmas this year.   While he remains in Michigan, I am writing about him in Florida.   Distance doesn’t change anything. I expect that I played with him when we were …

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