Our youngest grandchild, Jackson James, turns one today. Ruth and I have traveled to California to see him four times this year. Our latest trip was last weekend. He wasn’t aware his birthday was a week away, so we celebrated a bit early. When you’re only one- year-old you have no real sense of time. …
Category: Family
Pocketknives
When I was ten or eleven, I played my first game of Mumbley-peg with my cousin Gene. Being four years my senior, and a pocketknife toting teen, he showed me the ropes on several of life’s major issues. Mumbley-peg was just one. He was the closest thing I had to a big brother. We played …
Car Trouble
“Brady’s fine.” Those are words you want to hear; however, you suspect there might be a “but” coming. There was. Brady rolled his SUV a couple weeks ago and the first words out of David’s mouth when he called to tell us were “Brady’s fine. He rolled his car but came out of it without …
Autograph Seekers
BZ Tebo, AKA Elizabeth Tebo, signed several copies of her book, “The Elephant on Aaron’s Chest”, during her book debut yesterday. It was well attended. Her mom and I are extremely proud of her accomplishment. Witnessing her book signing reminded me of the time I took my grandson, Brady, to meet the former major league …
A Father’s Perspective
I’m going to a celebration next Saturday in California. Our daughter, Elizabeth, has published a book and it’s making its public debut that day. “The Elephant on Aaron’s Chest” is thirty-six pages long, contains two-hundred and eighty-nine words, and took fifteen years to write. You can’t rush perfection. Elizabeth is a licensed clinical social worker …
Kentucky Cash
The 1920 Census determined for the first time that more Americans lived in cities than in the country. The margin was a narrow – 51 to 49 percent – but it was a key turning point in our nation’s history. There was an agricultural depression that lasted the entire decade and kept a noticeable divide …
Roots
Part of my family roots are embedded in Kentucky. My mom and Aunt Ruth were born in Smiths Grove. Their parents, Margaret Louise Walker and Carter Harrison Barner, were born there as well. In fact, several generations of Barners and Walkers came from Kentucky. One of my cousins traced the Barners back to John Barner …
Bronze Baby Shoes
Bronzing baby shoes has been a tradition for over 75 years. Mine are a fine example. Mom had them bronzed, took me to a professional photographer, and assembled a small shrine in my honor. I think she did the same for my sister, Sharron, but I have no recollection of my youngest sister, Jackie, having …
Bob
As we enter 2022, I’ve taken a look back at my highlights from 2021. Two things come to mind. The birth of our third grandchild and the celebration of our 50th wedding anniversary. That’s two big deals in one year. Our two older grandchildren, Brady (16) and Eva (14) were both in Florida to help …
Christmas Bears
My first Christmas was spent in the rental unit my parents had in Centerline, Michigan. We lived there until the spring of 1950 when we moved to Royal Oak. I received a teddy bear from my dad on that first Christmas, and several months later, my mom took my bear and me to a photographer …