As I entered my adult years, my dad had a habit of offering up the phrase, “If I were you I’d…” The words that completed the phrase were his unsolicited advice. He’d tell my sisters, or me, what we should do given a certain situation. “If I were you I’d save the money until …
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 …
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 …
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 …
It’s For You
My history books said that Alexander Graham Bell made the first telephone call on his new invention in 1876. That call changed the world. Communication expanded, and each day the world gets smaller and smaller. Communication, whether the information we receive each day is true or not, changes lives. The telephone is not the …
When We Were Young
I met Bob Brower when we were young. He started teaching in Plainwell in 1966 and I joined the staff in 1969. He passed away last week and his funeral is today. Bob and his then wife, Pauline, invited me into their home early in my career. They set me up on a blind …
Travel Tidbits
We’re back in Florida. A good time was had by all. We ran into a few glitches but everything worked out in the end. As you consider your next trip, you may wish to heed these few words of advice. I always book rental cars as soon as I book my airfare. I …
Updates From Palm Springs
The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens Ruth, Kate, Michael and I made a visit to The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens on Saturday night. A good time was had by all. I expected to see “lights” but many of the animals were out and about as well. There were many families with young children …
Palm Springs
Ruth and I made our first trip to the Coachella Valley several years ago. The valley is about forty-five miles long and fifteen miles wide. It contains the resort cities of Palm Springs and Palm Desert, as well as Rancho Mirage, Indio, La Quinta, Indian Wells and Cathedral City. We booked a timeshare …
Snow Days
When I was growing up in Royal Oak, I don’t recall ever having a snow day. I probably would have liked one, but we were a tough breed back then. The first snow day that I can recall took place my second year of college. I was a student at Western Michigan University …