I know batteries expire, but grandpas?

Daughter Luan planned last Christmas’ dinner at our house. Among the too-much food, she bought a box of ice cream cakes, shaped and colored like Santa Clauses. “The three-year-old twins will love them,” she said. She put the box in our freezer and promptly forgot it. I spotted the box in late February and called […]

The mind wanders while waiting for DTE

When I drove up to our garage at 4:30 on a recent Friday afternoon and the automatic opener didn’t work, I assumed the batteries were dead. When I came inside and flipped an electrical switch I quit blaming the batteries. When I saw that all the fuses in the electrical box were still in place […]

‘Saints? make wampum for Chippewas

There’s an oft repeated truism that all those fine and fancy hotels in Las Vegas were not built by charitable organizations. Well that new 300-room hotel at Sault Saint Marie wasn’t either. We gambling losers (is that redundant?) might want to urge our elected officials in Lansing to eliminate the Saint from the names of […]

Just Jotting

Many times I’ve told our son Jim to not spend a lot of money on my funeral. Keep it short and simple, I say. There won’t be many people there and don’t bore them. Don’t spend a lot of money to put me away. Well, I think Jim got a little tired hearing it. Recently […]

Just jotting ? again

Do you feel cheated when your toothpaste, ointment or lotion tube spurts air after the first, short squeeze? Do you find your first thought gives way to anger when there’s a second spurt of air from the same tube? I do! If you do perhaps you’ll understand the multiple emotions I experienced while squeezing numerous […]

We were grateful to know Jack Magee

Enthusiastic, excitable, generous, dedicated and very likeable – Jack Magee. Jack had three homes. One was, of course, his residence. Another was his Oxford Barber Shop in the house behind the red and white striped ‘pole? on East Burdick Street. The third home would be whatever golf course he was on at the time. Jack […]

The good wife’s guide?

The following was sent to us anonymously, but dollars to doughnuts it came from a male. It’s a reprint from Housekeeping Monthly, dated 13 May 1955. ? Have dinner ready. Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious meal ready, on time for his return. This is a way of letting him know […]

Grad party at my house? No problem! WHAT?

Several weeks ago daughter Luan asked if she could have grandson Dan’s graduation party at our house. ‘Of course, good idea,? I said. ‘We’ll probably use the garage for the food,? Luan added. ‘Fine,? I said. A few days later some word absorption started. A lot of people will come to our house. Maybe I […]

No long thoughts

At this writing Hillary Rodham Clinton’s book is five days from being released. And, the only thing being quoted, and apparently the only thing people are interested in, is how she handled husband Bill’s tryst with Monica. She cried, she yelled, concluded she loved him and ran for public office in another state. Did you […]

Kid talk and other non-important stuff

Every so often I ask daughter Susan for a Trevor fix. He and his twin sister, Haley, 3 and a half, keep their parents alert and sometimes entertained. It was 4 a.m. when Susan heard Trevor call for her. She went in and asked, ‘What is it, Trevor?? He said, ‘I love you, Mommy!? ‘That’s […]