Category Archives: Uncategorized

324. The Girl Who Made a Scene

Before we get started, please remember to vote for my “Grandmother Dearest” essay.  You can vote every day from now till August 10th.  Having got started in the contest 7 weeks late, I’m trying to drum up some votes to … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | 6 Comments

323. Essay Contest

Howdy!  I hope it’s not too late but I just submitted one of my blobs to a Consumer Cellular essay contest for grandparents. If you will be so kind, please vote for my entry every day between now and August … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

322. Girl of Many Talents

Happy 24th birthday, Arden Tenjou (formerly Gwendolyn “Gwen” Taylor). We’re just lucky she has only two names, because she has several personas. She started out as a regular baby: exceedingly beautiful, talented and intelligent – you know the drill.  As … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments

321. How Irish Dance Got Started

Ten members of my family have done serious time in their Irish step-dancing soft and hard shoes.  (There could have been eleven but my niece Leanne blew her chance at Celtic greatness after she tore her Achilles tendon). I can’t … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

320. Arlis and Andrew

The first time I “met” my future sister-in-law Arlis (Kirsch) Ford was at Mercy Hospital in Cedar Rapids, Iowa where she was a student nurse, and I was a lowly elevator operator. I didn’t exactly “meet” her or her sister … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

319. Mr. Entertainment

If you’ve never met my nephew-in-law Mark Alan Milner, get ready to be impressed. Words spring to mind like erudite, sophisticated, or debonair.  But not exactly, and not for long. One day about 26 years ago – in July 1985 … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments

318. Ladybugs

The Double Knockout Roses that got planted as a hedge in my front yard a few weeks ago look outrageously good.  I keep pinching myself and holding my breath waiting to see what may befall them. Yesterday, though, daughter Susy … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

317. Free at Last

Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Virginia.  She lived in a big house in the Arizona desert. Surrounding the house were snakes, lizards, and many other creepy crawling things. They were interesting to study and to … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

316. Superheroes

Today is the 44th birthday of my nephew Michael Delancey Gorman. Whenever I think about Michael, I can’t help thinking about Clark Kent.  There are several reasons for this. Clark Kent was a big dude.  So is Michael – he’s … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

315. Buy American!

Whenever I hear the expression “as American as apple pie”, I squirm.  It makes me feel miserably unpatriotic but no matter how hard I try, I don’t really like apple pie. Worse yet, I don’t like chocolate cake either.  And … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment