Not With My (grand)Daughter!!!

This past weekend Grandkid, Saffie came to visit Grandma Jo while dad, Derek helped me with some deck work. During the visit our neighbor kid, Trenton stopped by to showoff his lastest outfit. Trenton has many alter-egos but, on this particular day he was a race car driver. Now I did a little racing and hung around with some racers in the past. And, I wouldn't trust many of them with my daughter, let alone my grandaughter. As can be seen in the pictures below, Trenton turned on the charm right from the get go. And, of course, Saffie, who has always been a pushover for a guy in uniform, joined right into the act. Using her little girl charm it didn't take her long to talk him right out of his cap. I'm sure his intentions are honorable but then again he doesn't even have a real job and still lives at home with his parents.

Seems innocent enough.

Oh, oh, the backward cap and super cool expression.

It's the old, "here wear my hat" move.

Watch that hand Buster.

Well looks like he has good teeth.

Deal sealed!

Chalk one up for Tricky Trenton.

The 4 Cleavers . . . Together Again!

Maybe this isn't a big laugh but it might cause a big smile.

After fifty-nine years the "4 Cleavers" of Loyola Academy are reunited. Unfortunately only photographically. A little over a year ago Ken Bochat, incorporating the skills he developed tracking down deadbeats during his tenure as VP at Northern Trust, found me. (I didn't even realize that I was lost. But, I must have been. So now I'm found.) Over the years Ken had done a much better job of keeping in touch with the other "Cleavers". So, in an attempt to make up for "disappearing" for fifty plus years, I promised myself that I would personally visit each of the guys. Since then I have gotten together with Ken and his wife Linda several times, living only a little over a hundred miles apart makes that fairly easy. Rich and George create a bigger problem because thousands of miles separate us. 

George Dramis came first. We had planned a trip to DizzyWorld and, as it turned out that George and, high school sweetheart, Anne Marie visit there fairly often. (I guess he fills in for Goofy in the off season) We arranged a meeting and met at Epcot where we spent a pleasant hour or two catching up on the past fifty years. It seems that George spent most of that time in the Army serving our country. Although George didn't mention it, Ken told me of some of the action that he was involved in. I truly thank George for his service. He'll always be at the top of my "Heroes I Know" list. I thought I was a big deal protecting Rush Street from those Hippie, Commie, Pinkos in the Fifties and Sixties but, it sure pales in comparison to George's contribution. 

Next up Rich Grisius. Rich and wife Sylvia, also his high school sweetheart, reside in a mansion located somewhere in Maryland participating in a witness protection program. Seems that Rich had become a mouth doctor and spent most his adult life as dental guru aboard a luxurious yacht disguised as an aircraft carrier. (that's why you'll never see a Sailor with bad teeth or a crooked smile. Thank Rich for that.) I guess he couldn't keep his hands to himself (Syl used to say that back in HS) because, after the Navy, he spent ten or more years teaching other future extractors, root canalers and smile fixers at Georgetown University. (No relation to our George) So . . . on our trip to South Carolina this Spring, we took the Maryland turnoff and spent an afternoon, night and morning at the Grisius Compound. I can't say that I've ever felt so safe in my life. A real highlight of the visit, beside the wonderful meals prepared by Svl, was the complimentary flossing after each meal.

This pretty much finished the loop and even though we can't see each other as often as we would like, we still have the thing that brought us back together . . . the Internet! We swap jokes and earth shattering information on a daily basis. And Jo and I do get together with Ken and Linda as often as our busy schedules allow. 

Below are a couple of photos showing "The 4 Cleavers" then and now. You can see how little our appearance has changed over the years.

Circa 1953 - Left to Right: Ken Bochat, George Dramis, Rich Grisius and Ron Blume.*

Circa 2012 - Left to Right: Same guys as above.**

* Perfect smiles were incentive for Rich's quest to make the world "mouth pretty".

** Quite interesting how George's appearance hasn't changed at all over the years. 
(Must have something to do with Army food!)

Words To The Wise (over 60)

Excerpts from an email my wife sent me. 

I wonder what she meant by this?

Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most.

I just got lost in thought. It was unfamiliar territory.

I don't know how I got over the hill without getting to the top.

A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.

Nostalgia isn't what it used to be.

Warning: Retiree--knows it all and has plenty of time to tell you about it.

Young at heart. Slightly older in other places.

Retirement: twice as much husband, half as much money.

Over what hill? Where? When? I don't remember any hill.

Funny, I don't remember being absent-minded.

It is easier to get older than it is to get wiser.

The colder the x-ray table the more of your body is required on it.

I'm not 76--I'm 18 with 58 years' experience.

Time may be a great healer, but it's a lousy beautician.

I'm not into working out. My philosophy: No pain, no pain.

I am in shape. Round's a shape.

Brain cells come and brain cells go, but fat cells live forever.

Age doesn't always bring wisdom. Sometimes age comes alone.

Just when I was getting used to yesterday, along comes today.

I look in the mirror and there is this old person staring back at me.

Ever stop to think and forget to start again?

I get enough exercise just pushing my luck and jumping to conclusions.

It's not the pace of life that bothers me; it's the sudden stop at the end.

The face is familiar but I can't quite remember my name.

It was all so different before everything changed.

Age is important, only if you're a cheese.

Women over 50 don't have babies because they would put them down and forget where.

I haven't lost my mind. It's backed up on disk somewhere.

I never worry when I get lost. I just change where I want to go.

You're only young once, but you can be immature forever.

If I had known I would live this long, I'd have taken better care of myself.

Amazing! You just hang something in your closet for awhile and it shrinks two sizes.

Last night I lay in bed looking up at the stars in the sky, and I thought to myself, "Where the heck is the ceiling."

Be nice to your kids. They'll choose your nursing home.

I intend to live forever--so far so good.

I only remember important things, whatever they were.

I started out with nothing and I still have most of it left.

I'm on a 30-day diet. So far I've lost 15 days.

Tequila

Brought to my attention by Ken M.

Lessons From Mom!

1.    My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE .  "If you're going to kill each other, do it outside.  I just finished cleaning."     2.   My mother taught me RELIGION .    "You better pray that will come out of the carpet."     3.   My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL .   "If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!"     4.   My mother taught me LOGIC .  "Because I said so, that's why."      5.   My mother taught me MORE LOGIC .  "If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me."        6.   My mother taught me FORESIGHT .  "Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident."        7.   My mother taught me IRONY .  "Keep crying, and I'll give you something to cry about."        8.   My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS .  "Shut your mouth and eat your supper."     9.   My mother taught me about CONTORTION-ISM .  "Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!"        10.  My mother taught me about STAMINA .  "You'll sit there until all that spinach is gone."     11.  My mother taught me about  WEATHER . "This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it."        12.   My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY .  "If I told you once, I've told you a million times. Don't exaggerate!"     13.   My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE . "I brought you into this world, and I can take you out.."      14.   My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION .  "Stop acting like your father!"        15.   My mother taught me about ENVY .   "There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do."        16.   My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION .  "Just wait until we get home."      17.   My mother taught me about RECEIVING .  ”You are going to get it when you get home!"     18.   My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE .  "If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are going to get stuck that way."        19.   My mother taught me ESP .  "Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you are cold?"        20.   My mother taught me HUMOR.  "When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me."        21.   My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT .  "If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up."        22.   My mother taught me GENETICS .  "You're just like your father."        23.   My mother taught me about my ROOTS ..   "Shut that door behind you.  Do you think you were born in a barn?"     24.   My mother taught me WISDOM . "When you get to be my age, you'll understand."        And my favorite:   25.   My mother taught me about JUSTICE .         "One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just   like you!"         Only you folks my age understand these profound statements!!!  But, there is one missing from this list  ~~  My personal all-time favorite!!         My mother taught me about CHOICE .    "Do you want me to stop this car?" Compliments of Ken M.