Portrait of Baby Terri

That jet plane is bringing my daughter Susie, my grandchildren five year Terri and three year old Tommy from Chicago O’Hare airport and is coming down to land on a runway at Columbus Ohio International airport.

Little five year old Terri starts to cry and says “This isn’t Gramma’s house. I want to go to Gramma’s.”

My brother Bugs made everything right! He met them at their gate (you could do that way back when) took them to where his plane was parked on the tarmac and they all four took to the sky heading for his runway beside his home. That little girl’s Gramma, me, was just across the road visiting with my mother in her home for a few minutes while waiting for them to land. Continue reading

“Levi, my wife and I have raised our Granddaughter who is getting married. Will you please give us a $1000 for her to buy a trousseau?”

Little old me just learned a new word, TROUSSEAU, meaning a bride’s new clothes.

That was my father’s long time friend Henry Dickerson calling from his home in Cleveland Ohio. This man, when he was the Mt Victory Bank President, had loaned money to my father at the tender age of 19 and on through several years following. Continue reading

If I had a better memory, I might know how old I was when I first started attending church. If I still had that pretty little yellow and green viole dress a neighbor lady made for me, perhaps I could make a good guess! It was probably the summer before I was five.

Being the littlest one in this home with brothers and sisters, and kinda ignored, I went around knocking on neighbor’s doors and making their acquaintances. They were all kindly people who invited me in and made me welcome.

Mrs Phelps an elderly lady who lived just across the road would make delicious potato soup and we would sit together at her kitchen table and enjoy lunch. Continue reading

Soon after their beautiful garden wedding at his mother’s home in Lilburn Georgia, my daughter Susie (Carole) and Terrell came to visit me in Venice Florida.

Susie and Terrell wedding picture

You will have to admit, a BEAUTIFUL GARDEN WEDDING is a hard act to follow! So……..what to do?????? HEY, how about a party on a sail boat? That sounds like A winner. So…. I charter a seventy six foot sail boat I found tied up on Marina Bay by Marina Jacks restaurant in Sarasota with a delightful young Captain and Mate!

Counting the two of them, I could have twelve for my five hour afternoon excursion sailing the Intra-coastal waterway along Sarasota.

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The call to my Real Estate office in Venice Florida is from a lady in Chicago. She wants to purchase a villa in Sorrento East and is flying into Sarasota airport in two days.

I write down her airline, flight number and time of arrival. She ask me to pick her up when her flight comes in. Then she follows with “You will know me, I’m good looking and will be wearing a plaid jacket”. Beautiful!! She has a good sense of humor. This is going to be quite enjoyable! Continue reading