And so It Goes!!!

AND

SO

IT

GOES!!!

PAUL D. DAVIS

AuthorHouse™

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.authorhouse.com

Phone: 1-800-839-8640

© 2012 by PAUL D. DAVIS. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

First published by AuthorHouse 01/26/2012

ISBN: 978-1-4685-4703-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4685-4702-3 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4685-4701-6 (ebk)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2012901635

Printed in the United States of America

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

This book is printed on acid-free paper.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

CONTENTS

DEDICATION

FOREWORD

PART

I

CHAPTER I

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

PART

II

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 8

CHAPTER 9

CHAPTER 10

CHAPTER 11

CHAPTER 12

CHAPTER 13

CHAPTER 14

CHAPTER 15

CHAPTER 16

CHAPTER 17

PART

III

CHAPTER 18

CHAPTER 19

CHAPTER 20

CHAPTER 21

CHAPTER 22

CHAPTER 23

CHAPTER 24

CHAPTER 25

CHAPTER 26

PART

IV

CHAPTER 27

CHAPTER 28

CHAPTER 29

CHAPTER 30

CHAPTER 31

CHAPTER 32

CHAPTER 33

PART

V

CHAPTER 34

CHAPTER 35

CHAPTER 36

CHAPTER 37

CHAPTER 38

CHAPTER 39

CHAPTER 40

CHAPTER 41

CHAPTER 42

CHAPTER 43

CHAPTER 44

CHAPTER 45

PART

VI

CHAPTER 46

CHAPTER 47

CHAPTER 48

CHAPTER 49

CHAPTER 50

CHAPTER 51

CHAPTER 52

CHAPTER 53

CHAPTER 54

DEDICATION

THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED TO MY SIBLINGS, CHILDREN, RELATIVES, FRIENDS AND ACQUAINTANCES. HOPEFULLY WITH THE READING OF THESE LETTERS THEY WILL REALIZE THAT ONCE UPON A TIME… I CARED.

FOREWORD

SUNDAY, APRIL 10, 2011. WE HAD JUST RETURNED FROM CHURCH AND ENTERING OUR HOUSE, THE BLINKING L.E.D. LIGHT ON THE TELEPHONE CAUGHT MY ATTENTION. SOMEONE HAD CALLED AND LEFT A MESSAGE. I PUSHED THE APPROPRIATE BUTTONS AND LISTENED TO THE MESSAGE THAT WAS LEFT BY MY SON, DOUG. DAD, THIS IS DOUG. I HAD A PHONE CALL FROM CHRIS AND HE SAID YOUR DAD PASSED AWAY THIS MORNING. GIVE ME A CALL WHEN YOU HAVE A MINUTE… SORRY. THAT WOULD BE THE ONLY VERBAL MESSAGE I WOULD RECEIVE. A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER I RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM JEANNE, DAD’S LADY FRIEND IN CINCINNATI, AN EMAIL FROM MY EX-WIFE, PEGGY, BOTH OF THEM EXTENDING THEIR SYMPATHY.

GEORGE C. SCOTT PORTRAYED PATTON IN THE ACADEMY AWARD WINNING FILM OF THE SAME NAME. THERE IS A SCENE WHERE PATTON IS ORDERED TO APOLOGIZE TO HIS TROOPS FOR SLAPPING A SOLDIER. PATTON’S OPENING STATEMENT WENT LIKE THIS: I THOUGHT I WOULD STAND UP HERE AND LET YOU PEOPLE SEE IF I’M AS BIG OF A SON-OF-A-BITCH AS SOME OF YOU THINK I AM.

OVER THE YEARS SIBLINGS, CHILDREN, EX-WIVES AND SOME FRIENDS SEEMED TO HAVE FORMED THE OPINION THAT THE RELATIONSHIP I HAD WITH MY FATHER MAKES ME LOOK LIKE A BIG SON-OF-A-BITCH. HOPEFULLY THE READING OF THESE LETTERS WILL CAUSE THEM TO SEE THINGS IN A DIFFERENT LIGHT.

STARTING IN JUNE OF 2000, I WROTE TO DAD EVERY WEEK. SOMETIMES MORE THAN ONCE. EXCEPT FOR A SHORT PERIOD IN TIME (OCTOBER, 2005), I KEPT A COPY OF EVERY LETTER STORED ON MY COMPUTER. A COMPUTER MALFUNCTION CAUSED ME TO LOSE THE LETTERS FROM THAT PARTICULAR MONTH.

ALL OF THE FOLLOWING WOULD BE A BIT MORE UNDERSTANDABLE IF I HAD ONLY THOUGHT TO HAVE KEPT A COPY OF ALL THE LETTERS THAT DAD WROTE. UNFORTUNATELY FOR ME, AND YOU THE READER, THE LETTERS DON’T EXIST.

FOR MOST OF MY ADULT LIFE I TRIED TO HAVE OR DEVELOP A RELATIONSHIP WITH MY FATHER BUT IT NEVER HAPPENED. AS I COMMENTED IN MY FIRST BOOK, FAMILY, FRIENDS AND FOLLIES, ANY GOOD TIMES OR WARM FUZZY FEELINGS WOULD BE LIKE A DROP OF HONEY IN A BARREL OF VINEGAR. DAD’S PERSONALITY CAN BEST BE SUMMED UP WITH THE FOLLOWING STORY.

AN OLD MISER SLIPPED AND FELL OFF A VERY NARROW PATHWAY ON THE SIDE OF A MOUNTAIN. AS HE SLIPPED OVER THE EDGE, HE REACHED OUT AND CAUGHT THE BRANCH OF A TREE AND WITH ALL OF HIS STRENGTH, HE WAS HANGING ON FOR HIS LIFE. LETTING GO OF THE TREE BRANCH WOULD RESULT IN CERTAIN DEATH, FALLING HUNDREDS OF FEET BELOW TO THE JAGGED ROCKS. A PASSERBY STOPPED, PEERED OVER THE EDGE AND IN AN ATTEMPT TO SAVE THE MISER SAID, GIVE ME YOUR HAND AND I’LL PULL YOU UP. THE MISER REFUSED AND THE PASSERBY CONTINUED ON HIS WAY. AGAIN ANOTHER TRAVELER ON THE MOUNTAIN ROAD STOPPED AND OFFERED ASSISTANCE. GIVE ME YOUR HAND AND LET ME HELP YOU. THE MISER REMAINED STEADFAST AND REFUSED HELP. THE THIRD GOOD SAMARITAN STOPPED AND SAID TO THE MISER, TAKE MY HAND AND LET ME HELP YOU. THE MISER REACHED OUT TO THE OFFERED HELPING HAND AND WAS PULLED TO SAFETY.

SOME PEOPLE ARE TAKERS AND SOME PEOPLE ARE GIVERS… . DAD, UNFORTUNATELY, GAVE VERY LITTLE.

ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2005, SAM AND I FLEW TO CINCINNATI TO SEE THE BENGALS PLAY FOOTBALL, VISIT WITH DAD AND JEANNE AND THEN SPEND A COUPLE OF DAYS TOURING A FEW OF THE RACE HORSE FARMS IN THE LEXINGTON AREA BEFORE RETURNING TO PHOENIX. WE ATTENDED THE GAME ON SUNDAY, SHOPPED AND WENT SIGHTSEEING ON MONDAY AND TUESDAY WENT TO DAD’S HOUSE TO VISIT.

OVER A TRIVIAL MATTER, DAD AND I HAD HEATED WORDS AND I STORMED OUT OF HIS HOUSE. SAM AND I DROVE A SHORT DISTANCE TO A RESTAURANT, AND AFTER A SHORT TIME I COOLED OFF AND DECIDED TO GO BACK TO DAD’S TO APOLOGIZE. MY APOLOGY WASN’T ACCEPTED AND MY FINAL WORDS TO DAD WERE EITHER ACCEPT MY APOLOGY, OR IT WOULD BE THE LAST TIME HE WOULD EVER SEE ME OR HEAR MY VOICE. IT WAS TUESDAY NIGHT, NOVEMBER 22, 2005. I NEVER SPOKE OR SAW HIM AGAIN.

THE LAST LETTER I WROTE TO MY DAD WAS JUST A FEW DAYS BEFORE HE DIED. I WAS RESPONDING TO A LETTER HE WROTE ASKING FOR FORGIVENESS FOR HIS ACTIONS. HIS LETTER AND MY RESPONSE ARE AT THE END OF THIS BOOK.

WHEN I RECEIVED WORD OF DAD’S PASSING, THE ONLY PERSON I NOTIFIED WAS MY FATHER’S SON AND MY HALF BROTHER, MICHAEL DAVIS, WHOM I HAVE NOT SEEN OR SPOKEN TO IN 50 YEARS. MICHAEL IS AN ATTORNEY WHO LIVES IN THE MILWAUKEE AREA AND I HAPPENED TO HAVE HIS EMAIL ADDRESS. PART OF MICHAEL’S RESPONSE TO MY EMAIL SUMS UP MY FATHER’S ATTITUDE AND FEELINGS FOR HIS CHILDREN. IN AN EMAIL DATED APRIL 13, 2011 PART OF MICHAEL’S REMARKS WERE…

"I REALLY HAD NO RELATIONSHIP WITH MY FATHER… I MIGHT HAVE FELT DIFFERENTLY HAD HE EVER DECIDED TO APOLOGIZE FOR ABANDONING US (MY MOTHER, BROTHER AND ME) BUT BASED ON MY VERY LIMITED CORRESPONDENCE WITH HIM, I DON’T THINK HE HAD IT IN HIM TO MAKE THAT APOLOGY OR EXPLANATION. MY SENSE IS THAT WHAT MATTERED TO HIM WAS JUST ALL ABOUT HIM. SOUNDS LIKE THERE WAS A LOT OF DYSFUNCTION THAT ENCIRCLED HIM AND HIS VARIOUS FAMILIES… . THANKS FOR YOUR EMAIL… SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS… TAKE CARE… MICHAEL."

I HAVE STRUGGLED WITH WHY TO PUBLISH THIS SUMMARY OF LETTERS WRITTEN OVER A 5 YEAR PERIOD. MY WIFE, SAM, IS A VERY PRIVATE PERSON AND HER OPINION IS THAT TO READ THE LETTERS IS AKIN TO PEEKING INTO A PERSONAL DIARY.

SO WHY DID I DECIDE TO PUT THESE LETTERS AND THOUGHTS IN PRINT? I’M SURE THAT IN PART IT’S AN EFFORT TO SHOW ANYONE READING THIS COLLECTION OF LETTERS THAT THERE WAS AN ATTEMPT TO TRY AND CONNECT WITH DAD. MAYBE IT’S MY WAY TO PROVE TO SIBLINGS, AND ANYONE ELSE CONCERNED, THAT AT ONE TIME I CARED. DO I WISH THAT THE RESULTS HAD TURNED OUT BETTER? YOU BET. CAN I CHANGE THE RESULTS OF OUR RELATIONSHIP? NO!

SO LIFE MOVES FORWARD, THE RANKS OF PARENTS, RELATIVES, FRIENDS AND ACQUAINTANCES GROWS THINNER AND THINNER… AND SO IT GOES.

PART

I

2000

CHAPTER I

JUNE 2000

Monday… 6-12-00… . 10:30… .

Dear Dad and Jeanne,

It’s slow this morning and I decided to fill in the time and jot you a couple of lines and hopefully make the morning go faster.

Nothing much happening on this end… . Just marking time and waiting for the middle of July to roll around and go to Hawaii.

Saturday I did a long walk (out to the golf course and back) and almost bit off more than I could chew. It’s 5 miles out and 5 miles back and I started off with a bottle of water that was half frozen and half water. I made the 5 out in good shape… . Walked up and down the holes by the golf course and found 12-13 new balls, and then started back to the house. Now my water is about ½ gone and I’m getting tired and it seemed the longer I walked the farther it was becoming… . but just about the time I was getting ready to stick out my thumb and hitch a ride… the lakes came into view and there is a water fountain in the clubhouse and after a nice cool drink… . a short rest and a smoke… . I made it the rest of the way (1 ½ miles) to the house… . boy was I pooped!!!!!!!

We cleaned the house (Sam cleaned and I ran the vacuum) and then we couldn’t decide if we wanted to go see a movie or just go shopping. Nothing exciting on the big silver screen that we couldn’t live without seeing so we went to Arrowhead Mall and just messed around the mall. We did buy several pieces of Harmony Kingdom, a couple of t-shirts I found on sale and some sort of steamer cleaner that Sam wanted to do the tile on the floor of the house. Seems that she was convinced that the tile needed cleaning and this devise will allow her to clean and sanitize all at one time. Now we have a tile steamer and Sam is happy.

After we finished shopping we went to Carvers (steak/chop house) and had a nice dinner. I have gone back on the Atkins diet… no carbs… . and all I could have was a salad and a piece of meat… . but it was good… . big juicy piece of end cut prime rib… but its like going to the show and not having any popcorn… . doesn’t matter if you are hungry or not… you need some corn when you go to the movie. When you go out for dinner and have a nice steak or piece of prime rib… you want to have some baked potato… sour cream, butter, chives… . and a few bacon bits if you please… . thank you!!!!!

Haven’t heard a word from Doug in over 3 weeks… . ever since I told him how disappointed I was in him to not watch our house while we went to Hawaii. Go figure… . but little Doug has been a most unhappy person for a long time… . and he will continue to be unhappy until he gets out from under the financial pressure that he has placed himself in. I told him several times that credit cards would eat him alive… and now he finds himself in a position that no matter how much he pays on the credit cards… the amount owed doesn’t seem to go down that much… . like running in quick-sand… and when you are in that type of situation… it will make you miserable and he is!!! He has made his bed… . now he can lay in it. His credit is perfect (or it was) but there isn’t a nickel left over to have fun with.

I couldn’t (and still can’t) figure out why he didn’t want to come out and watch the house. We would have left a ’fridge full of beer and food, new house, big screen TV with all the channels, he could drive our cars with a tank of gas and I would have given him a couple of hundred dollars for his trouble… . WHAT TROUBLE?????? But he said no… he was tired of people planning his life for him… so I told him that the snow would be ankle deep on Central before I ever ask him to do anything, ever, anyhow, again for me… and since that day I haven’t heard a word. I get on the computer some nights and I see that he is on too. In the past we would talk thru the computer… . hey… how ya doing… what’s going on… yadda… yadda… but no more… . It will be interesting to see what happens this Sunday… .

And speaking of this Sunday… HAPPY FATHERS DAY!! We sent a small box with some goodies and hopefully there will be a couple of items in the box that you can use. If all else fails… you can put what you don’t want on the shelf and sell it in the store… .

Don’t get too bogged down with this store… . I know… you don’t want to rust out… you want to wear out… . but remember that its not the same world as when you owned the little book store on Thomas. If this store will allow you to mess around, meet people, stay active, have a place to store and put all of your stuff then ok… . but do you have to be open 8-10 hours a day… 5 days a week… . etc… etc??? Ya might want to think about tailoring the hours to what-ever. There are some baseball card shops here in town that don’t open up until 3:pm because they found out that nobody comes into the store until then (schools out, on the way home from work, etc). They may be there sorting cards or whatever… . but they are only open to the public between… say 3:pm and 7:pm… .

Looking forward to you arriving to watch out for the puppies and to keep the house safe and sound. We will lay in a supply of healthy food, make sure that both of the cars are full of gas in case you want to use our cars, and we will have all of the instructions typed out (big print) so you will have the answer to any and all questions.

We are to fly out of Sky Harbor on Saturday 7-15-00 at 6:am in the morning… . wow… That means that we have to get up at 3:am… shower and shave… leave the house no later than 4:am… . get to the airport by 5:am… check in and fly to San Francisco… . change planes and go onto Kauai… . and be there about the time you and Jeanne are getting up to fix breakfast. Maybe we will just stay up all night and sleep on the way to Hawaii.

We leave Hawaii on Friday the 21st and get into Phoenix about 11:pm on Friday night. Thank goodness that we have the rest of the week-end to rest up. Then again, who knows when we will leave or get home. I saw an article in the paper that United had the worst record of on time arrivals and departures in the airline industry… . so with our luck… . O’well… . I’m not going to go there with any negative thinking… . just go with the flow… . as Sam says… . we’re on vacation… tourists.

We went to church yesterday… nothing special… . good service… . Sam was given a wooden replica of the church for her service on the church council… that was nice. The church is getting ready to build a columbarium and will sell spaces to place your urn when the time comes… . and that’s probably what we will do. Sam definitely wants to be cremated… . I’m still unsure… . don’t know why… just not 100% convinced that’s the way to go. According to all of the articles, numbers, etc… it is cheaper. One of these days I’ll have a talk with Eaves and get his opinion on the subject of cremation… . some cultures only cremate… . and if the good book says dust to dust… . and this is just a quicker way of getting you into a dust state… . maybe a gravel here and there throw in for good measure… so be it… . we’ll see.

Be careful coming across country… take your time… rest when tired… . I still think you are crazy for driving when you could go to Columbus… . get on the airplane… 3 hours later be in Phoenix… . on the other hand you would not have the van to take back anything out of the shed for the store to stock the shelves… . but when you consider the time and expense of gas to drive… and you can fly for less money than you would spend on gas… WHY DRIVE??????? O’well… have fun… when you get here we’ll have lots of healthy goodies in the fridge, instructions for everything printed out… . clean sheets on the bed… .

Call whenever… .

Love

PS… filled up with gas this morning on the way to work… Exxon… . cheapest I’ve seen in a coon’s age… . $129.9… . most all around town its from $1.35 to $1.41… .

June 19, 2000

Dear Dad and Jeanne,

Monday morning at the office and it’s already hot and now the weather is turning muggy . . . monsoons are coming. According to the weather man when the dew-point is 55 or more 3 straight days in a row… . then we are officially in the monsoon season and this morning made 3 straight days of 55 or more. We had a little rain shower over the weekend but nothing to amount to anything… . just enough to wash the dust off the roof and onto the patio.

This will not be a long letter… . in fact I’ll just make a few comment in bullet form and get this out in the morning mail.

1. Why don’t you think we read the Ponderings? When we get it we read it… no we don’t buy anything… but we do read it.

2. Yes… . we expect (?) you to take us to the airport and to come and get us when we get back. We can kill 2-3 birds with one stone… . (a)We will not have to worry about the car sitting in a lot at the airport for a week. (b)We will not have to pay $3-4.00 a day for the car to sit and can pass that along to the house sitters. (c)You will have a nice SUV to drive (if you want) while we are away. (d)If you drive us to the airport, it will give me a minute to run you thru the instrumentation of Sam’s Explorer… . Nothing fancy but for example… . you don’t have to turn the lights on or off… . they come and go automatically.

3. Went to church yesterday. Nothing special but a nice service. While we were at church, Doug called and said quote… . Hi Dad… guess you are at church… Happy Fathers Day. Unquote… . That was it… . no follow up call… no card… . nothing. I commented to Sam… I didn’t expect a present… nothing material… . but it sure would have been nice for him to call and talk to me personally rather than leave a voice mail . . . . or to surprise us by showing up for a 1 hour service, sitting in the pew, then letting me treat for breakfast but… . and so it goes. Remember… snow a foot deep on Central.

4. Sam is liking her job more and more… . Give her 6 months and when she really gets comfortable… . she’ll be rocking and rolling… .

5. Mortgage business S-U-C-K-S… . WITH A CAPITAL S. Can’t put my finger on it… . but here we go. A normal month of new applications is about 15-20 a month… . about 1 a day. Some days nothing and another day 3… but over a month… about 15-20 new applications. So far this month… June 19th… . the month almost over… . I have done ZERO… . NOTHING… NADDA… . ZILCH… BLANK… TAP CITY… . THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL… . so what to do… . it’s either feast or famine… . you just have to ride out the storm.

6. Sam gets up early and walks the puppies while it’s a little bit cool. She hits the street at about 5:30 am… does about 3-4 miles and is back to the house about 6:45… . rests a minute… showers and goes to work about 8:am. Her new job lets her leave the house about 1 hour later and by then most of the traffic is over with. It all works out for the best.

7. Can’t think of much more to write at this time… .

8. Be careful when you come across country… . I’ve got no answer for the price of gas. I guess I’m glad we are in Phoenix and not Chicago. Cheapest I’ve seen it here is $1.29.9… . Heard that in the Midwest… it’s over $2.00… why? . . . . just the oil companies ripping off the public as far as I’m concerned.

I’ve got to go to work… try to stir up a loan somewhere. Have an appointment for tomorrow at 4:30 pm… on paper looks like it will be a decent piece of business… . but as with most transactions… . the customer has a house that he has to sell… . then find one to buy… . but the Realtor is an eager/beaver and probably needs the deal as bad as I do… so we’ll all be pushing and shoving.

Drink lots of water… eat healthy… stay on the medication that the doctor prescribed… . root for the Reds… . Boy have they gone in the toilet the last 10 games… . maybe starting tomorrow they can get back on the right track… . There is something about playing in Cincinnati on a hot muggy summer evening that makes them click into high gear… . I sure hope so.

Call whenever… . we’re changing the sheets… . stocking the fridge with healthy stuff… . you may not have a lot of money but you won’t go hungry or miss out on any sports on the TV. I just have to make sure that you know how to access all of the channels that are available… . last night I was watching the world championship curling match from Norway… . very exciting… . just kidding.

Love to both of you… .

June 28, 2000

DAD & JEANNE,

THIS WILL PROBABLY BE THE LAST LETTER I WRITE BEFORE YOU LEAVE FOR PHOENIX… I GET YOUR LETTERS… 1-2-3 OF THEM A DAY… . I CANNOT ANSWER EACH AND EVERY ONE… . THIS CRAZY BUSINESS OF MORTGAGES IS FEAST OR FAMINE… . AND THIS WEEK IT IS FEAST… I AM SO BUSY I CAN’T STOP TO WIPE MY BUTT… .

GOT MY TICKETS AND PACKAGE FOR HAWAII… . SO WE’RE GOING… . AND I HOPE BOTH OF YOU MAKE IT TO WATCH THE HOUSE… .

KEEP US POSTED AS TO YOUR PROGRESS AS YOU COME ACROSS COUNTRY AND IF YOU HAVE TROUBLE… LET US KNOW IMMEDIATELY… .

YES WE HAVE ALL OF THE HARMONY KINGDOM’S EXCEPT B . . . DON’T DO ANYTHING SILLY. IF WE GET ANOTHER PIECE, WE’LL HAVE TO KNOCK OUT A WALL TO CREATE ROOM.

GOTTA GO… . LOVE YOU… BE CAREFUL

CHAPTER 2

AUGUST 2000

8-7-00… MONDAY 2:pm

DEAR DAD AND JEANNE,

JUST A SHORT LETTER OF PROBABLY ONE PAGE SINCE I DON’T HAVE TIME OR MATERIAL TO WRITE ONE OF THE 7-8 PAGERS…

SAM’S B-DAY CAME AND WENT WITH OUT ANY MISHAPS. NOTHING EXCITING. WE CLEANED THE HOUSE AND THEN WENT TO THE MOVIE OVER IN PALM VALLEY AND THEN OUT TO DINNER AT CHILI’S FOR A BURGER. I BOUGHT HER A COUPLE OF NEW HARMONY KINGDOM PIECES AND TOLD HER THAT THE KIDS BOUGHT THEM AND NOT ME.

WE HAD TO TAKE FARLEY TO THE VET. HE HAD A SPOT DEVELOP ON HIS TAIL… . REAL RAW AND UGLY… WE DIDN’T KNOW WHAT IT WAS. I TOLD SAM THAT IT LOOKED OR SOUNDED LIKE WHAT THEY USED TO CALL THE MANGE . . . . THE VET TOOK A LOOK AND SAID… NOTHING SERIOUS . . . IT’S A HOT SPOT . . . . THE VET NEVER DID TELL SAM WHAT CAUSED THE HOT SPOT… . BUT HE GAVE US SOME MEDICINE AND THE MEDICINE MAKES FARLEY WANT TO GO TO THE BATHROOM MORE THAN USUAL (WEE-WEE) AND MAKES HIM VERY THIRSTY… . THAT’S A GREAT COMBINATION… . THE MORE YOU DRINK… THE MORE YOU PEE… . AND WITH THAT TYPE OF MEDICATION… WE DECIDED THAT IT WAS TIME TO MAKE A TRIAL RUN AND NOT LOCK FARLEY UP ALL DAY IN THE CONDO CAGE… . SO SINCE FRIDAY… . KEEP YOUR FINGERS CROSSED… . WE HAVE LEFT HIM OUT OF THE CAGE AND HAVE THE RUN OF THE HOUSE. WE CLOSE OFF ALL OF THE DOORS TO THE BEDROOMS AND HE AND NICKI HAVE THE LIVING ROOM, FAMILY ROOM AND HALLWAY. SO FAR… SO GOOD. IF I GO HOME AND FIND OUT THAT HE HAS EATEN UP ONE OF THE CHAIRS… YOU’LL PROBABLY HEAR THE SCREAMS FROM PHOENIX. JUST GO OUT ON THE BALCONY AND FACE WEST… . YOU’LL HEAR THE YELLING!!!!!!!

MAYBE IT WILL BE BETTER TO FIRE OFF A FEW LINES A COUPLE OF TIMES A WEEK INSTEAD OF TRYING TO FIND WORDS FOR A LONG LETTER. WE’LL SEE.

WORK SEEMS TO BE PICKING UP A BIT SINCE WE HAVE COME BACK FROM HAWAII. ALL AT ONCE I HAVE 4-5 APPOINTMENTS A WEEK AND THAT IS A BIG IMPROVEMENT OVER WHAT HAS BEEN GOING ON. HOPEFULLY IT WILL HOLD UP. I NEED TO QUALIFY FOR THE TRIP THAT OLD KENT WILL GIVE US FOR NEXT YEAR. TO QUALIFY MEANS THAT YOU JUST HAVE TO MAKE A LIVING. NOTHING SUPER DOOPER… JUST A RESPECTABLE JOB WILL ALLOW YOU TO QUALIFY FOR NEXT YEAR PRESIDENTS CLUB. I HAVE ALWAYS SAID THAT IF YOU DON’T QUALIFY FOR THE TRIPS… YOU ARE IN THE WRONG BUSINESS. OLD KENT HAS A VERY LIBERAL QUALIFYING PROCESS AND TO BE FRANK… IF YOU DON’T QUALIFY FOR THE TRIPS… . YOU’RE JUST NOT WORKING.

SOME OF THE KIDS HERE IN THE OFFICE SEEM TO BE ABLE TO LIVE ON $1,500-$2,000 A MONTH GROSS… . I DON’T KNOW HOW… . EXCEPT THINKING BACK TO THE OLD DAYS… . I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN THANKFUL TO MAKE $25,000 A YEAR… .

WE HAVE PUT THE HOUSE IN SUN CITY ON THE BACK BURNER FOR A SHORT TIME. NO REASON EXCEPT WE CAN BUY WHENEVER WE WANT… I LOOKED IN THE COMPUTER THE OTHER NIGHT AND ACCORDING TO ALL OF THE INFORMATION AVAILABLE… . MY HOUSE IS ESTIMATED TO BE WORTH ABOUT $210,000… . THAT MAKES ME HAPPY SINCE I ONLY PAID $150,000 FOR IT ABOUT 2 ½ YEARS AGO… .

ITS HOT, AFRICA HOT… . HUMID, MISSISSIPPI HUMID… . MUGGY CINCINNATI RIVERFRONT… HOT AND HUMID… . WHE-E-E-E-E… . BUT IN A FEW MONTHS THE OLD SNOW WILL BE FLYING AND IT WILL ONLY BE 80 DEGREES HERE… HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA

WHAT’S WRONG WITH THE REDS?????????? WIN ONE… LOSE 2… . WIN 3… LOSE 4… . CAN’T SEEM TO GET IT ALL TOGETHER AND I’M RUNNING OUT OF TIME ON MY BET… . I BET 2 GUYS THAT THEY WOULD HAVE A BETTER RECORD THAN THE DIAMOND BACKS… . AND RIGHT NOW… I’M LOSING $100.00 BIG ONES!!!!! OUCH!!!!!!

WRITE WHENEVER… . CALL WHENEVER… . KEEP US POSTED ON THE STORE AND DON’T TRY TO DO IT ALL IN ONE DAY… WHAT’S THE RUSH???? SLOW DOWN AND HAVE A 3 WAY AND A CONEY.

SAY HI TO JEANNE… . BE GOOD TO EACH OTHER AND SAY SOMETHING NICE TO EACH OTHER ONCE A DAY. SAM SAID SOMETHING NICE TO ME THIS MORNING… . SAID THAT I DIDN’T SWEAT MUCH FOR A FAT MAN… .

BYE… WRITE… LOVE… .

August 13, 2000… Sunday afternoon… 4 pm

Dear Dad & Jeanne,

It’s a lazy day and we’re just laying around waiting for the ball game to start and Sam to fix a tuna delight for supper.

Nothing exciting to report. The monsoons keep hitting all around us but so far we have had very little rain. The weather is typical August… hot and muggy and if we could get one of the rain cells to empty its load of water over us it would give us a break… . Well maybe tonight.

Yesterday was Saturday… . You know the drill. Up early and take the puppies for a 5+-mile walk. Come back to the house and do a few yard chores while Sam gets a head start on the house and then I come inside and run the vacuum. We finished about 2:PM and took a break and then met Decker and Patrice (our next door neighbors from Encanto) for dinner in Litchfield. There is a new restaurant going to open up on Monday named Barney’s. It is a national chain of Bar-B-Q and somehow Patrice and Decker had an invitation for 4 people to go to VIP night. This is a night that the restaurant invites potential customers and you can order anything from the menu along with a couple of drinks for free. You are only expected to tip the waitress. The restaurant wants to use the night as a trial run for the employees and to make sure all of the kinks are worked out. The meal was terrific and we all ate like it was the Last Supper. If we had been paying for the meal that total tab was $115.00 for 4 people. The price of a beer and a spare ribs sure isn’t what it used to be. I predict that the restaurant will be V-E-R-Y popular and give the word of mouth a short time to spread and you will have to make reservations or stand in line to give them your money. When you come back for a visit, we’ll go pig out on PIG!!!!!!!

The Reds are on TV tonight (ESPN) and I’m not going to make this a long letter cause I want to see the game.

Shari came home from Mexico for a couple of weeks (last night). We haven’t had a chance to see her yet but will probably get together soon for lunch or what have you. She left a voice mail and said that she would talk to us later.

We went to church today and on the way home discussed buying a couple of nooks in the prayer garden the church is building. A space to hold 2 tin cans of ashes will cost $1,500 and all things considered… I guess that is where we will wind up. I just don’t want to be the first to try it out!!!!!!! It will really be beautiful when it is completed and from all of the material I could find on cemetery plots… a whole lot cheaper.

Just took a look at the old tick tock on the wall and it’s almost 5:pm. Sam is asleep on the couch… and if not asleep… is resting her eyes.

We were hoping that the recall of all of the Firestone tires would include her tires on the Explorer… but as luck would have it… hers are OK… . so no free tires to replace the ones that she has.

So far so good with leaving Mr. Farley out of the Condo Cage. Only one mishap. Sam has some smelly garbage in the garbage bag under the sink. Mr. Farley figured out how to open the cabinet door and immediately had garbage all over the kitchen floor. I guess that I would rather have him eating the garbage than the furniture. We now take the garbage (if any) and put it in the bathroom and close the door. If he figures out how to open the bathroom door when it’s locked… I’ll give up.

Ok… there is your short letter for today.

Keep us posted on how the store is running and how much you sell. If it really takes off… I’ll quit my job… move to Cincinnati… and we can put it all on E Bay and sell on the net… . right!!!!!!

Write whenever… we’ll do the same and keep us posted.

Love

THURSDAY AFTERNOON… 1 pm… 8-17-00

DEAR DAD & JEANNE,

THURSDAY AFTERNOON AT 1 pm AND A REAL BUMMER OF A DAY.

I WAS CALLED FOR JURY DUTY AND SET ASIDE THE DAY TO SPEND AT CITY HALL AND DO MY CIVIC DUTY… SO WHEN I GOT UP THIS MORNING TO LEAVE TO GO TO CITY HALL AND BE IN DOWNTOWN PHOENIX AT 8:30… THE PICK-UP WAS DEAD AS A DOORNAIL. LAST NIGHT WHEN I CAME HOME IT WAS RUNNING FINE… BUT I GUESS OVER NIGHT THE BATTERY GAVE UP THE GHOST AND THIS MORNING I COULDN’T GET EVEN A TICK… TICK… TICK OUT OF THE STARTER. I TRIED TO QUICKLY JUMP IT WITH THE EXPLORER BUT IT STILL WOULDN’T START… . MAYBE I WAS RUSHING AROUND TOO FAST… . SO I SAID TO HECK WITH IT… . AND I DROVE SAM TO WORK AND WENT TO THE COURTHOUSE.

I WAS CALLED VERY QUICKLY, ALONG WITH 9 OTHER PEOPLE, TO FOLLOW THE BAILIFF TO A COURTROOM AND THERE WE WERE TOLD ABOUT THE CASE… A GUY REAR ENDED A WOMAN ON THE FREEWAY AND HE WAS FIGHTING THE (HE SAID) OUTLANDISH MEDICAL CLAIMS THAT SHE WANTED FOR A BAD BACK. THE LAWYERS ASK ME IF I THOUGHT THE TESTIMONY OF A DOCTOR WAS BETTER THAN A CHIROPRACTOR… AND I SAID YES. NEEDLESS TO SAY… I WASN’T PICKED FOR THE 4(?) MAN JURY… AND I CAN’T FOR THE LIFE OF ME KNOW WHY THEY ONLY NEED 4 TO HEAR THE CASE. SO SINCE I WASN’T PICKED, I MADE MY WAY BACK TO THE WAITING ROOM AND AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR… WAS TOLD TO GO HOME… I HAD FULFILLED MY CIVIC DUTY.

NOW I WALK TO SAM’S OFFICE… GET THE EXPLORER AND COME BACK TO ESTRELLA AND I’M CURRENTLY WAITING FOR AAA TO SHOW UP TO GET ME STARTED… THEY SHOULD BE HERE ANY MINUTE… AND THEN I WILL GO BACK TO WAL-MART AND BUY A NEW BATTERY. IF IT AIN’T ONE THING… . IT’S TWO… . AND SO IT GOES.

I WAS GOING TO MEET SHARI FOR LUNCH TODAY BUT WITH THE BAD CAR BATTERY… WE CALLED IT OFF AND I THINK I WILL TAKE HER AND MY PROCESSOR, SALLY, OUT TOMORROW.

GETTING READY TO GO ON A HOUSEBOAT TRIP THE MIDDLE OF SEPTEMBER. IT IS THE USUAL BUNCH OF GUYS FROM KIWANIS. IF YOU REMEMBER WE USED TO HAVE A HOUSEBOAT… THE LISA… IT WAS A TIMESHARE. WE SOLD OUR INTEREST IN THE LISA AND FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF TRIPS HAVE RENTED THE HOUSEBOAT FROM THE MARINA AT LAKE POWELL. LAST YEAR ABOUT 10-12 GUYS FOUND ANOTHER TIMESHARE AND THEY BOUGHT INTO IT. COST THEM ABOUT $20,000 FOR THEIR 3 WEEKS. I DIDN’T GO IN ON THE OWNERSHIP BUT I DID PROMISE TO ORGANIZE AND TAKE CARE OF ALL OF THE SHOPPING AND COOKING. THIS NEW BOAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE A KILLER OF A BOAT. 72 FEET LONG… 16 FEET WIDE… 5 STATEROOMS… 2 BATHROOMS… FULL TUB… EVERY OPTION THAT YOU COULD PUT ON A HOUSEBOAT… A STATE OF THE ART KITCHEN… . EVERYTHING. WE’LL SEE!!!! I’LL TAKE SOME PICTURES WITH THE DIGITAL CAMERA AND TRY TO MAKE YOU SOME COPIES.

SO HOW WAS OPENING DAY… . DID THEY BEAT DOWN THE DOORS AND CLEAN YOU OUT AND FOR THE LAST 48 HOURS YOU HAVE BEEN WRITING CHECKS TO THE PEOPLE WHO GAVE YOU MERCHANDISE ON CONSIGNMENT??? NO??? WHAT’S WRONG???? JUST KIDDING. HOPE YOU ARE HAVING A GOOD TIME AND REMEMBER THAT THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WILL TURN INTO A SEARS AND ROEBUCK… HOPEFULLY YOU ARE APPROACHING IT AS A FUN THING TO DO… MAYBE MAKE A COUPLE OF DOLLARS… . AND KEEP YOU OCCUPIED SO YOU WEAR OUT AND NOT RUST OUT… ISN’T THAT WHAT YOU SAID???

EVERY DAY IS AN ADVENTURE WITH FARLEY SINCE WE HAVE DECIDED NOT TO KEEP HIM PENNED UP ALL DAY IN THE CAGE. HE HASN’T REALLY DONE ANYTHING REALLY BAD BUT HE WANTS TO GET INTO THE GARBAGE UNDER THE SINK… AND HE FIGURED OUT HOW TO OPEN THE CABINET DOOR (NOT ROCKET SCIENCE) AND A COUPLE OF DAYS WE HAVE COME HOME AND FOUND CLEAN GARBAGE ALL OVER THE KITCHEN. I AM CONVINCED THAT SOONER OR LATER HE WILL EAT UP THE COUCH AND SAM THINKS WE HAVE TURNED THE CORNER WITH HIM… . WE’LL SEE. LAST NIGHT BEFORE I WENT TO BED I HAD A PIECE OF WATERMELON AND LEFT THE RIND IN THE SINK TO THROW OUT THIS MORNING. WHILE WE WERE ASLEEP… FARLEY GETS THE RIND AND ITS ALL OVER THE KITCHEN WHEN WE WOKE UP THIS MORNING.

WE GOT A NOTICE YESTERDAY THAT EAVES WILL RETIRE/RESIGN FROM THE SR. PASTOR POSITION AT THE CHURCH THE FIRST OF NOVEMBER. I THINK THE CHURCH KNEW IT WAS COMING BUT THE SUDDENNESS OF THE NOTICE CAUGHT A LOT OF PEOPLE BY SURPRISE. IT WILL BE INTERESTING WHO THEY REPLACE EAVES WITH. I HATE TO SEE HIM GO AND HE WILL BE A BIG PAIR OF SHOES TO FILL. THERE WILL PROBABLY BE SOME PEOPLE LEAVE THE CHURCH WHEN HE GOES… AND I THINK THAT’S TOO BAD. EAVES HAS SOME HEALTH ISSUES AND NOTHING WILL PROBABLY HELP HIM EXCEPT GETTING RID OF THE PRESSURE OF THE DAY TO DAY RUNNING OF A MAJOR CHURCH.

JUST TOOK A BREAK AND CALLED AAA… I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR ALMOST 2 HOURS FOR THE TOW TRUCK TO SHOW UP… NOTHING YET… THEY SAID THAT THEY WOULD LOOK INTO IT AND CALL ME RIGHT BACK… . LIKE I SAID… IF IT AIN’T ONE THING… IT’S TWO!!!!! HOPEFULLY IT IS WHAT I SUSPECT… A TOTALLY FRIED BATTERY. SHOULDN’T BE ANYTHING ELSE. WHAT CAN GO WRONG WITH A NEW TRUCK… . WELL ALMOST NEW.

SO I’LL KNOCK IT OFF… . TALK TO YA LATER… .

TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER… EAT 3 WAYS, CONEY’S, WHITE CASTLES AND DRIVE OUT TO THE HITCHING POST AND HAVE SOME FRIED CHICKEN… . YUMMY!!!!!! IF I REMEMBER LA ROSA’S HAD A PIZZA PARLOR ON EVERY CORNER AND IT WAS VERY GOOD PIZZA… . STILL THERE???? . . . STILL PIZZA????? . . . . WHAT DO I KNOW… .

LOVE

TUESDAY… 8-22-00

DEAR DAD & JEANNE,

IT’S EARLY IN THE MORNING AND THERE ARE HEAVY CLOUDS ALL AROUND. WE HAD A BRIEF SHOWER AT ESTRELLA BUT NOTHING OF IMPORTANCE… . WE KEEP HOPING FOR A CLOD BUSTER BUT NOTHING YET.

SAM WANTS TO GO SOMEWHERE FOR THE LABOR DAY WEEKEND. SAID LAST NIGHT WHILE WE WERE WALKING THE DOGS THAT WE NEED TO GET AWAY… HAVEN’T BEEN ANYWHERE FOR SOME TIME… . I COMMENTED THAT IT HAD REALLY BEEN A LONG TIME… 3 WEEKS… HAWAII… . BUT SOMEHOW THAT DIDN’T COUNT BECAUSE THAT WAS PLANNED . . . . THIS LABOR DAY TRIP WOULD BE AN UNPLANNED, OFF THE CUFF, QUICKIE GETAWAY… . WE’LL SEE.

COUPLE OF ITEMS… . YES… I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THE BLUE/GREEN/(?) GRIFFEY BOX OF POST TOASTIES, WHATEVER… . AND CARDS… AND ANY REDS JUNK… . IF IT ISN’T SOMETHING I REALLY WANT TO KEEP THEN WE WILL SELL IT ON EBAY… RAISE A COUPLE OF DOLLARS AND BUY SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY WANT… OK?

I WAS REALLY UNTHOUGHTFUL WHEN YOU WERE HERE TO NOT GIVE YOU SOME ADDITIONAL GOOD CLOTHES THAT ARE JUST HANGING IN THE CLOSET. I KEEP THINKING THAT SOMEDAY I WILL REALLY GET DOWN TO BUSINESS AND LOSE ABOUT 40 LBS AND HAVE A COMPLETE NEW SET OF CLOTHES TO WEAR (WHAT’S IN THE CLOSET) BUT IN REALITY… IT AIN’T GOING TO HAPPEN. I JUST ORDERED AND RECEIVED A BUNCH OF PANTS AND SHIRTS FROM LANDS END (CATALOG STORE I BUY FROM) AND THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THE CLOTHES THAT ARE IN THE CLOSET ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO HANG THERE AND NOBODY GETS ANY USE OF THEM. SO HERE’S THE DEAL AND YOU MUST PROMISE THE FOLLOWING. I HAVE SOME MORE NICE SLACKS AND A COUPLE OF REALLY NICE AND EXPENSIVE SUITS THAT WILL PROBABLY NEVER SEE THEIR WAY TO MY PHYSICAL BUTT AGAIN. I WILL SEND THEM TO YOU BUT… AND HERE IS THE CATCH… . YOU MUST PROMISE THAT YOU WILL TAKE THEM TO A PROFESSIONAL TAILOR AND HAVE THEM ALTERED TO FIT YOU RIGHT . . . . IT WILL COST A COUPLE OF BUCKS BUT IT IS A LOT CHEAPER THAN A NEW SUIT. I KNOW YOU WILL SAY THAT… O’ THESE FIT PERFECT . . . WHEN IN REALITY THEY NEED A NIP HERE AND A TUCK THERE TO REALLY FIT LIKE THEY SHOULD. SO LET ME KNOW… . AND I CAN GET A SMALL CARE PACKAGE READY… AND IF WHAT ARRIVES IS SOMETHING YOU WOULDN’T WEAR TO A DOG FIGHT… THEN GIVE IT TO THE GOODWILL AND TAKE THE TAX WRITE OFF AS A DONATION… . A COUPLE OF THE SUITS ARE REALLY NICE AND I HATE TO SEE THEM JUST HANGING AND GOING TO WASTE.

GLAD THE OPENING WENT OK… . SOUNDS LIKE THEY DIDN’T BEAT DOWN THE DOOR BUT YOU AT LEAST HAD SOME PEOPLE LOOKING AND POKING AROUND… . AND REMEMBER THAT IS WHAT YOU WANT TO HAPPEN… . JUST ENOUGH TO KEEP YOU BUSY AND NOT ENOUGH TO BURY YOU IN WORK AND DETAIL.

IF WE GO OUT OF TOWN FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS WE’LL TAKE A COUPLE OF DIGITAL PICTURES AND SEND THEM TO YOU. WE HAD A CONVERSATION ON A COUPLE OF PLACES AND THINGS TO DO. (1)A SHORT 2 NIGHT FAST GET-A-WAY TO RENO… . NOT SO MUCH TO GAMBLE BUT TO SEE THE SIGHTS… I’VE NEVER BEEN THERE. (2)DRIVE UP TO THE WHITE MOUNTAINS AND GET A CABIN AND JUST KICK BACK FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS IN THE COOL WEATHER. (3)RENT A MOTOR HOME AND SPEND 3 DAYS ON THE ROAD IN A CIRCLE TRIP… PHOENIX TO COLORADO… BACK TO PHOENIX. THAT WOULD GIVE US A TASTE OF MOTOR HOME LIFE WITH 2 DOGS… . WE’LL SEE WHAT WE DO. PROBABLY NOTHING. STAY HOME… COOK A STEAK… PLAY WITH THE COMPUTER AND WATCH THE REDS

I REALLY FEEL NAKED THIS MORNING. FORGOT MY CELL PHONE AT HOME AND DIDN’T REALIZE I HAD LEFT IT AT THE HOUSE UNTIL I WAS TOO FAR DOWN THE ROAD TO GO BACK AND GET IT. FUNNY HOW SOMETHING YOU DIDN’T EVEN HAVE 5 YEARS AGO IS NOW SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART OF LEAVING THE HOUSE EVERY DAY… . I’M GOING THROUGH CELL PHONE WITHDRAWAL . . . NEED A FIX OF CELL PHONE.

LOVE YA BOTH… TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER, BE NICE, SAY SWEET THINGS TO EACH OTHER, BE TOLERANT, AND UNDERSTANDING… BOTH OF YOU.

CHAPTER 3

SEPTEMBER 2000

Tuesday evening… 9-5-2000… about 7:30

Dear Dad & Jeanne,

I just got finished watching the Reds game… they lost 3-2 to the Mets… I was watching up until the top of the 10th inning and a Realtor called and I had to take the call. At the time the score was 2-2 and I asked Sam to watch and tell me what happened. When I was finished with the call, I went back to the TV and the game was over and I asked Sam who won? She said the Mets… 3-2 What happened? . . . . Oh Some one hit a ball and the Reds lost. Who hit it? I don’t know… someone and the Reds lost So much for leaving Sam in charge of the game… . Sam is like the wife who said to the husband after he turned on the game in the bottom of the 9th with the score nothing to nothing… . See… you haven’t missed a thing . . . . Oh well and so it goes… . Guess the Reds are out of the post season playoffs. My only shot at glory is for the Diamondbacks to fold like a tin can and have a worse record than the Reds… . And the way they are playing… it just might happen.

We didn’t do much this weekend. I had to work Saturday doing an application for a customer and after I made a run at a minor card show at Christown (nothing I wanted), got the car washed, bought a couple of minor gifts for a someone you know who is having a birthday and when I got home, it was 4:pm… so we stayed home Saturday night. Sunday we went to church, came back home and watched football. Monday we took the dogs for a long walk and then went to a movie over at Palm Valley… saw The Crew . . . . go see it… you might enjoy.

The letter with the cards… great. The autographed card immediately went into my collection. The other cards are, again, commons and even though they are nice cards… not too important to the average collector.

Please… please… please let me ask you again to not spend any money on something you think I would want in my collection. Anything and everything is important to someone but at the present time I am just concentrating on trying to complete the cards. From time to time I do buy on E-bay a Reds matchbox car… a signed autographed picture… a signed jersey… . But there is a lot of stuff I just pass on because I have no place to put it or it doesn’t go with what I have. If you want to send me a list of what you bought from the man (reds stuff) . . . send it to me.

Sam put a package in the mail this morning… . It was about 12 pounds of clothes in a 10-pound box. Sam seemed to think the box was taped OK and will arrive in good shape. Remember that you promised… (I have it on tape) that you would go and get the clothes altered (if needed) by a professional seamstress… I don’t want to see any pictures of you in a Nordstrom suit with the pants being held up by a length of clothes line. Safety pins are absolutely not allowed… remember to breakdown and spend a dollar (or a bunch of dollars) and have them altered so they fit nicely… . you promised… Ok? Alright!!!!!

Business has picked up a little but it is going to be nip and tuck to make the Presidents Club this year. I told Sam the other night we were just going to make it or just miss it and there is little room for error. Every loan counts.

Sounds like you and Jeanne are having fun at the store. Remember that it is a fun thing and intended to keep you occupied and off the street and out of trouble. Don’t sweat the small stuff and relax… . remember it’s supposed to be FUN!!!

Puppies are doing ok. We tried to leave Mr. Farley out all day and even though there wasn’t any major disasters he did get into the garbage a couple of times and both Sam and I are still a little nervous about him and we decided to put him back into the condo during the day. He hasn’t complained so far or figured out how to pick the lock.

There will be a small package arrive in a few days. Don’t get excited… remember it is the thought and not the present that counts. Sam said the box was full of a lot of thoughts and not many presents. She said that for sure… . there wouldn’t be anything that you could put on the shelf and sell. Sam wanted to know if you have been able to sell any of the fancy handle knives or the Kachina dolls… just curious.

Well, I’m running out of things to talk about. Sam just came in and proofed the letter… . said that there was a lot of mistakes but since I wasn’t going to change anything… go ahead and send it anyway. Maybe I can talk her into typing a couple of lines.

Stay in touch… call… send money… white castles… 3-ways… more money… write… do what ever… be good to each other… you never know when you might be trapped in an elevator all night long and you sure want to be trapped with some one you get along with… . and Sam said if she was going to be trapped with anyone… . she would pick Jeanne.

Love you both… .

Hi Dad and Jeanne,

Everything I wanted to ask you is in the top part of this letter so I don’t have much else to add. Hope that you are enjoying your new endeavor and it’s not too much work. Working with the public can be stressful and remember, the customer is always right!!

My job is good—busy and I like it. Remember the guy I used to work for at the prior job? Remember how I complained about him all of the time? Well… . he got fired!!!! There is justice in this world. They finally got smart and got rid of him and all of his problems, drinking, spending company money, to name just a few.

Well, is the snow flying yet? Won’t be long… . ha ha ha. Watching the game tonight it looked a little chilly. Glad I’ll be here in sunny AZ when the white blanket covers the football field.

I left the dogs outside and I hear them barking so I better grab them before the neighbors complain.

Hope you’re both well and enjoying life. Keep in touch and we’ll talk to you on your birthday, it’s 92 right? Ha.

Love to both,

Sam

TUESDAY 9-12-00… . 9 am

DEAR DAD & JEANNE,

IT TOOK FOREVER THIS MORNING TO GET TO WORK… ALMOST 1 ½ HOURS… . GO 2 MILES AND THEN A WRECK… GO 5 MORE AND THEN ANOTHER WRECK. IT IS AMAZING HOW 3 CARS IN A MINOR FENDER BENDER CAN TIE UP SO MUCH TRAFFIC. I GUESS THAT IS THE PRICE YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR LIVING OUT IN THE BOONIES AND DRIVING 35 MILES ON THE FREEWAY EACH DAY.

I’LL ATTEMPT TO GET THIS OFF IN THE MORNING MAIL BEFORE MY WORK LOAD BREAKS LOOSE. I WAS HOPING THAT THIS WEEK WOULD BE A FAIRLY EASY WEEK SINCE I AM GOING TO BE OUT OF THE OFFICE AND ON THE LAKE NEXT WEEK. SINCE I WANT IT TO BE AN EASY WEEK… . EVERYBODY AND THEIR BROTHER WILL PROBABLY START CALLING ON THURSDAY AFTERNOON… AND ALL OF THEM WILL WANT A FRIDAY APPOINTMENT… AND SO IT GOES.

YESTERDAY WAS DADS DAY AT THE MAIL BOX. I GOT ONE LETTER AT WORK AND WHEN I GOT HOME THERE WERE 3 MORE… . PLEASE DON’T EXPECT ME TO KEEP UP WITH EACH ONE. I DO TRY TO FAITHFULLY WRITE AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK BUT THERE COMES A TIME WHEN I’VE GOT TO MAKE A COUPLE OF DOLLARS TO PAY THE POSTAGE FOR THE LETTERS AND I JUST RUN OUT OF TIME. BETWEEN CHURCH, WORK, EBAY, KIWANIS, REALTORS, APPOINTMENTS, RAKING THE GRAVEL IN THE YARD, HELPING SAM TO RUN THE SWEEPER, WALKING THE DOGS, CATCHING A BALL GAME ON THE TV, SORTING BASEBALL CARDS, WRITING CHECKS FOR AUCTIONS AND SPENDING MONEY I DON’T HAVE… . I HAVE USED UP MY ALLOTTED TIME FOR ITEMS TO DO AND THEN I REMEMBER THAT I HAVE TO SIT DOWN AND WRITE A LETTER TO DAD.

SEVERAL OF MY BUDDIES HAVE BOUGHT INTO A NEW TIME SHARE FOR A MONSTER BOAT. 72 FEET LONG AND 16 FEET WIDE… . A REAL MONSTER WHEN YOU CONSIDER THAT THE LISA WAS 52 x 10… .

THIS SATURDAY I WILL GET THE BOAT OUT OF STORAGE. IT HAS BEEN IN STORAGE FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR. LAST TIME I HAD IT IN THE WATER WAS LAST OCTOBER WHEN SHARI, SAM, DOUG AND I WENT TO POWELL. IT IS REALLY A SHAME THAT I DON’T USE IT MORE… . IT’S A 10 YEAR OLD… BRAND NEW BOAT… I’VE ONLY GOT 150 HOURS ON THE ENGINE IN ALMOST 10 YEARS. SOME PEOPLE PUT 150 HOURS ON THE ENGINE IN A WEEK. O’WELL… I FIGURE TO REALLY USE IT IN 3-4 YEARS WHEN I RETIRE… .

I PLAN TO HAUL THE BOAT OUT OF STORAGE ON SAT… . CLEAN OFF THE COB WEBS… HOSE IT DOWN… BRING IT TO MORNINGSIDE AND MAKE SURE THAT IT WILL START AND RUN. THEN SATURDAY AFTERNOON DO ALL OF THE GROCERY SHOPPING FOR THE TRIP. I FIGURE IT WILL COST $5-600 FOR ALL OF THE GOODIES THAT THE TRIP REQUIRES. AFTER THE GROCERY STORE… . ITS COME HOME AND PACK IT ALL UP… FREEZE WHAT MUST BE FROZEN… . ORGANIZE… . LOAD UP THE TRUCK… . PACK MY PERSONAL GOODIES… . GET READY TO GO. THAT WILL TAKE ALMOST ALL DAY AND THEN SUN WE WILL GO TO CHURCH… COME HOME AND FINISH OFF THE PACKING AND GETTING READY TO GO. I WILL LEAVE SOMETIME ON MONDAY (PROBABLY LATE MORNING) AND DRIVE BY MYSELF TO THE LAKE AND GET THERE LATE MONDAY AFTERNOON. CHECK INTO A CHEAP MOTEL AND GO HAVE DINNER AND A COUPLE OF BREWS AT A LOCAL REDNECK BAR. I’LL PROBABLY WATCH A LITTLE OF MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL AND THEN CALL IT AN EVENING. TUESDAY MORNING I WILL FINISH UP THE REST OF THE SHOPPING FOR PRODUCE, MILK, FRUIT, ICE CREAM AND ITEMS OF THAT NATURE THAT I DIDN’T BUY IN PHOENIX. I’LL MAKE MY WAY TO THE BOAT, PUT AWAY ALL OF THE GROCERIES AND WAIT FOR THE CREW TO SHOW UP. THEY ARE GOING TO CARAVAN UP FROM PHOENIX AND ARE SCHEDULED TO LEAVE EARLY ON TUESDAY MORNING (7 am) AND ARRIVE AT THE LAKE ABOUT 1-2 pm. DUE TO THE LATE GET AWAY, WE’LL PROBABLY NOT GO TOO FAR ON TUESDAY AFTERNOON… JUST AROUND THE BEND AND OUT OF SIGHT OF THE MARINA… . HAVE SUPPER AND WORK OUT THE KINKS. WEDNESDAY MORNING WE WILL PROBABLY CRUISE WAY UP (?) THE LAKE… BUT THAT WILL BE A DECISION OF THE OWNERS SINCE IT COST ABOUT $25-30.00 AN HOUR TO RUN THE BOAT. IT’S THEIR MONEY… . I’LL LET THEM GO WHERE EVER THEY WANT TO GO. MOST OF THE GUYS JUST WANT TO GET AWAY AND RELAX. WE ALL GET OFF THE BOAT IN THE EARLY AFTERNOON OF FRIDAY. PACK UP… LOAD UP… AND DRIVE BACK TO PHOENIX AND GET HOME AT 9-10:PM ON FRIDAY NIGHT… .

BASED ON THE ABOVE TRIP… I WON’T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO WRITE… SO YOU DO THE SAME AND TAKE A SMALL BREAK. I’LL RESUME WRITING AND MAYBE SEND YA A COUPLE OF PICTURES OF THE NEW BOAT AND THE CREW.

THE LOU PINELLA CARD WAS FIRST CLASS. ANY ITEM LIKE THAT IS VERY APPRECIATED. THE CARD ITSELF IS NOT WORTH MUCH (10-15 CENTS) BUT SOMEDAY THE AUTOGRAPH WILL MAKE THE CARD MORE VALUABLE… RIGHT NOW MAYBE A BUCK OR SO.

BY NOW YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED THE CLOTHES… . AND REMEMBER TO GET THEM ALTERED… . AND ANOTHER BOX OF BIRTHDAY GOODIES. THERE WAS NOTHING SPECIAL IN THE BOX OF BIRTHDAY STUFF… . AS WE SAID… A LOT OF THOUGHTS AND LOVE. USE THE FOOD CERTIFICATES TO TAKE JEANNE OUT FOR A BURGER AND A CUPPA COFFEE. BETWEEN THE CERTIFICATES AND JEANNE’S COUPONS… YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO STRETCH THIS OUT TO A MONTH’S WORTH OF GROCERIES.

THE PIX’S OF THE STORE WERE NICE. THE SIGN OUTSIDE LOOKS GOOD… INSIDE WAS NEAT AND CLEAN… .

AS ALWAYS… BE GOOD TO EACH OTHER… . TAKE A BATH EVERY DAY… GET YOUR HAIRCUT EVERY MONTH… SPEND A NICKEL ON SOMETHING FOOLISH… . DO SOMETHING SILLY BUT NOT TOO SILLY… . YOU DON’T WANT TO GO TO JAIL AT THIS LATE STAGE.

LOVE

Friday Morn… 8:am… 9-15-00

Dear Dad & Jeanne…

This will be a short letter and the last one you will get until I return from Lake Powell from the annual trip with the boys.

Not much to report… . the weather is hot… too hot for this time of the year… we have set records the past 3 days and no end in sight… what happened to fall?????

Like I said in the prior letter… when you want to have an easy week… it never happens. I have an appointment at 1 pm today… and then I will have to stay and get the file ready for processing… can’t leave it on the desk for a week while I am at the lake… . so it looks like instead of going home a wee bit early today… I’m stuck in the office till 6-7 pm… . and so it goes.

Tomorrow I’ll get the boat… clean it up… see if it runs… grocery shop and pack up… take Sunday for a day of church, football and lay back and leave Monday for the lake.

Hope the store is keeping you busy and you have a sale from time to time.

They just threw my paycheck on the desk and since I have a 1 pm appointment… I’ll shut this letter down… go to the bank and make a deposit… . and then hot foot it back to the office to get ready for the afternoon.

Love you both… take care… . keep us posted… keep rooting for the Reds even though they are out of it for post season play. With a little luck… the Diamondbacks will fold up and end up with a worse record than the Reds and then I will win $100 (bets) and have bragging rights for the winter.

Love you… .

September 25, 2000… 4:30…

Dear Dad & Jeanne,

It’s 4:30 in the afternoon and the Reds are off tonight but I got home a little early and since Sam won’t be here for at least an hour… thought I would bang out my weekly letter and bring you up to date.

The houseboat trip is done and gone. It was a beautiful brand new state of the art houseboat that the group has bought on a time-share basis. A GIANT boat… 73 feet long and 16 feet wide with every whistle and bell that you can put on a boat. 2 ’fridges, dishwasher, trash compactor, 2 toilets, central vacuum system to clean the boat, a washer and dryer to do the laundry, a hoist to lift your ski-doos up to the top deck so you don’t have to tow them, queen beds, sleeping accommodations for 18 people, a 32 inch TV, stereo system to knock your ears off, short wave radios, depth finders and on and on and on and on and on… . WOW what a ship. That was the good news.

I called Sam from the lake on the cell phone and she informed me that her parents who were doing a long 3 week driving vacation all thru the northwest and southern Canada… . had decided to head south to Arid-zona and would arrive on Saturday and stay a couple of days. So Saturday morn mom