Guest Blog from my Mom :D

A few years ago you wrote me a wonderful article of the strange things you remember growing up. Now it is my turn.

SO FOR YOUR BIRTHDAY HERE GOES AND YOU AREN'T REALLY 40 ARE U ?

I remember your sister calling you Thumper before you were born because every time she tried to sit on my lap you kicked her.

Your Dad telling me the car would not restart if he sat in the room much longer waiting for you to be born since the weather was turning cold and sleeting damn car never was any good except for running it on the drag strip

I remember peanut butter sandwiches at 4 AM when you were supposed to be in bed.

I remember for years your sister told you the freckles on your face were because we found you on the side or the road and you were so dirty when we scrubbed you up we could not get those out oh how you hated that one.

The mangy dog you found in Cortland.

The pictures of you in your Boy Scout uniform on top of the trailer.

The 2 years in a row you wore the same shirt for school pictures

You and Colin collecting for Jerry Lewis for many years at the Lawson store in Cortland still not sure how much of that money made it there seems like some of it went for snacks.

The first time Jean and I realized that a mesh play pen cannot hold 2 ambitious boys who want to escape and ate a hole in it one of the many things you and David got into

The cookies Mimi and Dawn made for you boys with play doh in them and made you eat.

Remember the science lessons the raindrops with the GL go to the Great Lakes and the one with the M on them go to the Mississippi River. Wonder why they ever took that sign away from the turnpike the one that said Divide between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River Watershed.

And don't forget the giants walking the earth in the form of electric towers

Stop a head Jean still tells everyone that story

Finding you and Maura in your room at 13 and then you ending up with her for a while

Swimming lessons all over Trumbull County hey kid get that stuff out of the car and bring it here I know you belong to someone here, fine way to meet Pam.

Learning how to change your clothes in the car and never let the girls see what you were doing of course they all tried to hide from you also kind of tough when driving down the road

You and Audrey and Tauna see one see all three of you for years.

St Thomas beach bum bartender and getting chased by that crazy person who was going to kill you wonder what ever happened to her?

The summers I never had to worry about where you were when we lived in the ghetto, from morning till evening we could find you at Packard Park keeping score for softball games getting picked up in Lindsay’s ‘vette or coming home with your bike in the back of Dave’s truck

The summers you were a life guard and got such a dark tan with your white blonde hair what our friendly neighbor Marilyn called you and how people stared when she did gotta love the ghetto life once in a while sure taught you a lot of things

How they called from the school to tell me you were breaking windows when you didn't even go there and (lived with your Dad) just because your friend did they figured you were part of it also

The wonderful fights you kids had in Cortland while I was working and the scars you all have to prove it

Coming home from work to furniture moved around to see if I would trip over it.

Finding the yardstick that I beat you with ( good thing you could hit your kids then) cut into 36 pieces each one a perfect inch in length

Thinking you broke something when the tornado went thru the area because the stove quit and your poor cake never did get baked

Some of the wonderful friends you made and still have especially Kerry and Kaitlyn and all the fun we had with them

You leaving for the Air Force and spending your 18th birthday in basic training and how all the beautiful blond hair grew back brown after they shaved your head.

Sending you and your buddies the little cars that when the body was turned went in all kind of directions so you would have something to do on Christmas liking racing them down the dorm hallway I still have one of those if you want another one

What is that slogan, join the services see the world? Gee you sure saw a lot from Texas to Indiana then back to Ohio Oh wait u did get to see planes refuel over Russia and do have the pictures to prove it and you did get to meet a famous author who did put you in his book Way To Go

Your years writing for the local paper and all the awards you won while in the Air Force I still have that letter, yes I know you wrote it and your Commanding Officer signed it but still it was nice, Also the years doing broadcast radio and political reporting especially when the then congressman really liked your stories (Big Jim T)

The years of hockey news, teaching your mom how to work a computer and after all this time still teaching her

The wonderful year that Camille was born and how we were all there to witness that wonderful event even if Adam got to hold her first.

The times in PA with all the kids running around and you and Patti just sitting back letting Stephanie and me say the” Jesus to Jesus and” Jesus Mary and Joseph and all the other little Saints” and you laughing at us

What a wonderful father you have turned out to be not only to Cammi but to Adam, Jessie and Gage might as well add Mandy and Alec to that list also

The Christmas Eve’s you went with me to Jean’s not by choice but because you didn't want me to be alone for those I thank you forever

Fishing at Mimi and Ron’s with all the kids in April in a snowstorm how they loved that and the picnic in the living room afterwards

Juli, Jimmy and the kids helping you move from Niles to Columbus falling down the steps with the TV and for the kids going to Cici’s afterward

The year you went to the birthday party under protest with your leg so bad and so doped up you don't even remember being there but you had promised the little kid you would be there and you were

Jean says add all the work you have done for her over the years she does have a printer that needs looked at LOL

The times you brought Cammi over to see Grandpa and how he loved that and her who didn't like anyone at that time just cuddled up to him and was so happy to have a great grandpa The corn roast she came to not knowing it was his last one and the great picture we have from it to remember

Or how about the message come get your mother she is cluttering up the driveway

Most of all for bringing joy into my life and being such a wonderful son

Happy Birthday

I love you

Mom