“Like go find the best ice cream in Grand Rapids?” I suggested.

Annie responded with an incredulous, “You’re kidding, right Papa?”

“No.” I replied.

Papa, Annie & Morgan

Annie’s eyes lit up and she rewarded me with a naughty-girl smile, asking if she could call Morgan right away. While it wasn’t said, she knew if she waited too long her parents might kibosh the plan. Hearing Annie repeatedly assure Morgan that this wasn’t a joke only added to the pleasure of a doting grandfather.

Morgan & Annie in front of Jersey Junction

We began our journey at Jersey Junction in East Grand Rapids. If you check Google, this is the best ice cream experience in town and the ever-present aroma of freshly baked waffle cones and old-fashion décor makes it easy to understand why.

Morgan ready to attack Cake Batter

Morgan chose Cake Batter and Annie Milky Way. Sweet, savory, gooey and lemony with a hint of coffee were just a few of the adjectives used by the girls to describe their Hudsonville ice cream experience. On a scale of 1 to 10, Morgan rated the flavors a 7 and a 6, while Annie gave Cake a 6 and Milky a 7. When I asked Morgan if Cake was a boy or a girl, she insisted he was all boy, calling him Josh. Annie named hers Hailey and said that the two
flavors were destined to get married.

Annie enjoying Sea Salt Caramel,

Our second destination was to Gus’s Original, which serves MOO-ville ice cream. Annie chose Sea Salt Caramel and called it Luke. Morgan decided on Cookie Dough, calling her Meredith. They both preferred Sea Salt giving it a 10 and an 8. Dough got a 5 and a 4. Would the combo make a good marriage? “No! It’s like the movie, The Proposal, except they wouldn’t get together in the end.”

Morgan & Annie with their gelato

Our next stop was at a D&W store that serves Palazzolo’s gelato. Morgan chose Dutch Fudge Cookies & Cream and called it Carl. Annie picked White Chocolate Raspberry calling it Katherine. They both gave Katherine a 1. Carl was not much better and received a 3, “putting Katherine to shame,” they confessed.

Icing on the Cake & Splish Splash at Baskin Robbins

Our journey ended at a Baskin Robbins on Plainfield. Annie decided on Splish Splash, calling it very refreshing after bad gelato. It reminded her of a flavor her sister Erika would like although she called it Victoria. Morgan chose Icing On The Cake, saying it was really sweet like a jolly rancher birthday cake. She called her experience Betsy. Annie rated the two choices with a 7 and a 6, while Morgan reversed the ranking. They agreed that these two flavors were good together and had what it takes to sustain a good long-term friendship.

According to both girls, the best place to experience the total ambience of ice cream was at Jersey Junction, hands down. However, the best ice cream of the day was Moo-ville’s Sea Salt Caramel. And as we drove home, I asked them if the philosophical lesson learned from the eight scoops-of-ice-cream experience was that you can have too much of a good thing. They shook their heads in agreement, or at least I thought they did, and said that it made sense. But, they couldn’t recall any personal experience that they had in the last year to support that point of view.

Annie & Morgan at Gus's Original

Katrina’s direct link to her awesome performance

In either case, the ghosts are active agents in the life of both the believers and the former believers, acting as wardens, trying to restrict actions and thoughts. Each ghost is capable of reconstituting itself in many shapes and forms in an effort to bedevil those people who try to leave the cult as well as those who have left it. The six ghosts that you will meet in this book are:

1. The Ghost of Misinformation – This is the most insidious of the ghosts. It creeps into one’s life in various ways, constantly affecting one’s decisions, thoughts and actions. For instance, in the case of Jehovah’s Witnesses, this ghost insists that one will die at Armageddon unless…
2. The Ghost of Separation – Shunning is the principal manifestation of this ghost. This ghost also uses separation anxiety to make it difficult to bring closure to a person’s cult experience.
3. The Ghost of Inadequacy – The manifestations of this ghost are an inability to think for oneself, an inability to articulate well-thought out beliefs, and a nagging feeling of inadequacy, especially by women.
4. The Ghost of Dependency – The manifestations of this ghost are an inability to assimilate into mainstream society, a need to control and put down other people, a lack of self-control and an attraction to high-control religious groups and/or people.
5. The Ghost of Guilt – This ghost leaves its victim in a constant state of guilt.
6. The Ghost of Indignation – Blaming the cult for one’s complicity—taking no responsibility for going along with the rules and constraints—and obsessively trying to topple the cult are two reactions that characteristically beset people who have emancipated themselves from their indoctrinations.

While I tell my story in The Ghosts from Mama’s Club, I’ll explain why I have enumerated the ghosts as I have and thoroughly explain the ways in which each ghost affects the lives of those who are still manacled as well as those, like myself, who have freed themselves of those shackles. But please do not forget, my book is about real people—the good, the bad and it is what it is—and their struggles to find meaning in their lives.

I just read a great book, Eat To Live, by Joel Furman, M.D. He asserts that people know less about nutrition than any other subject. After reading his book two times, I’m a believer. He also makes a great case for how to lose weight. Focus on your health, not your weight, and it will result in long-term weight loss.

I highly recommend reading this book. I have copied key points—things you should know and things you should do to whet your appetite for a good read.

Things To Know

- Dr. Fuhrman recommends a Six Week Challenge to lose significant weight
- Obesity is a more important predictor of chronic ailments and quality of life than any other public scourge and 300,000 people die annually due to obesity
- We should avoid processed foods and seek the rich nutrients and phytochemicals available in fresh foods, which supplies us with nutrients and calories (energy)
- Even though we have many unique human traits, we are genetically closely related to the great apes and other primates. Primates are the only animals on the face of the earth that can taste sweet and see color
- Fruit is an essential part of a person’s diet to maintain a high level of health
- Every time a person eats processed foods, they exclude from their diet not only essential nutrients that we are aware of but hundreds of other undiscovered phytonutrients that are crucial for normal human function
- If a person wants to lose weight, the most important foods to avoid are processed foods: condiments, candy, snacks and baked goods; fat-free has nothing to do with it. One must cut out the refined carbohydrate, including bagels, pasta, and bread
- The produce grown in this country is nutrient-rich and high in trace minerals, especially beans, nuts, seed, fruit and vegetables
- White or “enriched” rice is as bad as white bread & pasta. Nutritionally bankrupt
- Many whole grain cold cereals are so processed that they do not have a significant fiber per serving ration and have lost most of their nutritional value
- Whole grain hot cereals are less processed than cold cereals and come with better nutritional scores
- Fat, such as olive oil, can be stored on your body within minutes
- Healthy Cretans ate mostly fruits, vegetables, beans and some fish
- Olive oil is one of the most fattening, caloric dense foods on the planet
- Raw fruits/vegetables offer the highest blood levels of cancer-protective nutrients
- Cooking your food in oil makes your diet less effective & you won’t lose weight
- Raw nuts, seeds and avocados contain healthy fats
- The American diet is dangerously deficient in fiber
- You can get fiber naturally in your diet from great tasting raw fruits/vegetables
- Meat and dairy products do not contain any fiber
- Romaine lettuce, for example, is rich in both protein and essential fatty acids, giving us the healthy fats our bodies require
- Substances newly discovered in broccoli and cabbage sprouts sweep toxins out of cells. Substances found in nuts and beans prevent damage to our cells’ DNA. Com-pounds in beets, peppers and tomatoes fight cancerous changes in cells. Oranges and apples protect our blood vessels from damage that could lead to heart disease
- Raw, leafy greens such as romaine lettuce, kale, collards, Swiss chard and spinach are the most nutrient-dense of all foods
- Low-fat milk is not a low-fat product. Neither are low-fat cheeses
- Most people are slow to make changes, especially when it involves personal habits and family traditions. Most people do not embrace change. They are more comfortable with familiarity and cling to long-held but incorrect information
- All animal products are low (or completely lacking) in the nutrients that protect us against cancer and heart attacks—fiber, antioxidants, phytochemicals, folate, vitamin E, and plant proteins
- For the best overall health limit or eliminate all types of red and white meat
- Fruits & vegetables are two foods with best correlation to longevity in humans
- We have been indoctrinated since early childhood to believe that animal protein is a nutrient to be held in high esteem
- Our bodies need carbohydrates more than any other substance. Carbohydrate-rich foods when consumed in their natural state are low in calories and high in fiber content compared with fatty foods, processed foods, or animal products
- Appetite is not controlled by weight of the food but by fiber, nutrient density, and caloric density
- Green vegetables are so incredibly low in calories and rich in nutrients and fiber that the more of them you eat, the more weight you will lose
- Most Americans would improve their health if they consumed more omega-3 fat which is found in flaxseeds, walnuts and soybeans
- Fish is one of the most polluted foods we eat
- Plant foods have plenty of protein. Only when a vegetarian diet revolves around white bread & other processed foods that the protein content falls to low levels
- People are completely unaware that most illnesses are self-induced and can be reversed with aggressive nutritional methods
- Depression, fatigue, anxiety, and allergies can be related to an improper diet
- Chicken is almost as dangerous for the heart as red meat
- A person’s LDL cholesterol should be below 100
- Excess calories don’t just make you overweight—they shorten your life

Things To Do

- Eat at least one huge salad a day
- Eat at least four fresh fruits per day
- Eat a huge amount of raw foods every day
- Eat more unrefined plant foods and less from animal sources
- Eat at least one pound of raw vegetables a day
- Eat at least one pound of cooked/steamed or frozen green or nongreen nutrient-rich vegetables a day
- Eat one ounce of raw, unsalted seeds or nuts per day such as walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, etc. Eat a tablespoon of ground flaxseed every day
- Eat a cup of beans without salt every day
- Eat tomatoes, carrots, celery, snow peas, raw peas, cucumbers, peppers, onions      and garlic as often as you can
- Soak brown rice for a day before cooking as it will increase the nutritional value
- If you must use bread, a thin whole wheat pita is a good choice for sandwiches
- Eat fruits and nuts for breakfast or broccoli

One of the tributes given to Helen at her “Surprise 70th Birthday Party” on October 28, 2011 was a 24-minute story of her life put to music by one of our dear friends, Don Brown. It begins with her as a child and continues with 70 well-lived years of love and family. It was very special for Helen, me, our children, granddaughters, and the many friends we’ve chosen to be a part of our immediate family.

Pat, Margaret, Sue, Jani

But after I thought about it, the more I liked the idea of attending. Maybe I would finally get to know people who I should have made friends with during that troubling period in my life. I must confess that I wanted to visit with Donna Ewert Dubsky and Margaret. Both of them had read and enjoyed my book, Growing Up in Mama’s Club, which describes my childhood.

My wife Helen and I organized our summer so that the class reunion would be the frosting on the cake. We left our Tucson home on June 30 and spent fifteen days at a rental home in Estes Park, CO. Then it was off to stay with friends in Long Pine, NE. (If you’re interested, I blogged that visit in July.) We followed that with four days in downtown Chicago and over a month in Grand Rapids, MI where we raised our children and where I spent 33 years of my working life. We arrived in Columbus Thursday evening and enjoyed an excellent meal at Dusters. On Friday morning, I visited with my 90-year-old mother, who still believes Armageddon is imminent. We showed up at the VFW Hall at 5:30 PM, where the reunion commenced.

When I walked into the Hall, I felt a positive, happy energy. I immediately knew that I’d made the right decision to attend. I had something in common with everyone in the room—our high school experience—be it good, bad, or indifferent. And as Jani Fey Stukas said, “we were the lucky ones as we were still vertical.”

Ron Graus was the first one to greet me. His smile was contagious, but of course he knows how to “work a room,” something that does not come easily for me. Mary McEnerney Goc greeted me with a big hug. I later learned that Jani had dubbed Mary, “The Generalissimo.” In spite of what Jani may tell you, Mary is the real deal, a hard-working “worker bee” and the kind of person I would want on my team. But there was one disconcerting moment: While I was making small talk with her husband, Dick, I told him how pleased I was to see Mary. The moment I mentioned her name, he immediately stiffened, came to attention, clicked his heels, and saluted. Maybe Jani and Dick know something I don’t.

I was impressed by the hard work and due diligence of Mary and Jean Treinies Munson who put together the “Class of 1961″ Binder. This was one of their many contributions, making the reunion a major success. It was definitely helpful to see pictures and bios of fellow students. (Donna did the cover art for the binder.) During those dead moments, as classmates circulated, it gave them time to digest what all had happened over the last fifty years. But there was plenty of time to visit. I particularly enjoyed good, lively conversations with Donna, her husband Dennis (a very cool guy), Bob Hughes, Gail Ballew Walters, Margaret, Bernard Hay, Kurt Leininger, Ed Loseke, Herb Peterson, Gerald Whitcomb and more. Remember, I wasn’t one of the “popular kids” in high school, so it was a bit of a challenge for some people to figure out who I was.

Jean, Bob, Karlyn, Sue, Kurt

I would like to thank Lois Davis Rosacker and Diane Swan Amenta for making trips to Columbus to help Mary put the picture boards together. Special kudos go to Vera Lutjelusche Cromwell for finding some of our long-lost classmates.

Rose Parade marchers: Margaret, Diane, Karlyn and Lois

On Saturday morning, we toured the newly renovated high school—a very impressive facility. Then it was lunch at Maximus; and dinner and socializing at the New World Inn. After dinner, we were treated to a nostalgic presentation by Brian Kluck and Jani. Helen and I said our goodbyes at the Sunday Brunch.

Brian, Margaret, Maryanne Whitcomb

Okay, you must know that I had a great time. But just why can I lay claim to that verdict? As a socially stunted teenager, I had to bide my time before I could finally utilize my God-given talents. Perhaps it’s why I espouse satire and irony so passionately and why I can be self-effacing and comfortable with ambiguity. Life is too short not to laugh – particularly about ourselves. You tease people you like. At least that’s my M.O. I don’t think people should take life too seriously, and I don’t. The way the reunion was organized, it was a big stage for a performer, especially a big tease like me who is also a writer looking for a story. But what clinched access to my creative comfort zone was that at no time did I hear anyone say, “Woe is me.” Religion and politics were never discussed. What I heard were unassuming, happy people. What you see at age 67 or 68, if you’re still vertical, is about as good as it will ever get. You can no longer con anyone into thinking you are anyone other than who you are. You are as happy as you will ever want to be.

As my wife and I drove back to Tucson, I got it into my head that some awards needed to be handed out to the brave classmates who attended the reunion and to one who didn’t. But remember, I’m a little boy at heart and I love to tease. I admired people like Kurt, Mary, Brian and more back in high school and still do. But no one would go unscathed and my satirical awards would contain a little bit of truth in all of them. Everyone should be able to see themselves in each roast. In other words, my intentions would not be to offend anyone, but rather to entertain.

What I saw was an opportunity for classmates to see themselves in two time dimensions: Back in high school as teenagers—naughty, presumptuous and terribly naïve—while at the same time being the responsible adults and grandparents that we are today. After all – why does anyone go to a 50-year class reunion?

But I can be serious from time to time. So first, I would like to crown Donna, Rita Speckmann Kafka, Bernard, and Mark Loseke as the best looking physical specimens at the reunion (and Mark is a cancer survivor). They all looked pretty damn good for the amount of tread wear they have on their 68-year-old vehicles. I would like to suggest that Mary Goc run as an Independent to be the next governor for the great state of Nebraska. She would have my vote. The award for the two most unassuming, this-shit-didn’t-go-to-my-head College Blue Bloods from our class go to Margaret and Brian. The classmate spouses that earned gold medals for attending go to Dennis Dubsky, Dick Goc, Danele Peterson, Josette Kluck, Darlene Asche, and my wife Helen. But after checking my “Johnny Carson crystal ball,” the Purple Heart Award has to go to Bob Hughes’ wife of fifty years, Darlene A. Hughes.

Jean Munson, Dianne Swan Armenta, Connie Meyer Czaplewski

The biggest No Show Award goes to Roger Cooley. If everything I heard about him at the reunion is true, perhaps there was good reason for him to spend the weekend with his family at the lake.

I saved the most prestigious award for last, and it goes to Matthis Asche. I never knew Matt while in high school. But when you sit next to an outspoken cancer survivor for two hours, you learn a lot about a person. And he is definitely LOUD! But that could be because he is hard of hearing. He had to tell me what he had to say while we were herded and seated into a noisy bar-like environment. Matt’s award is for being the classmate, in my opinion, for what Mark Twain says gets most people in trouble: He knows way too much stuff that ain’t so. If you don’t believe me, ask him how safe the neighborhood is around Wrigley Park in Chicago, or what news network presents the most unbiased news. That’s just for starters. In spite of his obvious handicap, he has lived all of his adult life with one woman, his wife Darlene. And it is not difficult to see that she loves and adores him. So his faults must pale in comparison to his strengths.

So fellow classmates, what did I miss about the Reunion? What else needs to be said? I hope you will take the time to comment on what for me and my wife was a remarkably good time. Our 50th-year class reunion was definitely the best.

P.S. If you have had your fill of my awards and silly insights about fellow classmates, you may want to stop here. But if you’d like a little more frivolity, my consummate satire, and an occasional “blue light” moment, please read on.

The award for “After all these years there is still a fire and sparkle in her eyes along with a contagious laughter” goes to Donna Dubsky.

Donna and Dennis Dubsky

Brian Kluck is the most likely classmate to be indicted in the near future for sexual harassment. And I know the woman—Xena is her name—who will file the lawsuit.

Posthumous awards go to Bob Mann for “When you start believing your bullshit you will get yourself into some serious doo-doo” –  and Dale Risk’s skills at getting classmates to ask him, “You want me to do WHAT?”

Karlyn Kuper Carson wins the “Miss Hoity-Toity look-a-like” contest. But then, that is the fabric of good designers.

Herb Peterson wins the: “It’s all right for guys to hug” award. He is also a finalist along with Brian Kluck, Larry Ball, Bob Ahrens, and Brant Egger for the “Pizza, Pizza, Pizza – I never met a Pizza I didn’t like” award.

I personally won three awards. They are: “I liked this guy better when he was in high school” award; the “I didn’t like the guy when he was in high school – and now, fifty years later, I know why” award; and ”Mr. Potty Mouth.” I am a bit concerned about always being singled out for my colorful language.

When I asked Gerry Whitcomb if he thought his second marriage would work, he responded with a loud, clear, “Fucking A.” (Okay, he may have said that in one of my dreams.) But if you spent any time with Gerry’s wife, Maryanne, you would easily see why he thinks she is a keeper.

Kurt Leininger was nominated for “Am I running out of gas or did I lose a marble along the way?” (Okay, we could say that about everyone at the reunion. But Kurt has some pretty broad shoulders.)

A classmate we will never see at a reunion, Gordon Bahner, made either the most inane or most profound statement as he reflected on his high school years: “I neither appreciate nor regret my years at CHS. I do not believe they prepared me for the real world.”

And with some regret, I am deeply saddened that while he was serving honorably in the military, shortly after high school, Jon Swanson unwittingly earned the “I’m from the government, and I’m here to help you” award.

The last award is titled: “You got to be kidding!” It goes to Donna Ewart Dubsky. How is it possible for a responsible, intelligent, God-fearing woman like Donna to tell her classmates that one of the highlights of her high school years was when Nikki Gibbs smeared peanut butter all over a toilet seat in the girls’ bath room? Now I can see why some guys would say that, but not this classy grandma. Then again, wasn’t she a carhop at Y-Knot Drive-In in a previous life?

I would also like to recommend that our class of 1961 adopt as our song: We Did it our Way. The lyrics:

P.S.S. Brian Kluck and I never had a conversation before this class reunion; not for the first 68 years of our lives. I don’t know if he knew that I existed. That all changed shortly before we had dinner on Saturday night. I could see that he was eyeing me curiously as we talked for ten minutes. Maybe he recognized me as a kindred spirit. However, as Helen and I were about to leave to go back to our motel, he whispered something quite profound in my ear. If I can remember his exact words, it went something like this. “So I see that you like irony. And it is with that in mind, I want you to know something that I observed over the course of this evening’s activities. Your wife, Helen, and Mary Goc have a lot in common. Both of them have been married to real Dicks all of their married lives. And I think you are a much bigger Dick than Mary’s husband. How ironic is that?” (Okay, Brian never told me that. But I think that’s what he was thinking.)

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One of my six granddaughters, Ingvild Rishovd, turned thirteen on August 24, 2011. She was born and raised in Norway and has recently taken a real interest in writing in English.Mind you, she has been diagnosed with ADHD, but when Ingvild sets her mind to do something, watch out world.

To help Ingvild celebrate her birthday, plans were made to spend one-on-one time with her mom—our adopted Norwegian daughter, Bente Skalstad—in Venice, Italy. What follows is Ingvild’s story— in her words— of her summer holiday:

This summer I didn’t do much, although I did get my first dog, Vikki. That forced me to at stay home to train and socialize her. Vikki is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. She joined our family a few weeks before Summer Holiday. Because of her super cuteness, neighbors would pop up for a quick visit almost every day. One of my neighbors, Lena, was one of those many visitors. Not just because of Vikki, but to watch Ugly Betty with me. I have all the seasons on DVD and we ended up watching two episodes every day.

My mom and I went to Venice two weeks later. We prepared ourselves by watching The Tourist. My mom fell asleep halfway through the movie and the only reason I didn’t join her was because I wanted to see Johnny Depp run on the roof top in his pajamas.

We rented three movies from iTunes for mom’s iPad on our plane trip to Venice. The plane was delayed, so we sat there for a couple of hours, which wasn’t good for me. My playlist had only five songs in it. But we did finally board the plane and Venice was just around the corner. We finished watching the first movie just before we landed, but it was in the middle of the night. The streets were empty and Venice seemed like a quiet place. That is, until we woke up.

Venice wasn’t so quiet after all. It was full of tourists, birds and, old buildings and churches, which means lots of history. The first thing we did was take a little trip around Saint Mark’s square to the Rialto Bridge. Then we took a ride on a gondola. After that, we ate some pasta (which was almost the only thing we ate during the whole trip). We just walked back and forth for the rest of the day, except when I wanted to sit in the hotel room and relax. (Mom didn’t like it when I wanted to relax.)

We visited The Doge’s Palace the next day. The Palace has thousands of beautiful rooms and lots of paintings. We had to turn and read many pages in our guide-book to learn the whole story. We ate some really good pizza, but we didn’t eat the whole thing, saving the rest in a doggy bag. It was fun to walk around and look in all the stores which were full of carnival masks and glass. We also took a trip around the islands. They were all very nice and very different from each other. The last island, the Lido, was the only island with CARS, and water that you could actually swim in. It has a very nice beach there.

Mom bought a book for me, which I hadn’t started reading. I thought it looked a bit boring but I wanted to give it a shot. We sat on the beach and read. I was kind of right about the book being boring but I hadn’t read any books except Twilight the past six months, so I was a bit desperate. When we got back to the hotel we watched one episode of 30 Rock on mom’s iPad. I couldn’t fall asleep that night because I was so hungry. We had leftover pizza in the mini fridge, so I took it out carefully so I wouldn’t wake up mom and ate it in the bathroom.

On day number three, we visited a big beautiful church with lots of amazing art and paintings. We later went to the Venice Biennale. It has lots of modern art that didn’t make any sense to me. I was reading most of the day when we weren’t walking. Mom wanted to take the boat through the Grand Canal during the night. She hoped there would be beautiful lights from all the houses in the canal. But she found out most of the houses were empty.

The fourth and last day, we took one last Gondola ride. But taking a ride early in the morning wasn’t that smart. The garbage boats were taking out the trash and it smelled awful. On the boat to the airport we met a Norwegian from Bergen, who really, really liked to talk. She was traveling alone and needed some company. We finally got rid of her when we took our seats on the plane.

When we got home, Vikki had grown a lot. She also had gotten into the habit of chasing our pet rabbit, Lurve. And eating his food, which he wasn’t too happy about. Lena and I kept on watching Ugly Betty. I finished reading my boring book. But mom had bought me another book and three books for my sister, Silje. I finished the next book pretty fast. But I took one of Silje’s books and kept it safe from her claws. Mom bought three other books for me. I finished the first one, but the other two books were boring. So I read the book I stole from Silje. It took me one morning to finish it. It was way more interesting than the first one.

I was really lazy the next two weeks when I didn’t have a book to read. But I got a new one when Vikki and I went with dad to his office in Oslo. That one went way fast too. Vikki had a big fan club at dad’s office, no matter how many times she peed on the floor. She was definitely popular.

Lena spent time in Molde during the summer, so I didn’t see her a lot until the end of the summer. Instead, a little girl named Julie, who had found out where we lived, came EVERYDAY to see Vikki and cuddle her to death. Luckily, Erle-Marlene moved in next door with her puppy Ziro. She saved the last week of summer from being total boredom. Now the summer holiday is over and school has begun. Let’s just hope Julie won’t pop up just as much.”

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Day 145 – 8.06 miles (965.17 total)

I am constantly amazed by the number of people who give of themselves, who volunteer and help the community with little or no fanfare. I walked with one of those people today.

I first met Kim Waalkes at City High School, where my son, Liam and her daughter, Erika are entering sophomore year in high school. She seemed to be everywhere — PTSA meetings, helping at school functions like the annual City High auction and other school events and meetings.

Simply put, she is one of those parents that you want volunteering at your kid’s school. This year, Kim will be president of the City High PTSA (a position held by Wayne Glatz for the two years prior, another parent who has given so much time and energy to the school).

Kim and I walked two hours today and talked about our families and upcoming school events and issues. It was a really fun walk and the two hours passed quickly. We walked the length of Riverside Park and made it past Fifth Third Ballpark before we turned around for the return trip.

Our family is lucky to send our children to some of the best schools in West Michigan (and the state, for that matter). City High consistently ranks among the top schools in Michigan. Daisy is going to Blandford School in the fall, one of the most amazing school years a child could ever imagine. Gwen will be at C.A. Frost for kindergarten, a unique school that focuses on the environment. In the past, we sent our children to the Grand Rapids Child Discovery Center, an incredible school with caring, wonderful teachers that uses the Reggio Emilia model of teaching.

The secret to improving schools is not to push more money at problems (though the Grand Rapids Public Schools could certainly use more of it). The secret is parent involvement. All the schools we have been part of have amazingly dedicated parents who care about their children and the quality of the schools that they attend.

They are filled with people like Kim Waalkes and her husband Jon, people who give of themselves so all of the students can succeed, not just their own. Our schools do not need federal programs like No Child Left Behind or state tests like MEAP to measure success. Our schools need parents who care.

[Link to original article...]

The Hake’s three-year-old, well-designed 900 sq ft cabin is the perfect destination point for two couples who want to get lost in nature, play games and to get to know, to really get to know, each other better. The cabin is located in a pristine forest of ancient Ponderosa Pine on the edge of a fertile 260 ft canyon wall. While we couldn’t confirm it, Ken claims that a meandering stream teeming with native brown and rainbow trout awaits anyone who ventures a long slide down the steep canyon walls. The official mailbox is Long Pine, NE, but to access their forest home, one must drive ten miles on a dirt road north off Highway 20.

If you were blindfolded and airlifted into the cabin, it would be easy to believe that you were in the mountains of Colorado. It’s a very special place with a plethora of both whitetail and mule deer, giant turkeys, porcupines, blue birds, pine martins, rattlesnakes, bobcats and more. At night, the stars come to visit and put on a spectacular display of lights. The sunrises from our bedroom are what I would love to see when I wake up in the morning every day for the rest of my life.

Ken and Maureen brought in food supplies and wine for the three days and two nights we spent with them. Once you get to this special secluded spot, you want to stay put and enjoy some of the best that Mother Nature has to offer. The Hake’s knew this in advance and planned accordingly.

We knew that Ken would be passionate about winning any and all games that we played. I think it has something to do what with him being raised in a small rural town, Leigh, Nebraska. Perhaps it was the water or it could have been the DDT he brushed his teeth with as a child. But little did we know the passion; I mean THE PASSION that he has for everything he decides to do.

Ken and Maureen own the 200 acres of land that surround the cabin. And when Ken walks his property, he truly becomes THE ERADICATOR. If he sees a weed he doesn’t like, he destroys it with a passion; and “Not in a shy way!” as Frank Sinatra croons in one of his songs. Ken’s ultimate passion, perhaps hatred is the better word, is reserved for the dastardly, invasive red cedar that populate his land. He becomes a pyromaniac if need be and much more when it comes to these scum bags. And I must say, he makes a very convincing argument for why these bastards need to die, and to die now, before they destroy his sanctuary.

I guess in two words, Ken does everything “His Way.” Most people eat almonds. Not Ken. He prefers to scarf almonds. Many people are quite competitive and will at times beat up on their opponents. Not Ken. He prefers to fleece them. If he loses two times in a row, he will attempt to enlist Maureen’s support with, “Now, let’s fleece the Kelly’s.” However, Maureen does not always take Ken seriously and often refers to him as The Fabricator.

In spite of Ken’s unique personality, one of his most redeeming features is his passion of 47 years for his wife, Maureen. It is a joy to be around a man that radiates his love, admiration, and friendship for his best friend, his life-long companion, Maureen Foley Hake—the Eradicator’s sweet thang.

P.S. Oh, I must not forget. When you stay with the Hake’s at their cabin in paradise for two days, you will be required to participate with them in one of their most sacred of rituals. At 4:30 PM, Monday thru Friday, the best wine and cheese is served and the television is turned on for thirty minutes. Get comfortable because it’s time to watch Jeopardy. And the best entertainment is watching Maureen, not Ken or the three contestants on the large flat-screen television, come up with the correct answers first. Man, she is good! But then, life is good with the Hake’s.

P.S.S. If you’re curious, we played Qwerkle, Euchre, Mexican Train, Thirty-One and nine rounds of Golf, a game of cards. And yes, the Hake’s fleeced the Kelly’s. Ken says the next time we play for money or mortgages, whichever is more solvent.

I saw it first on a Facebook post by one of my granddaughters. “Hannah Claire Kelly is going to get a dog!!! SO HAPPY, life is good.” Could it be really be? I thought any chance of that was kyboshed many years ago. But as I read the FB comments to her post, I realized it wasn’t a done deal; at least not yet.

Hannah has been an avid girl scout for the last nine years. She also has a very special connection with dogs. If it had been up to her, there would have been a family dog for all of the fifteen years of her life. But after Mandy—a pet golden retriever who died when Hannah was seven—her parents said, “No more dogs.”

Hannah could have lived with that decision. That is until she read the story about a young lady who had trained a guide dog. It was the featured story in The Golden Link, a monthly magazine published by the Girl Scouts. The Texas teenager provided a foster home for a nine-week-old puppy; raising him until he was sixteen months old. During that time, she taught the dog 40+ commands and exposed him to many types of social situations. For this community service, she received The Gold Award—the highest honor you can receive as a Girl Scout.

Hannah had worked hard for her bronze and silver award. Now she knew how to get the gold. But the biggest hurdle to getting a dog (a golden retriever or a lab) would be her dad. Determined to make it a reality, she put together a 22-slide PowerPoint Presentation, which took her two-and-a-half weeks. Her goal: To convince her dad that she should be a “puppy raiser.” (See attached copy.) He was impressed with her creativity and due diligence. However, this would be a major commitment for the family. So he said that he would have to think on it.

Four days later, he told Hannah that the jury had made their final decision. Was she ready for it? Her hopes hit rock bottom, when she saw his deadpanned expression. Then he announced his verdict, “I know you will have many obstacles ahead of you. But I won’t be one of them. You have my approval to send in your application to be a foster mother for a potential “dog of service.”

Hannah’s Power Point Presentation