Parents

I’m starting a weekly exercise this Advent, intending to keep this up for 52 weeks, as I recount a wee piece of the story of my life. This week’s prompt: What is the happiest memory of each of your parents? I’m old enough, at 62, that memories gel into one larger amorphous lack-of-specifics, but one

Sisters

I spent some time in Kansas City and Lee’s Summit this past weekend. That time included a few hours with my sisters at Beth’s home in Lee’s Summit. A good time was had by all! The menu included my brisket, Karen’s green bean casserole, Beth’s funeral potatoes, Robert’s roasted apples, Beth’s deviled eggs, and Karen’s

1995

Nephew Blayne turns another year older today. Twenty-eight years ago he was on my lap at the circus. Now he has a daughter who is pushing the same age he was in this photo. Oh yes . . . and a wife, and a son too.

62

Today begins my 63rd trip around the sun. In other words, today is my 62nd birthday anniversary. I go into “Social Security eligibility year” with gratitude for so many things: faith that sustains and informs, Maisie, friends around the world, students and alumni who continue to enrich my life, increasing awareness of my blessings and

Sisters

My sister Beth has in her dining room a photo of my maternal grandmother, Ruth Blocher, and her sister, my great-aunt Esther. Every time I see this photo, I am filled with joy. And gratitude. And wistfulness. So I snapped a photo of the photo print: These saints are now gone on to glory, Ruth

Greats

This is a shameless posting of cuteness. I have two great-nieces and two great-nephews. Here they are. I cribbed the photos from the Facebook accounts of my niece and my nephew’s wife.

2022 in photos

My life in photos, from 2022. How my world has changed!

Vincent Carter

My paternal grandfather, Vincent O. “Pop” Carter, died on this day in 1985, at the age of 75 years. May he rest in peace. In this first photo, we (my mother and my sisters too) are at Pop and Grandma’s new house in De Soto, Mo., so this was 1970 or 1971. The second photo

Birthdays

November is an especially full month of birthdays in my family. Sister Karen had a birthday yesterday. Her son Blayne has a birthday tomorrow. Leo, her grandson, had a birthday last week. Maria, her granddaughter, has a birthday just before Thanksgiving. Nephew Joseph, Beth’s youngest, turns 17 next week. Beth’s eldest, Anna, has a birthday

Poppie

Edwin L. “Poppie” Blocher, Sr., my maternal grandfather, died on this day in 1967, now 55 years ago. I have small recollections of him, mostly yelling “Keith!” at my eldest cousin . . . . In this photo, Keith is on the right, and Poppie is standing immediately behind him. I’m the short shirtless one.