About

Coming from a large family of 9, five sisters and three brothers —a mom and a dad are not counted but taken as a given. I was number 4 in the lineup, batting clean-up, second son, the spare heir. Being a “middle” I never knew you could change the radio station or turn up the thermostat, or have an opinion. I just adjusted and observed. It wasn’t a big budget childhood. No Disneyland vacations, no trips abroad, if you don’t include Canada. Most trips were stack the kids like cordwood in the station wagon and motor off to visit family in far flung places like Cereal City, Battle Creek, Michigan or maybe Howell, county seat of Livingston. Us kids would play and the adults would talk. And you know talk is cheap so our family asked for a double portion.