This is the house my family lived in Grosse Pointe Woods.  I lived in this house from 1963 to 1973 when I transferred from Western Michigan to USC.  I lived in this house from the 6th grade to my sophmore year in college...those years represented the longest amount of time that I have lived in one house my entire life!
Needless to say I have many wonderful memories from my time here in Grosse Pointe and formed many great friendship during my time here that still endure today.  It was here that I had my 1st girl friend, learned how to water ski (to old to do that now), grew from a boy into a young man and had my 1st beer...well to many beers on too many occasions!  Many of of the lessons that I learned about myself and other people were developed while living here.  My parents were insrumental in my development into the person that I am today and for that I thank them from the bottom of my heart..they let me make my own mistakes and calmly let me know of other alternatives to my actions, but never told me what to do, allowing me to learn from them and hoping that in the future I wouldn't make the same mistake again.  I can only hope that I have made them proud of me and the man that I am today...
I love you mom and dad! 

 

This is Ferry elementry school.  I was only here for the 6th grade, but began some of those enduring frienships during that time...by the way the "Ferry" originated fom the founder of the Ferry seed company that was based here in Detroit...I'm not sure that the company still exists because since moving to California I don't really have enough land to garden, one of my loves and one that I find as a source of realaxtion and satisfaction.  The weather here over the weekend was HOT!....about 90 degrees each day (Ruby hated it).  Last night a front came through and the temp dropped 30 degrees and was 58 when I left dinner at one of dearest friends home!  Having worn a t-shirt to dinner (it was still in the 80's when I got there)...suffice it to say I was freezing my ass off until the heater kicked in.
The saying here in Detroit is that if you don't like the weather wait an hour and it will probably change...believe it or not I do miss that about Michigan because weather, like life is always changing...and you have to adapt..there really is no other choice!

My high school...Grosse Pointe North.  I had a lot of fun here and met the remainder of people that are still an important part of my life!
I've talked to 2 of my dearest friends thus far on this journey and we all agree that we haven't stayed in touch with each other nearly to the degree that best friends should stay in touch..we agreed that the reason behind this was that after college we all began our careers and started families..telling ourselves that we didn't have the time to stay in contact with one another and drifted apart.  Now that we have recognized this, I'm hoping that we don't let that happen again!
I would strongly encourage you that if you have fallen into this state with your dearest "old" friends that you take the initiative and reach out to them and see if you can redevelop that bond that you once enjoyed!
Like your blood relatives, if they were truly your friends you will be able to count on them whenever times are tough or not going the way that you had hoped and like your blood they will always be there for you when you need them most.
Do it today...you will be glad that you did!

    

This is the football field at North..some of the greatest lessons I've learned happened here..I learned that despite how tired or exhausted that you feel or how poorly you are doing, that if you work hard enough and make the commitment with your heart that there there is nothing that you can't achieve if you believe in yourself.
I almost quit the football team my sophmore year because the older guys targeted me for abuse and humiliation.  We had a lousy team that year and the next because there wasn't a respect for the other teamates.  We never became a TEAM because the older guys were to concerned about themselves and not the team..I learned that if there is respect for one another that you can...together accomplish the goals that you came together for...success!
I will never forget that those lessons.
When I wanted to quit I was to say the least very disppondent.  When my dad came home from work that night he came into my room and told me something that I've tried to live by to this day...he said thatif you quit now, you will never know how good you could have been...our senior year we were league champions...established a school record for the most consecutive quarters without being scored on (27)...a record that still exists today..40 years later..thank you dad, your words still resonate in my heart...by the way I was named honorable mention all league!

The last time the Jeep got a bath was in Houston...seems like a long time ago...this is what she looked like..

And what she looked like after after a complete cleaning...We are all happy now...the Jeep, Ruby and me!

A freighter going down Lake St. Clair which is right off Grosse Pointe and where I learned to water ski!
The lake is between Lake Huron and Lake Erie...once again we have found another example of the symetry that exists in nature and life...the water that you see here will soon be cascading over the falls in Niagra and into Lake Ontario
The lake yesterday was as flat as Matthew McConoughy's abs.
It isn't always like this!

If you saw Clint Eastwoods movie "Grand Tourino" you know that the movie took place in Detroit.
At the end of the movie the boy that was one of the stars...drove Clint's Grand Tourino down this exact stretch of road in Grosse Pointe in the final scene!

Ruby blowing off steam before we get back in the car and head to my sister and brother in laws place in northern Michigan
I would like to thank the Ulmer's for all of their kindness during our stop...I know that it isn't easy having someone with a dog come into their home and disrupting their routine...it's tough...thank you Roger and Sue...you have made this leg of our journey very memorable and again Ruby and I thank you!
I would also like to thank all of my friends here for their thoughtfulness and insights into life, friendship and the things that have occurred in our lives since high school.
One thing I have learned is that everyone has problems in their lives and that with strength, and the love of those around us can get through any situation that life may throw at us..
My sincerest thanks to you all!