Sometimes I catch myself wondering: Who am I? Time has taught me I’m many things. But here, in this little corner of the internet, I’m simply a son, a brother, a cousin, a father, a grandpa, and a friend—someone with stories that I believe are worth sharing.
This blog is my place to gather memories from my childhood, some vivid and some faint, but all part of who I am. These are memories from many years ago, and I’m sure a few details have faded or shifted with time—but this is the way I remember them. Because life seems shorter than I would prefer, I want to put them down here so they won’t be forgotten, even when I’m no longer the one holding them.
Maybe these stories will spark a smile, stir a memory of your own, or simply offer a moment of reflection—whether that happens today or many years from now. Thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoy what you find.
My Latest Posts
- Cara
My first real date was with a girl named Cara. No last names. I’m not even sure where she isContinue reading “Cara” - Goddard Motors
When I was a kid growing up in St. Louis County, few places held more magic for me than GoddardContinue reading “Goddard Motors” - Wilfred
Wilfred Wollberg was born in St. Louis on May 9, 1902. To me, he was always something of a mystery—aContinue reading “Wilfred” - Glenn
When I was growing up, Glenn and Mary and their kids, Leslie and Jeffrey, were part of many of ourContinue reading “Glenn” - South County Mall Days
Where Saturdays, Shoes, and Shopping Became a Way of Life When I was growing up, South County Mall was practicallyContinue reading “South County Mall Days” - Christmas 1969
I didn’t realize it at the time, but Christmas of 1969 would be the last year my family—just as IContinue reading “Christmas 1969” - Melba and Lorraine
Families have a way of branching out in all directions, and sometimes those branches lead to people who leave quietContinue reading “Melba and Lorraine” - Dressel School
I spent my early school years at John M. Dressel School, which was part of the Lindbergh School District backContinue reading “Dressel School” - The Green Phone
There was only one phone in our house on Jackie Lane—a green rotary-dial model that sat on the nightstand inContinue reading “The Green Phone” - Dover Place
The house my mom and Aunt Elaine grew up in—and the one my Grandma Wollberg still called home when IContinue reading “Dover Place” - Uncle Joe
I wish I remembered more about my Uncle Joe. He passed away around 1967, and his was the first funeralContinue reading “Uncle Joe” - The Scar Beneath My Beard
It was one of those sticky Saint Louis summer evenings in the late 1960s, the kind when the air feltContinue reading “The Scar Beneath My Beard” - An Igloo
It snowed so much that winter we were able to build an igloo in our backyard. The year was 1970,Continue reading “An Igloo” - Every House Holds a Story
Growing up on Jackie Lane, we had many neighbors who left an impression on me, but none quite like KennyContinue reading “Every House Holds a Story” - Saint Johns
When I think back on my childhood going to church, the sound that comes first to mind isn’t the chatterContinue reading “Saint Johns” - The Year My Sister Broke Her Shoulder
It was one of those winters when snow seemed endless. Storm after storm had piled high along Jackie Lane, andContinue reading “The Year My Sister Broke Her Shoulder” - Snoopy
My sister Carole is just thirteen and a half months younger than I am, and when we were kids, thatContinue reading “Snoopy” - Sunday in the Park
Some of the happiest days of my childhood weren’t about big trips or special events. They were about something simple—packingContinue reading “Sunday in the Park” - Aunt Myrtle
Aunt Myrtle wasn’t really my aunt at all—she was my Uncle Dale’s mother. But since my Aunt Elaine and UncleContinue reading “Aunt Myrtle” - New York 1971
The summer of 1971 gave me my first taste of the wider world. Our family packed up the car andContinue reading “New York 1971” - Aunt Elaine and Uncle Dale
My Aunt Elaine and Uncle Dale were a special part of my childhood. Elaine was my mom’s sister, and sinceContinue reading “Aunt Elaine and Uncle Dale” - That Sunday in August 1973
Lately I’ve been revisiting the memories from my childhood that shaped me—the moments that seemed ordinary at first but endedContinue reading “That Sunday in August 1973” - Christmas Past
I suppose every family has their own unique Christmas traditions—and growing up, ours was no different. Anchored in love, food,Continue reading “Christmas Past” - Weekend Adventures with My Grandmothers
Growing up, whenever my parents had weekend plans, my sister and I would each go stay with one of ourContinue reading “Weekend Adventures with My Grandmothers” - Dad
My dad would be 87 today. It’s hard to even imagine that number attached to him. He died so young—andContinue reading “Dad” - Pals
Like most kids, my sister and I always wanted a dog. Not a hamster, not a fish, not a turtle—anContinue reading “Pals” - Goodbye Jackie Lane, Hello Limerick Drive
As 1972 rolled in, my parents decided to take part in the great American housing boom of the early seventies.Continue reading “Goodbye Jackie Lane, Hello Limerick Drive” - Uncle Ollie
My mom was born on November 12, 1937. Just a year later, in 1938, her parents divorced. Around that sameContinue reading “Uncle Ollie” - Gary
The church I attended growing up, St. John’s Evangelical United Church of Christ, was the sponsor of a children’s homeContinue reading “Gary” - Edgewater Beach
I suppose every family has its favorite vacation spot. For us growing up, it was Bagnell Dam at the LakeContinue reading “Edgewater Beach” - My First Lunch Date
By the time I turned sixteen, only one of my grandparents was still alive—my mom’s mom, Grandma Wollberg. Getting myContinue reading “My First Lunch Date” - 1968 in Black and White
Television was still something of a novelty in the 1960s. The set we had when I was little, was actuallyContinue reading “1968 in Black and White” - Grandma Lubker, “Egg Bread” and the House on Jackie Lane
The house on Jackie Lane sat about halfway down the street on the left-hand side. My parents bought it inContinue reading “Grandma Lubker, “Egg Bread” and the House on Jackie Lane”
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