On the way to Shawshank

I knew this gang. Fatty, Chance, Psycho, and Red. They would pull any kind of job. They were stone dead killers. They finally got busted. They were the ones who pulled the Underbrinks heist. Got away with alot of dough until Red told her mommy on them. I suppose they are on the way to Shawshank by now. Crime doesn't pay kids. Crime doesn't pay.

Did I ever tell you.......

Uncle Jeff: Did I ever tell you that I was at the hospital when you were born?

Ellie: My dad warned me about you.

Tucker

Sad news from West Point. We had to put Tucker down today. Something has been going on for a few months. He was starting to be very destructive and acting crazy. He was the picture of health except he wouldn't sleep and constantly prowled and couldn't rest. He was constantly whimpering at night.

He was the greatest dog I have ever known. He loved to go on truck rides and to visit with his buddies across the road. I have the greatest memory of him sleeping in the same bed with John at a Memorial Day Campout one year. Riley and Brandon are taking it very hard as well as Deb and I.

We went to adopt another dog in May of 2003 in Washington Iowa at a pound but it ended up Tucker adopted us. We couldn't resist the black mutt who just kept leaning against Deb. We forgot the other dog instantly and took Tucker home. His foster mom said Tucker deserved to live at the Taj Mahal; and we believe this to be true as well! Tucker instantly became Riley's favorite toy. She would climb and sit on him constantly. He also loved when Josh came over because he would scratch Tucker's head for hours. But Tucker was the happiest when he was under the table while his family ate supper. He just always wanted to be close to his family.

I will always remember that he hardly ever barked, was scared of thunderstorms, and listened to his family very well. We are going to miss him.

First Day of School, big brother to cool

I love this picture. Brandon did not want any pictures this year. As you can see, Deb won the arguement. Brandon did have to put on his tough guy face while putting a protective arm around his little sis.

Waiting on the bus. "Please go back in the house mom before the bus comes."

The moment arrives and Deb gets the picture. The Pulitzer prize in photography will be awarded soon.

What the heck?

This picture is on the Quincy Convention and Visitors Web Site.

quincy,illinois see the unexpected

like flowers...why would anyone expect flowers. Flowers must be in big cities only. I have a new idea/

quincy, illinois see the people to lazy to find real pictures that you would not expect.

St. Francis

Hard to believe in the 7th grade I jumped out of the second story windows. Well, maybe I didn't but I always wanted to. I did steal a litre bottle of soda from the assembly room and hid it in a big bush outside that door with a friend of mine. Little did I know that Father Dennis was outside of Church and witnessed the whole thing. We get called in to the principle's office and he asks if we have anything to say. Nothing else. "Do you boys have anything to say?" I cracked like any fifth grader would. I cried. My friend cried. We swore we wouldn't tell on each other that we cried. Lucky we didn't get punished. He didn't even call our parents. He probably thought....What a bunch of lightweights. A year later he left the order and married my second grade teacher, Miss Geary. She was hot and I think she dug me a little. Ah.....school days!

cool toys from my past

I have commented before how I had the greatest childhood ever. This gun was one of the reasons. I assume Joe bought them but the four youngest boys would play withese forever. Mainly upstairs, we would divide into teams and try to shoot each other. The guns accuracy was never that good, but the fun was still evident. Crouching behind beds and hiding behind doors and yelling "I got you" and "No you didn't". Joe has commented that he kept finding discs years later. "Quick, here comes Jay and Jimmy. HIDE"

My grandpa the hero

Joseph T. Kuhlman
...I found two women and a baby locked in a death grip....
Joe Kuhlman, son of Mr. & Mrs. John Kuhlman, of 1141 Chestnut street, is a Quincy boy who was in the thick of the rescue work on the Eastland Saturday. He is a fireman in Chicago and was off duty for the day. He writes a most interesting letter home, telling of some of the scenes.
He heard two men discussing a boat capsizing when he was near the Clark street bridge and hurried to the scene, arriving there about thirty minutes after the accident. He immediately set to work with the crew of Section 9 and helped in the rescue work. The men of his crew got up over seventy bodies from the place, mostly women and children.
"You can't imagine the full horror of it," he writes. "I have never read nor seen such a sight. More than half of that huge crowd of merrymakers had no chance for life. In our rescue work we used pike poles with which we would fish for bodies and then tie a rope around the body and have it pulled up. The victims were hurried out this way and rushed to the street and the pulmotor. All the streets, wharves and commission houses were hospitals or morgues that day."
"I was using a fifteen foot pike pole and at one time knew I had a body hooked but couldn't lift it. I signalled for help and was let down with a rope around my waist. There I found two women and a baby locked in a death grip. At one time I found a baby under a camp chair, its face turned upward and still breathing."
Four Catholic priests were working in the scene, administering conditional absolution."

What the heck?

Russia opens new front, drives deeper into Georgia

This is the headline on most news pages. Why couldn't we see this coming. Didn't anybody see them in Florida, South Carolina, or Tennesee? I know they didn't drive thru Alabama. They would have took those Commies out. Go Tide! I am ready to enlist if this pushes up the price of peanut butter. I believe in states rights, but I don't think Georgia should have to take on the Russkies by themselves. Who's with me? Let's get em.

Big girl Riley

Well, Riley starts kindergaten a week from tomorrow. Hard to believe. I think Deb is going to have a problem on that day. Riley is very excited. Brandon will ride on the school bus with her so that makes me feel good. Pray for Deb next week.

Why should I be afraid of him?

He says he is the best at everything. deer hunting, washers, fantasy football, and fishing. Look at him. He is a Goober McSpazzatron.

Their is a new sheriff in town. He wears a bicycle muscle shirt and diaper full of crap. His name is Lil Mattey.

Why I love her

She gets up early to pack my lunch. She takes Brandon to Baseball practice at 8:00 A.M. She picks vegetables in our garden. SHe washes clothes. She cans vegetables. She mows the lawn with Brandon. Yet she still can make Rileys day by playing dress-up. I love you Queen Deb.

Backyard picnics

I was talking to Jimmy Trine on Sunday and we got remembering all the good times we had together, Not a lot of "reunions" but a lot of backyard picnics. Then I saw this picture from Janets birthday party. What a great legacy that we have received from our parents. Friends are great but time spent with family is incredible. Who knows. In forty years Riley and Blake may be organizing one of their own Backyard picnics.

Uncle Love

If lovin you is wrong,

I don't wanna be right.

Some folks say that theirs no future in lovin a nephew in college.

I say nay nay!

First tooths,Lou, new places, corn faces

Riley has her first loose tooth. You might notice the new one right behind her front one that is loose. She is very excited.

Where to begin? Lucy is now Lou. We thought she was girl when we got her, but she's not. As you can see. Lou loves to be close to Tucker, Tucker loves to sleep.
Jenna has a new place. Her and Josh moved in on Saturday. We hauled a couple things for Josh and all the families moved something. Jenna is very excited. I will send an email with addresses later.

Brandon made the mistake of challenging me to a corn on the cob eating race. It wasn't pretty. I smoked him. Our garden has been wonderful. Deb has canned 50 quarts of green beans and froze 15 quarts of sweet corn and 8 pints of beets. Tomatoe's will be next.