The Terrible Catsafterme

As far as my memory is concerned, Laddy was my first cat. Although we had a fleeting association with another feline, who remained nameless, at our home on John Glenn Road, I have no memory of any cat before Laddy. We’re not quite sure who named Laddy, but I suspect it was my Dad. He was a stray cat that initially hung out across the street at the Ferrenberg’s house, but one he started roaming over to our neck of the woods, we offered him some food, and Brenda Ferrenberg offered him to us. Read the rest of this entry »

I was very saddened when our cat Charcoal passed away during the Fall of 1977. In an effort to help me recover, my parents decided to get me a brand new kitten – another gray one – for Christmas that year. I first met Charcoal 2 (seen at left in late 1979) when he commenced meowing in the garage during breakfast on Christmas Eve. Read the rest of this entry »

There is something special about Christmas Eve 1977 that I can’t quite put my finger on. Somehow it epitomized my entire existence in the 70’s on Echo Hill Lane. It is fondly remembered as one of the greatest Christmases of my life, although I can scarcely remember any particulars of the evening. Yet still I can perfectly visualize sitting on our green couch in front of the roaring fire, A Very Mancini Christmas album playing on the reel-to-reel tape, with family surrounding me as we spent our very last holiday season in this house. Read the rest of this entry »

Along with the start of my kindergarten year came the Fall of 1977. Within this time frame fell my sixth birthday, Trick or Treat, and Thanksgiving – all of which would be enjoyed for the very last time during our occupancy of the house on Echo Hill. Arriving first was the big birthday party. My actual birthday fell on Sunday, October 2 – so my party was doubtlessly that day or the day before. This was most likely the first time that I had friends (rather than just family) to my party. Clearly, I hadn’t made many new friends in Kindergarten class yet as the only ‘outsiders’ were neighbor kids. Read the rest of this entry »

I was a little skeptical about requesting Missy Fodor as a friend on Facebook when I first saw her on there. Afterall, she may have remembered what an upstart and troublemaker I had been at times throughout my formative years at Fairbrook Elementary, Ankeney Junior High, and Beavercreek High School and decided to deny me! We had attended every school year together with the exception of kindergarten and our senior year at BHS - eleven years in all. So over the years we had crossed paths many times. Read the rest of this entry »