Author Archives: Jim

Back at Last

Posted on February 27, 2012 by Jim

Well, I am happy to report that my wife’s surgery went very well and that she is safe at home after over a week’s stay at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. The Neurosurgeon performed a Laminectomy, which is a surgical … Continue reading →

Posted in Life in General, Miscellaneous | 37 Comments

I’ll Be Back

Posted on February 16, 2012 by Jim

Hi Folks, I just wanted to let you know that I will be back with all of you in a few days. My wife Judy had surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital on Tuesday (Valentine’s Day) and will be here until Sunday … Continue reading →

Posted in Duquesne Public Schools | 6 Comments

Revisiting Eastland Shopping Plaza

Posted on February 10, 2012 by Jim

It is very apparent that I need to organize things a bit better at home. Whenever I need to find something that I haven’t seen for a long time, inevitably it turns into a total upheaval of seldom used drawers, … Continue reading →

Posted in McKeesport, Stores and Businesses | 44 Comments

Time to Empty the Ketchup Bottle Again

Posted on February 9, 2012 by Jim

Well, it’s just about time for another ketchup bottle to be cleaned out. As I mentioned in past posts, periodically, my wife will create a pot of the most fantastic chili by adding miscellaneous ingredients that may need to be … Continue reading →

Posted in Miscellaneous | 7 Comments

Words of Wisdom!

Posted on February 5, 2012 by Jim

I want to thank Barry Long for sending me a a wonderful piece by Michael Gartner, editor of newspapers large and small and president of NBC News. In 1997, Michael Gartner won the Pulitzer Prize for editorial writing. Barry, one of … Continue reading →

Posted in Life in General, Miscellaneous, Parents | 8 Comments

Lessons From My Father

Posted on February 4, 2012 by Jim

My dad has been gone for over 12 years. As cliché as it sounds, it only seems like yesterday that he was expressing his opinion about something I was doing whether I liked it or not. My father, like many … Continue reading →

Posted in Life in General, Parents | 4 Comments

A Generation Fades

Posted on January 31, 2012 by Jim

Last night, I received some very sad news. My Aunt Clare passed away at 85 years of age. Slowly but surely, the very roots of my childhood, my aunts and uncles, are regrouping for a spectacular family reunion in God’s … Continue reading →

Posted in My Hunky Family | 14 Comments

When Duquesne Was Young

Posted on January 26, 2012 by Jim

Many of you share the same  perspective in time as I do about Duquesne. For the most part, the 40’s, 50’s and early 60’s are the “Golden Days of Duquesne” in our memories. If compared to the City of Duquesne’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Duquesne History | 11 Comments

My Own “Auntie Mame”

Posted on January 21, 2012 by Jim

In 1955, Patrick Dennis published a novel that was loosely based on an eccentric aunt that was part of his life as a child. The novel followed the adventures of a young Patrick who had been placed in his Auntie … Continue reading →

Posted in My Hunky Family | 4 Comments

Hunky See, Hunky Do!

Posted on January 18, 2012 by Jim

My dad was a master mechanic. If any of his customers were still around, they would attest to that fact. The man could drive a car around the down to the end of South First Street and be able to … Continue reading →

Posted in My Hunky Family, Parents, Stores and Businesses | 10 Comments