My friend Suzanne Kulperger wrote this and I am sharing her & her words – because her words ring so true and go so deep and because, well, I love her to pieces.

“There are days when you stand up for yourself and or the people that you love, and you end up getting slammed.

There are days where you set boundaries, even though you’re scared, and end up relaxing them because the fallout from a confrontation is more upsetting to your peace of mind than holding your ground.

Alex Bevan writes 12/18/19

It’s only about 600 yards to the lake from our driveway at the end of the street… I can hear the lake rumbling and churning from here… i imagine the wind at the shore will be brutal… but I’m putting on my heavy coat and wrapping up and shooting for a walk to the little park at the end of the lane.. …. but I think I hear the voice of the Lion from the Wizard of Oz saying, ‘Somebody talk me out of it!!!”,….. lol…. good morning… y’all be safe!

On June 21, 1941, despite a World War going on, my mother and father who met at a mutual cousin’s wedding in 1940, said their “I do’s!”  My parents were married for sixty-three years until the passing of my Pops in 2004.  If mom and dad were here to celebrate us today, Pops would be 102 and my mother 99, and this would be a spectacular 78^th Wedding Anniversary.  However, Mom and Dad are up in the heavens together and so through some magical force, the love and compassion I hold in my heart for them, I am making my connection in the only way I know, how, sharing them with you.

Sixty-three years is an amazing tribute for their love.  Although my parents were dubbed, The Bickersons, despite their loud (not screaming) conversations became a running family gag that they were there own sitcom.  The stories my parent’s shared about their meeting at a wedding was kismet, even though my mother played hard to get; she was not sure Jay Harmon Moss was her Prince Charming.  My father continued to pursue Dorothy Friedman since his own mother thought she was a damn good catch.

My parents didn’t have the easiest life, but they managed to make it through the perils of Ups and Downs.  They taught my brothers, Gary and Joel, as well as myself, to keep reaching for the stars.  Now that I look back over the years, we may not be the richest family, but we are wealthy in memories.  Our memories are what propel each of us forward.  The world may not look beautiful right now with political storms and with mother nature’s in rage, but we are survivors as we learned our lessons well.

On this June 21^st, 2019, the first official day of Summer, I am thinking of my loving parents with a heart full of joy.  If I could thank them for giving me life and the opportunity to share the sunrise and sunset with others, I would do so with much love and gratitude.

Happy Anniversary D’vasha & Hunkle!

I was in a Goodwill Store a couple of days ago and purchased a cast iron skillet… i was toying with the idea of getting a carabiner* and clipping it to my belt… not exactly concealed carry… but… I figure if Wonder Woman can use her bracelets to deflect bullets … with a cast iron pan i can bounce those SOB”s right back at the shooter…. it takes a good guy with a pan to stop a bad guy with a gun… so keep in mind.. when you see me I will be packing enough heat to not only cook breakfast, but return lethal fire to any desperadoes foolish enough to fuck with “EL SKINNATO TERRIBLE”… …. … even though I am not paid as much as the reigning NRA leadership pukes… I am smart enough to be prepared when the spit hits the fan… … … (this post was inspired by the Second Amendment Sanctuary resolutions proposed in Virginia recently)

Editors note: A Carabiner is a metal loop, which can be opened on one side. This side is called gate. … Carabiners are often used for rock climbing, sailing and canoeing. They also are used for construction of high buildings or window cleaning. The word comes from the German word “Karabinerhaken”, which means “hook for a carbine”.