Another year...

As a child I loved going to the lake and skiing. We couldn’t afford to do expensive vacations, so we camped, for years in a tent on a hillside, not even in a campground. And it was some of the best times of my life: and it always included Joey.

I don’t remember life without Joey, we have known we each since we were embryos. Like Frankie, his dad, Pat, and my Mom graduated in the class of 1960, from Lynn Grove High School. Pat and Janice started first grade together and went through twelve years of school – always in one class.

Eventually our Mom’s would became BFF’s so Joey and I logged a lot of time together. And as an only child, spending time with Joey and his three younger siblings afforded me the opportunity to experience things that otherwise I would have missed out on. The hubbub and chaos of a household with four kids was absolutely thrilling to me!

Joey’s dad had a dairy farm for years – watching milking was a blast to me! And who did you know that had a pet pig? Joey did. That pig thought he was a dog!

There were always extra boys around - and they never seemed to mind if I tagged along; they took me riding on mini-bikes, taught me to play football in the front yard and we played hockey on frozen stock ponds. I got to play in grain trucks full of soybeans while Pat combined and we climbed into grain bins (I shudder when I think of that now). I know these were things that Joey and all of those boys did regularly, and without thinking, but for me it was so much fun.

Twenty years after our parents, Joey and I, along with most of my gang that I talk about, graduated from high school together. Our friendship continues today and I cherish it…I hope it lasts a lifetime.

Happy Birthday Joe Pat, hope it was a good one...