Pats 70th Bday

Another day another nice get together with friends
Some new friends.

Pat O'Connor in the dark blue shirt with all the red hair courtesy of Revlon, is celebrating his 70th" bday.


Pat, is one of those guys that seems to always be smiling. Maybe its being married to the beautiful Nancy (in orange). Another happy, nice person


Also with us at the Morrison's Roadhouse, was George in stripes who is 90..1/2. and still drives.

Next is another quiet nice guy, Bill Casey.

Then there is Dan in Sanibel Green. Dan has his medical problems but is willing to laugh at almost anything. A

great attitude and another nice guy.

Karolyn in white and big John McCann sitting to her left.

Mike Kilcoyne with the gray hair and light blue shirt. Another who enjoys life. And my main coffee friend at McDonald's.


This is my favorite photo of the day because...
well, do I have to tell you why?...in case you don't know.

Its because I'm in it. Yes, I'm hesitant to say it.

Of course the boy, Pat, has his usual BIG smile.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAT...

Take Me Out To The Ball Game

Hey Dad, if I can get tickets would you want to go to Wrigley Field for a baseball game. Its a minor league game.

Sure, I'll go and I'll be ready at 6 tonight.

A ball game with my 2 sons. Is life great or not. Except Jacks back hurt from too much work.

So Jimmy asked next door and little Colin said I'll go...7yrs old.

We got into the car and soon we were parking in some kind of home for girls, run by the Nuns just north of Wrigley Field. Its a gravel lot but seemed ok.

$5 to park, and $5 for a ticket. We had Jumbo Hot Dogs for $3.75 and beers for $6.75. Small pop for $4.00.

Everything was going good. The ball game was good, home runs and close plays all over.

And as a special treat, they announced that the kids under 12 could run the bases after the game. All they had to do was go under the stands in the main concourse and meet at the right field corner.

So 10,000 kids and parents waited in a jammed pack, from the beginning of the 8th inning.

We joined them for a few minutes, but with the heat 90 degrees and high humidity, we decided to wait in the stands in right field.

We watched until the bottom of the 9th with one out and one on 2nd base for the home team Peoria Cubs.

If this runner scores, the game will be over and you will run the bases.

Suddenly, the skies opened with a super downpour and thunder--winds and occasional lightning.

The ground crew rolled out the tarp as the players and umpires were still playing.

1 hr later the game was called. A big moan went up and boos to boot.

After all that waiting the kids couldn't run the bases.

Ok, lets leave. OMG...the rain filled a big hole the size of a lake in the parking lot and guess whose car was left in the middle. Yep, and without any hesitation Jimmy was walking thru the water to his car.

We all loaded and drowned ( pun intended ) our sorrows with Cheeesy beef sandwiches and fries from Suzi's beef stand.

It still turned out to be a good night. Jimmy, Colin and myself...would certainly do it again.

You Want To Do What!!!!

Hi Everyone,

For those that don't know, Park Ridge is a classy town.

Its where Hillary Clinton (remember her) was raised.

The people have big hearts.Some people have big hearts and no brains.
Ooops maybe I should explain.

There is an Episcopalian church that was going to open a homeless shelter in a highly residential neighborhood in Park ridge.

But community members protested and for some reason that church,St. Mary's, changed their minds.

Another church...a big rich Church St.Paul's of the Cross decided that they would open the church--gym--or some other part of the complex to homeless.

Of course when we think homeless we think of the poor family that is down on their luck and just need a break.

But this is not always the case, or I should say rarely the case.

This evening as I was riding thru downtown Park Ridge I noticed a man sitting that might be homeless.

I don't think he is from Park Ridge or that he is temporarily down on his luck.

I turned my bike around and stopped by another man standing near the first.

The 2nd man was selling a newspaper for a buck called StreetWise. Its a fundraising type of newspaper for homeless to sell and make some money.

I took out my camera and took a photo of the first man.

Maybe you can tell me if you think he is from Park Ridge.

I DON'T THINK SO.....If you have children going to St. Paul of the cross, would you want them near this man. Or near the diseases he might have. Or the mental illness.

I understand helping the homeless but you will get these by the hundreds into Park Ridge from the interior of Chicago.

Unfortunately, they have to walk thru residential neighborhoods to reach the homeless center.

Thru MY NEIGHBORHOOD.

What would Jesus do?
He wouldn't risk children for the sake of the homeless. Thats for sure.

So to those do-getters I say: Use Your Freaking Brains.

I'm Running --Click on the photo below...

Just click on the photo below.

A Bike Ride Awards

Jim, will you be able to do it Monday?

Tell me again, a bike ride from where.


Jim, we're going to meet at Foster ave beach and ride our bikes downtown and back. So, will you be able to do it. Pat Blair, a police bicycle rider says you won't make it.

Of course I can make it. I finished my coffee at the outside table at Panera and rode my bike home. Then rode back to the boys and raced home again.

Thats not enough, I have to work up my stamina. So about 6:30pm I took another ride. The clouds looked mean but I had to exercise. I rode to Park Ridge like I usually do and was stopped at a railroad crossing.


Hey Jim, a voice that sounded familiar. I looked and didn't recognize Don Hoppa, a fellow St. Pats H.S. student and friend.


Don is a CPA and been living with his partner Bill for 34 yrs. I last saw them
about 25 yrs ago on Lincoln ave near the Biograph Theater..you know Dillinger and the FBI.


We exchanged emails and had a few memories laced with laughs.

I continued on my way and heard music. Next to the library was a Blue Grass band playing. Its sounded good so I raced home to Karolyn and suggested we return with some lawn chairs.



We returned and sure enough the rain clouds moved on and our feet and hands were moving for the next 45 minutes.


I was so surprised that Karolyn was willing--hesitently to go with me. Especially since our daughter family is going to Fla for 2 weeks.


But you never know what a bike ride will result in. Tonight, meeting an old friend and a lovely evening concert with my wife.

When the time is right….

The weather is Chicago has been great for a few days. Hot & Humid. I love it this way.

Its allowed me to stop walking on the track along the basketball court..with all its players running and jumping and having a great time.

I enjoyed basketball and played it up until Nov 1990. I miss it and shoot hoops occasionally.

Walking the track seems to be over on a regular basis as its time to enjoy the outdoors.

For over a week now I’ve been riding my bike. It’s a special bike.

Big round tires with chunks of rubber to make them dirt tires. I don’t do dirt with them but a lot of street cracks and high curbs. The purple haze beauty over its big tubular frame is my bike.

Today Sunday I started off with a ride to Panera. Had my couple hours of conversation with the nicest people. We all seemed to enjoy each others presence. Then returned home.

I was hoping for a long trip around the hood but Mr. Sandman decided to make me take a rest. 2 hrs later, I jumped off the couch.

How about a walk? “As soon as the movie is over.” “Ivanhoe” was a nifty movie but I wanted to go while the sun shined.

Would you mind if I go for a bike ride? No please go.

I grabbed the bike and noticed the seat was rain soaked and so was ground and cement sidewalks in the yard.

I didn’t care and jumped on the wet seat and took off. Up NW highway to downtown Park Ridge (the path is starting to be repetitive, but interesting).
Down many side streets to a divided 4 lane Devon ave.

Of course, gramps Elliott had his blue shirt wrapped around the handle bars and not on his back.

The sun let me know it was shining with pelts of warmth on my body. Flashing first on my shining dome (my bald spot..that covers my head from ear to ear) then the shoulders.

The pedaling was little more than moving my legs. The breeze striking me with warmth and its cooling effects.

Today is Sunday. I did not and usually don’t go to church.

Here I am on a bike, 63 yrs old…one wife, 4 children, 3 grandchildren…after experiencing 1 major heart attack, 3 bouts of pneumonia, Divorticulitis, Barretts disease, Been Shot once, been stabbed twice…punched and kicked who knows how many times…20 car accidents…. marched along side King because of my job AND..

AND I am riding my bike….So what did I do…I said “Thank YOU”.

It was another Special Day in my adventure of life

I thought she was supposed to concede...

I watched Hillary give her concession speech except I
didn't hear her cry Uncle or the fat lady sing.

Tonight, the woman gave the best speech of her life that I've heard.

The announcers on Fox Nat news said Its still going as she
hasn't made up her mind. That she still says she is the best person to run against McCain because she won the popular vote.

Then I switched to CNN and I think it was Wolf said Now that
Obama is the Democratic Candidate. The election campaign will be
Obama against McCain. I guess he didn't watch Hillary's speech.

Then my local station WGN and some announcer was at Obama
speech. He was so excited to be there. He said Obama will claim
victory and will be running against McCain. Now that Hillary is
out of the race.

Didn't he watch the Hillary speech.

Hillary said she needed time to catch her breath and have her supporters contact her by internet and suggest what she should do.

Maybe Rev. Wright or Rev Fleger can explain it all to me.