I keep thinking of Jimmy Stewart's friend in the movie, "Harvey", when I see your name, ol' "EHarv".... really an invisable "entity" you are to me, but, I'm sure a very nice guy I'd like around as a friend!!

We ARE sort of kindred spirits!!

I did spend virtually ALL my life being raised in a very-extended family of father-mother-grandfather-grandmother-uncles and aunts.... in Chicago, putting up with "The Windy" weather and all her tricks and travails.

I've still got most of my surviving family there (a dwindling number), and some others spread around the country, as these "nuclear families" do...

I have some from Michigan, that own a big camp ground near Cadillac, Michigan
...I went thru "sort of" Michigan winters for years....but not quite as bad as yours!!

During my summer years throughout HS in Chicago (1948-1952), I was fortunate to spend my very hard-working summers, employed as a cowpoke of sorts, rustling up neophytes at Dude Ranches, putting up hay, weaning calves, all in God's country...Montana and Wyoming!!

But I've been blessed in many ways...from my Dad and Mom who were attempting to "raise" a depression baby, as best they could, and to my Mom's Dad, who was an ex-Canadian Hod Carrier from London, Ontario that thought he'd like to improve his chances in life by joining the American guys for some action in the Spanish/American War....that brought him eventual automatic citizenship and a ticket to Chicago, where he became not "just" a hod-carrier...but eventually one of the most admired Plastering contractors in the big city of big "ornate-type" plastered edifices...

Albiet, the depression took most of that "success" away...

This has all given me the where-with-all" to keep on, keep on, doing the things I love to do!

Goodnight....Mrs. Calabash, wher ever you are!! (Jimmy Durante)