Pov8 23 2015

P.O.V. 8/23/2015 In my book or the way I was raised, you do not always have to always be blood relatives to think of someone you have known for a long while as family. As far as my blood relatives at least half of them have now crossed the creek as they say.

The other half are in different parts of the country. But if you count family including friends then my family is very large. There is the Dinkins family, Dan Kossoff and his wife, Jack Gillrep whom I’ve known for a long time. A few young ladies that have taken care of me in past years, and I’m sure some others that I haven’t mentioned. The first family story I will tell you is about my Father, my Brother and Sister, and the Betty Crocker bricks. Even though my Brother Rick and Sister Lisa had a different Dad. We were all raised as one family. The first time my Mother had to work on the weekends, my Dad was home watching my then 13 year old sister, and my then 12 year old brother. As for me I was still a twinkle in my Daddy’s eye. Pop was trying to think of what to do with the kids to keep them occupied for a little while, so after rummaging around in the cabinets. He found a box of brownie mix not noticing that the expiration date on the box. The house smelt great for a little while and Rick and Lisa were watching with interest and great anticipation. While they salivated and waited for the brownies to cool, but when Dad took a knife and started to cut the brownies, the batter was as hard as a rock! After getting the first few outta the pan they were able to break them apart. But they were still hard and you’ve heard the old expression were there’s a will there’s a way. My brother Rick finally got the idea to wet the corner of the brownie and then take a bite. gnawing on this chocolate bar morsel like a bone.

For about 20 minutes with each bite, He decided to hold the brownie underneath the running faucet and get it wet to make it easier to break off another piece.

That’s why it took everybody at least an hour to eat one brownie. That’s a story from the Carter family.

Story #2 From the book of MacMenamy . One of the more colorful parts of my family is the Macmenamy clan. Who where my parents first neighbors. When they moved onto Aberdene St. in Riverside. They remained friends up until today and Uncle Bill Sr. was a cars salesman (don’t shoot me Uncle Bill if I got the title wrong). For many years with Nimnicht Chevrolet. My aunt Katherine stayed home and took care of the kids and cooked great cheesecakes! I wished she still made them. My cousin Bill seen next to me in front of His folks became a lawyer with DonaHoo Ball and Macmenamy. Must be nice to be making all that bread. If you don’t believe the following story that I’m going to tell you is true, you can call my cousin Bill at His law office 904-354-8080. Or find my Uncle Bill His Mom and Dad, Aunt Katherine at home in Green Cove.

Aunt Kate the elephant in the red Toyota. One day while reading the paper Aunt Kate noticed an ad in the local grocery store pages for a store that was having a sell on all different kinds of adult beverages. Smirnoff’s, Grey Goose, and Captain Morgan, and probably any of the adult beverages you can think of. So she mentioned it to a couple of her neighbors, the news got around to everybody in

the building, and she found herself making a shopping list of any kind of booze that her neighbors could ask for. She went to the store got a case, and had them stick it in the trunk for her. On the way home she was stopped in traffic for a Circus parade. While waiting for the Elephants to pass, one of the Elephants let’s call her Daisy. Looked over and Aunt Kate in her red Toyota let out a big trumpet with her trunk. Went over and decided to sit down and make herself comfortable on the back of Aunt Kates Toyota. Smashing the contents that had been had placed in the trunk of the car earlier. After all the legal mess, as well as getting a letter from the manager of the Circus. Describing what had happened and explaining that they would pay for all the damages. This was the letter that Aunt Kate would show to the insurance company to get reimbursed for everything. So Aunt Kate was once again on the way home to her neighbor’s that were anxiously awaiting their beverages. So they could enjoy them while they watched the latest Football or Baseball game. But on the way home Aunt Kate was stopped by another Motor Officer who pulled her over and got off His bike, looked at the damage on her car and was wondering why alcoholic contents were leaking from the back end. Here’s where I deviate a little from our story. Now if you or I were the Cop you could probably be thinking Geee the brass at 1 PP (Police Plaza) is really going to be laughing at this one. After getting off his bike and pulling up his pants and readjusting his gun belt. With the sound of creaking leather. He proceeded to go to Aunt Kates window and have a long discussion with her, so after about 45 minutes or so. Aunt Kate had to pull out the letter from the circus management and the receipts from the store for the adult beverages. So they wouldn’t haul her up in front of a judge. So two or three hours later Aunt Kate was happily motoring her way home. While every wine-o and any other street people were sniffing the air wondering where the odor of their favorite beverages where coming from. (I swear this story is true, Uncle Bill told it one night when we went to his house for a family dinner. I may have elaborated on a few things to make the story fit together to make the story fit together better a little bit. But I swear as far as I know everything I told you was true. If you don’t believe me contact Bill and His Dad at the information above. Thanks for reading this P.O.V. Toppy C.