Mike and Julie Hernandez West

I met my friend Julie Hernandez, from Utica Street in North Toledo, Ohio.

After 37 years. She and Mike are happily married and have 4 great children and even grandkids !

Glad to see you and have you back again.

Julie's on the left at her daughter's wedding.

Some pictures of me.

I remember when people used to take pictures in the 50's and 60's in photo booths.
I never got to do that, so I made my own.
Not ego, just wanted to.

Benjamin praising in church ! ( apology for the sound)

LeBron or Jesus ?

No other choice but Jesus.
All else is ego and money !
They call him King James, when Christ the Lord
is King over all !
Today celebrate Christ Jesus !
Let the discussions around the water cooler
be about the one true God !
God is real !

Milton Hershey and James Dean Grave stones

Milton S. Hershey, founded a home for orphaned boys in Hershey, Pennsylvania. He built a chocolate empire and was one of the most generous people ever !
He married but he and his wife were unable to bear children. Thus forming an orphanage for boys and girls, free of charge. Even today a portion of every chocolate bar price goes to keep the Orphanage going. He bought homes for his employees, Grande estates we seen when we visited there.

James Dean. Rebel without a cause, East of Eden and Giant. 3 films in 1954-55, made James Dean a legend. Too fast to live, to young to die ! He died in a fiery crash on Route 5 on the California coast. Margie and I visited his hometons of marion and Fairmount, Indiana a couple years ago. He lived with his Uncle and Aunt. And down the street from their home, where he also went to High School, is a graveyard with its most famous grave.

Ringo and those drums !!

February, 1964. Ok, I was 3 years old when The Beatles were on Ed Sullivan.
And we watched with amazement as the crowd went wild for the music and the 4 Lads from Liverpool. Me I loved the drums and the guy playing them ! I knew someday, I would own
a set and play them. Today, I play for the Lord at Heritage Church of God in Monclova, Ohio. But it all started with watching Ringo Starr and those drums.
Thanks, Ringo !!

My spot ... 1966

In 1966, when I was 6, it was a Spring/Summer day. About 75 degrees out, and it was about to
rain. I asked my mom if I could play in the rain out front. It costs less to
play in the rain than to get squirted !!
She said it was fine with her. Out front I ran around and danced and played by
myself. The telephone wires seemed so high up, back then.
The rain drops would fall onto the sidewalk below ...
From years and years of droplets falling on the front sidewalk, nature took
its course. The spot grew and grew. We had flat sidewalks out
front and there developed my spot, the feeling on the spot,under my feet was like a smooth shale.
I thought I could dance on the good foot like James Brown, or Jackie Wilson. I never seen anyone
else in my 37 years on Utica Street, ever claim that spot or notice it.
It was mine !!
I moved out 13 years ago, and since then, I've heard our Family home, had been burned
down !! It was kind of sad when I heard that. Last year, I drove by the old neighborhood and decided to drive by where my home once was.
They say, in the end you can take a mans home, but you can't take the earth below.
Thats forever !!
For now, my spot is still there,I don't have feeling in my feet anymore, due to Diabetes and if you seen this picture, it may not look like much more than an old sidewalk to you ... but to me, it is one of the greatest memories of my younger days !!
Now as I'm a month from turning 50, days and friends of yesteryear come to mind.
One friend I had as a 6 year old had was my spot !!
Thanks for being there for me.

Life is wonderful. Happy and Blessed !

God is wonderful, amazing and awesome !!
He helps me and taught me to believe !!
I love you, Lord !!
Amen, Chalo

Classic Movie Monsters

I once again visited findagrave.com and came up with Movie Monster Classics.
Bela Lugosi, Lon Chaney, and Boris Karloff. Lon Chaney Jr.'s body was donated
to science. He was the Wolfman in movies. His father Lon Chaney, Sr. was " The Man of a thousand faces. " He also was The Phantom of the Opera. Visit this site, it's better than flying to Los Angeles or Bucharest, unless you want to travel there !

Granite City restaurant

We enjoyed a good lunch at Granite City restaurant, today. Very nice embience and service. Victoria was a great server. There restrooms are very clean. And the walls are lined with photos of old Toledo circa, 1930.

F.R.O.G.

Forever

Relying

On

God.

I like that !!

The Rat Pack.

I used to love when my parents played music by the Rat Pack,
when I was growing up in the 60's.
Fran Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis,Jr. Peter Lawford and
Joey Bishop. I would love to one day have a video of them in concert.
Joey Bishop was cremated, so he doesn't have a grave marker.

Michael Jackson.

Few people in life can hold the title," Greatest Dancer Ever !".
Seems every era has there own.
Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, James Brown, Gregory Hines,
Michael Jackson !
A one of kind performer. Who started with his brothers back in
the late 60s.
When I was a child I along with every boy out there
wanted to dance and sing like 10 year old Michael.
Whatever life he chose to lead,
the man could dance.
Take care, Michael, truly Dancing With The Stars !

Vander and Wesley.

Vanderlee Palicki was born, a year ago. February 8th,2009.
He is adorable. We call him Busanugee, cause he runs around barefoot !
That's barefoot in Polish.
Yesterday, Wes got to take care of him by himself.
Wes was nervous. No phone call to us at night, meant all was well !
Life is good, and with a little one around, life gets better
for Wes. God truly has a plan.
And everyday gets better !!
Thank you Lord !

Vanderlee Palicki

Our grandson Vander, started walking today. Little by little.
I congratulate you little one. And we love you !!
Papa.

Claddaugh's Irish restaurant & bar.

Westfield Mall (outside).
An excellent place to eat. We've been to Bravo's Cucina Italiana, and
always thought the places by the mall were expensive. Wrong !! With
the economy the way it is, it was worth the drive from Maumee.
The food ranges from $ 7.00 to $ 24.00, not bad for good ambience,
and quiet at least at lunchtime, when we went. margie had a beef rollup
and I chose a Turkey potpie. Very meaty !! And very good.
I think we'd go back. The restrooms were oldtyme Ireland, very clean.
And celtic music, put you ina relaxed mood.

Restaurant Restroom Reviews.

Although some places have lousy bathrooms some have great service and wait staff.
I will be honest as I see it, and will not gross you out.
Just a picture that will tell a thousand tales !!

Restaurant Restrooms ; J. Alexander's

J. Alexander's is an awesome restaurant, across the street
from the Westfield Shopping Center, in Toledo, Ohio. They have
a fantabulous menu, great ambience (quiet & cozy), and one of our
favorite places to eat.
This is my first reataurant restroom report, suggested by my amigo
Doug Ducat. If you need excellent jewelry look up Ducat Direct.
Anyway, J. Alexander's has the best restroom, I've ever had the pleasure of
using, toydiing in, whats the word, we'll have to find one. Anyway, very, very clean.

On a 1 to 10 scale, I give it a 10 !!

It's been awhile ...

Sometimes I say alot, sometimes, I don't know what to say...
Vanderlee was born, 8 months ago.
He is learning to crawl. What a world you have been born into Vanderlee.
A world we can change, through Christ Jesus. Nana and I will show the way,
the truth and His light !!
We love you Vanderlee. Maybe I can write things here you can learn,
maybe I should retitle this Vander's blog, \or write you a new one.
Maybe.
I love you , and God loves you and Nana and Daddy and Mommy.
love Papa.

Jon and Kate Plus 8

WE used to watch this reality show, on TLC. Since we downsized our cable,
we no longer watch. It is a story of a man and his wife ( Jon and Kate), who live somewhere in suburbia Pennsylvania. He had a very nice corporate job and she is a homemaker. They had twin girls and decided together to inseminate and ended up having 6 more children at one time.
The show was their lives played out before America. The good times and the bad, the drama and the joy ! There is a line, Jon speaks in the beginning of every episode, where he basically says we're in this for the long haul. Well the long haul, ended abruptly, Monday night, or maybe when Jon was caught out with a female friend at a nightclub on more than one occasion. The show became famous in circles where people are crazy about reality shows. Since the inception, Kate, has written 2 books about the joys of raising this family. 8 children and a husband. Jon always looked like he wanted out from the beginning. Seems he tried to help Kate whenever he could with courting around 8 kids, here and there and would be scolded like one of them, in front of the world. It may be a strange life but it's our life, got real old ! They were given 75, 000 an episode and 2 million dollar book deals and the world took them to heart and couldn't wait to see them each week. Another show, Little People, Big World, about the lives of a family of little people,
well, the mother and father were little and one son, a daughter and son were normal size. Anyway, they decided to call there show quits, after they had to put up an electric fence, and the cameras got a little to close. Jon and kate took it to the end, and though there are claims that Kate was seen with their bodyguard holding hands and Jon is out and about with female friends. God knows what really happened. God knows what the outcome will be and when we read the bible, we don't end up like that !! True love is forever, and gossip, is a bad way, and bad reading.
Instead we should pray for them and their kids. I try not to get caught up in gossip, and catch myself and return to prayer !
God be with them, and you !!
Chalo