Family time

Jo and I went to our first Christmas party of the season at Joe Hassell's place in Davisburg Saturday. Some of you know the Hassell's, most don't, so let me tell you a bit about them. L to R : Frank, who is solely responsible for getting me into FoMoCo and teaching me it's the work that's important in the corporate world, advise I passed on to my sons. I owe my career to this man. Brian, the youngest, who put himself through Eastern Michigan on a football scholarship and was the first in the family to earn a college degree - great kid. Joe, who is quite a craftsman in his own right, does the property mgmt thing by day, runs marathons because he can and whose passion is music. Joe wrote a song about a guy that had a stroke ten years ago that blew me away. To say his music comes from the heart is an understatement. Debbie always had an artistic flair, is teaching art in the Brighton school district and has had over 1000 students pass through her class w/o any casualties. Her and Yves have three great kids that are growing up way too fast. And then there's Horton, my oldest cousin (by some accounts) at 73. My mother and Aunt Fritz were always trying to hook her up with my cousin Mickey, What no one knew is she had a thing for Bob Nagaj, who, of course was younger. So I guess that makes her a cougar. Whatever, she's still one of my favorite people. It's a shame she will likely never speak to me again after reading this... Next month she is taking her granddaughter out for a drink on her 21st birthday - how cool is that ? I'll be 79 before I can do that with Avery...I can wait.
This is a great time for being with family and friends and I guess I'm looking at it differently this year than in the past. Everyone touches someone in one way or another. Can't take anything or anybody for granted anymore. Maybe none of us should. Have a wonderful Christmas everyone and we'll talk again in a week or so. Hope you enjoyed meeting the Hassell's.
Ken