The Kids at the Henry Ford Museum

Greektown Detroit

Greektown is one of my favorite places to visit when back in Michigan. Although we have a big Greek festival in Oklahoma City every October, it can't hold a candle to this!



This was taken at the Parthenon Restaurant. OPA!!! Flaming Cheese!

Hidden Art

What is art, exactly, and where do you find it? Sometimes it is something that surrounds us on a daily basis and we might not recognize it as art, or even notice it at all.

I have known about this unusual bit of artwork for many years, but took it very much for granted, since it was simply decoration for a place where us teens and twenty-somethings hung out. This basement mural was painted by a friend of Arthur and his brothers sometime in the 1970's, and is a true sign of the times from back in the days of teenage lounging pits with black lights and quadraphonic stereos.

The old house in Detroit where Arthur and his siblings grew up is soon to be sold, and when Arthur and I accompanied his sister downstairs to move some stuff I saw the mural through new eyes. It is a true piece of art. However, it may need to be painted over in order to sell the house, or perhaps it will be covered up by new owners. I decided to take some detailed photos to preserve this work done so many years ago by a long deceased friend named Girard Zalno.

Introducing to the public for the very first time: "The Dungeon".





















His work now is forever preserved in cyberspace.

Poor Grosse Pointe

I thought I would share a tongue and cheek video of how the economy is affecting an affluent community. (My apologies to Grosse Pointe. I found this on the Freep!)

Poor Grosse Pointe - watch more funny videos

Poor Grosse Pointe

The Tigers won and we were there!!!

Although we are in Michigan to attend a wedding, we are turning this trip into a real vacation. Yesteday we decided to take in a Tiger game at Comerica Park. I had been to many games at old Tiger Stadium with my dad when I was a kid, but had never seen the inside of Comerica Park. Neither John nor Shelby had ever been to a professional baseball game.

John, in particular, is very interested in the sport since he is signed up for the freshman baseball team next year. Well, John got lucky last night. Not only did he get to see the game, but he was given a game ball by one of the players on the field! He also was able to nab a signature on the baseball mitt that he brought with him.

Since we are on vacation my opportunity to upload photos is limited. So here is a photo from last night's game (which the Tigers WON!!!) from the Detroit Free Press, and I will upload our own photos next week.

JULIAN H. GONZALEZ/DFP

The rehearsal dinner for Greg and Liz is tomorrow night, which happens to be mine and Arthur's anniversary, and then the wedding is Saturday, so I won't be around computer-land for a few days. I have pre-posted a very interesting piece for tomorrow in honor of the occasion. So check back tomorrow, it is a "Must See!" :)

See you all soon!

"Shuttin' Detroit Down"

As a former Detroiter living in Oklahoma, the following interview and song by John Rich is perfect for my blog. It is a country song that raises the concerns of many who are near and dear to my heart.

Give it a listen, and comments are welcome.




Oh, and P.S.

Be Patriotic! Buy American!!!! :)

http://www.americansworking.com/

A little something to worry about

Why would anybody steal a snow shovel from an elderly couple?

That is what happened to my inlaws over the weekend. The thieves not only knew their victims were elderly, they laughed at them and ran when my mother-in-law rapped on the window.

Unbelievable, and terribly sad.

Their neighborhood becomes less safe as the years pass. Many neighbors have been broken into, the overburdened police department is slow to respond to calls. We would like to see Mom and Dad move, have offered them help to do so, but they refuse. It is their home of 50-plus years. In many ways, we see their point. Why should they be forced to leave because of neighborhood terrorists?

Still, we pray and worry. We don't know what else to do.

The news out of Detroit

As former Detroiters, Arthur and I have been actively following the big news from there as it unfolds. It’s not particularly because we are news junkies, but because the arraignment hearing for Mayor Kilpatrick was heard today at the 36th District Court where Arthur worked for 33 years.


Arthur knows most of the behind-the-scenes people in this photo on a first name basis.

I have always loved the city of Detroit. I was born there, grew up there, and in the immortal words of Dorothy:

“There’s no place like home.”

But I feel so bad for my homeland, between the failing auto plants, the housing crisis that is even worse than the rest of the nation, and now this:

Full Coverage: A Mayor in Crisis.