November 30 – each day, all the year

each day, all the year
Oh how I Hate Ohio State
Game Changes Nothing

I was about to start this line with “I am sorry but I like University of Michigan Football.”

I am not sorry.

There is nothing to be sorry about it.

The CEO of GANNETT once said, “33% of the population of the United States are rabid sports fans. 100% of sports fans in the United States think every IN THE United States are rabid sports fans.

I understand that.

And I am not sorry I like Michigan Football.

I am not a ‘Michigan Nut.”

I do not own a pair of MAIZE and BLUE checked golf pants.

I own very few MICHGAN branded items.

I do make sure that my shirts and sweat shirts say just MICHIGAN.

I do make sure that the word is printed on in a straight line.

No arced MICHGAN.

No BIG HOUSE.

No Block M’s.

No fancy lettering.

For me, it’s tradition,

Back when my older brother’s and sister’s went to Michigan, you had a choice of T Shirts.

Blue MICHIGAN on GOLD and Gold MICHIGAN on Blue.

This style is getting rare these days but the wife understands.

And I understand that this isn’t for everyone.

I come by this tradition honestly.

Grandpa Hoffman graduated from Michigan in 1911.

My Dad graduated in 1942.

5 of my brothers and all 3 sisters graduated from Michigan.

I graduated in 1983 from Michigan.

3 Brothers-in-Law and 2 Sisters-in-law graduated from Michigan.

Not sure, but I think 6 or 7 nephews and nieces are now Alumni.

So I make no apology.

I like Michigan Football.

I hate Ohio State.

GO BLUE.

Enough said.

November 2 – In a world gone nuts

In a world gone nuts
A Grand Daughter turns seven
Perspective, Hope, Love

On a cool November morning seven years ago, I drove to the hospital to meet Azaria Janae Hoffman for the first time.

Life has not been the same in some unexpected ways.

I cannot say that these feelings are unique to me, but maybe unique to Grand Parents.

But Grand Children really do put things in perspective.

Faith, Hope and Love.

The Book says the greatest of these is love.

That doesn’t mean to discount or diminish faith.

And hope?

When I held that baby girl in my arms and looked in her eyes for the first time, and when I sing, in the most awful way today, Happy Birthday to that same baby girl, I can have nothing but hope for the future.

September 2 – Labor Day, New Year?

Labor Day, New Year?
More than January 1st
This when new year starts

Labor Day and New Year’s each had their parties.

New Year’s was about staying up late and then … then … go to bed.

Labor Day was the last big summer picnic with tables piled with the bounty of summer in West Michigan and cousins and aunts and uncles without number and sometimes names.

Labor Day at the Hoffman Cottage on Lake Michigan in 1964.
Grandma Hoffman and Grandpa Hendrickson in the same frame.

SO, what is new?

What changes on New Year’s Day besides the date?

On Labor Day:

Summer ends.

This by itself should make the deal.

End of summer is one of the saddest phrases in the book.

School (used to and in my book, should) starts.

From Kindergarten to College.

Is there a bigger change?

Sick with worry.

Goofy with excitement.

Football Season is all shiny with fresh hope – I used to celebrate what I called a ‘Football Weekend when my high school, college and pro team all won in the same weekend.

My high school team (Grand Rapids Creston) is no more.

My college team team is going through a bad case of Harbaugh after near fatal cases of Hoke and the Morgantown-miracle-worker.

And the Lions …

Really! When I was a kid, these weekends when all three teams won, happened more often than not.

Labor Day on my calenday has a big read circle in my mind.

A fresh start.

A blank slate.

THE New Year.

May 30 – Rest, comrades

Rest, comrades, rest, sleep.
Yours, the suffering been. Ours,
shall be memory .

My Great Uncle Peter De Young, Wounded in Action, August, 1918 Juvigny, France

Photograph of the 32nd Division in action at Juvigny, France, August, 1918

Decoration Day

Sleep, comrades, sleep and rest
On this Field of the Grounded Arms,
Where foes no more molest,
Nor sentry’s shot alarms!

Ye have slept on the ground before,
And started to your feet
At the cannon’s sudden roar,
Or the drum’s redoubling beat.

But in this camp of Death
No sound your slumber breaks;
Here is no fevered breath,
No wound that bleeds and aches.

All is repose and peace,
Untrampled lies the sod;
The shouts of battle cease,
It is the Truce of God!

Rest, comrades, rest and sleep!
The thoughts of men shall be
As sentinels to keep
Your rest from danger free.

Your silent tents of green
We deck with fragrant flowers
Yours has the suffering been,
The memory shall be ours.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

When I was a kid, Decoration Day or Memorial Day was May 30th.

My Grandpa Hendricson would pick my Hendrickson cousins on the south end of Grand Rapids and then drive to the North End and pick up the Hoffman’s and take us to the Memorial Day Parade in downtown Grand Rapids.

Off to the John Ball Park Zoo after the parade and then to Grandma’s house on Elliot St. and pick up Grandma Hendrickson and pots pans of Chili and Goulash, wrapped in newspaper and tied up with string.

With about 10 kids, Grandpa and Grandma in the car, Grandpa drove over to Aunt Wanda’s or Aunt Joan’s house for the family picnic.

It was a great day to be a kid.