This is where I attended K and 1st grade. It is on Robbins Ave just down the street where all the Colliers lived

This is where I had my first job. I think I was about 12 or 13 and this was a drive in restaurant. This is not the original however. It burned down and was rebuilt. It is actually next to the garage Dad owned seoarated by a creek where we used to shoot rats with BB guns.

This is where the family moved after I went is the Air Force. The house was built by my Grandfather with the root celler in the front being dug by hand. Grandma Collier (Margaret) lived upstairs until she died. I was 14 then and that is the only place she lived during my childhood. My grandfather died when I was one year old so I never knew him. Immediately to the right of this house was another small house separated by a eight foot driveway. This house was rented by my Aunt Regina and Uncle Teak.

This is the house I lived in when I went in the Air Force. It was a small house with a full basement. We moved here after Dad lost his garage.

This is the garage Dad owned. It was Colliers Auto Repair and there were two gas pumps out front. I remember selling gas for 19.9 cents a gallon. Dad had a tow truck which was his pride and joy. It was a 1946 ford truck and he was known to travel all over Missousi to tow cars for his customers. He kept the tow truck for many yeard after he left the garage.. He had to go into the hospital for something, I think maybe a ruputred appendix but in any case he was off work for a long time. Having left the garage in the care of one of his mechanics, who was not a good manager so I understand, when Dad returned the business was in such bad shape financially that he had to sell it. He then went to work for a good friend of his who he had worked with in earlied years and who now owned a garage. He kept and used the tow truck and became a front end specialist. All he did was work in the pit repairing front ends. He did this until he was 75 and died when he was 76.

Living in this house was where I got one of the worst whippings I can remember. It was a Sunday afternoon and Dad was putting up a fence around the back yard. He had a tar pot heating up for the fence posts and all the fencing laid out with the posts. Little Sonny (me) developed a tootache. Mom started calling around to see if she could find a dentist to take me. She finally did and Dad came in and took a shower and took me to the dentist. Upon arriving at the dentist little Sonny (me again) would not open his mouth for the shot. No amount of threatening or cajoling or prying could get little Sonny to open his mouth. I din'really remember what happened to the toothache but I do remember what happened to my butt when we got home. It was sore and hurt like hell. I have not cared for dentists for the rest of my life !

This is actually the first home I have any memories of. I think we moved here shortly after I was born. This is on the same street where grandma lived and two aunts and uncles lived across the street. Another aunt and uncle lived two or three doors away. Actually Grandma and her three sons and one daughter all lived within one block of each other. My main memory of this house was where I saw the first woman I fell in love with. I think I was about 5 or 6 and she was a friend of Moms so she was probably29 or 30. I had gotten a pair of boots and a train for Christmas and I think she visited on Christmas day. I remember her as being a beautiful lady. I do not remember her name or ever seeing her again. I guess its funny the things we remember.
First love. Aint it grand. To my sweetie, don't be jealous. Remember I was only 5 or 6 and my vision was probably somewhat still clouded

Avery good day!

I have been remiss in posting. It has been a good week culminating in a very good day.
Joan and I went to Metamora over the weekend to help Steve and Brenda with Canal Days. This is always a good time for us and we hope we are of some help with the store.
Today I went to the food pantry in Indianapolis. I read about their work and it sounded interesting. I visited with the intent of seeing what the work was all about and found myself , after about one hour of training, registering clients who came in to pick up food. It was a very interesting and rewarding 3 and 1/2 hours.
When I came home Valerie , Nick and Lucianne were visiting. GGMaw Joan was holding Lucianne and after a while I got to hold her. I cannot describe the feeling of having that little child laying on my chest and shoulder for over an hour while sleeping the whole time. I know it was some sort of one of God's little miracles that she was crying when given to me and did not make a sound for the next hour or so. Her head was close to my ear and all I heard was her breathing for the rest of the time. Thank You Lord for this blessing.

Peace, Happiness and Joy to this child and all. Live long, Love much and Laugh often