Today is Christmas day, 2025 … I spent the whole morning reminiscing about my life, Christmases past, my friendships, family and especially how much I miss my partner for life … Moosch (Marylou). As many of you know Moosch past last week to join her other loved ones who passed before … hoping that one day I’ll join her to live in eternity with Jesus. Christmas was quite difficult without her even though I am surrounded by a loving family who tried hard to enjoy the day knowing that each of us were suffering without the matriarch of our family. So, this morning, instead of watching the Christmas Story for the third time in two days, I sat in quiet reminiscing about this life I’ve lived. I began by thinking about growing up on Smithton Street, Northside, and was looking through some old pictures and came across the picture above. It’s me and my childhood friend Wille and my little sister Judy … it think it is Willie’s dog (Blackie?). Willie was my neighbor who began this journey with me. We have been friends since my early days on Smithton Street straight through this very day. We did everything together, played football, baseball, Boston Baked beans (which is another story for another day) walked to school, attended birthday parties, learned many of life’s lessons together, married our childhood girlfriends and had children who grew up together … so close that our children actually call us Uncle Wil and Uncle Jack. Wil’s oldest son Wiilie Joe married my daughter, who many thought was weird allowing cousins to marry … however they were not cousins. Our families became one big family. I was the paperboy of the neighborhood with a double route I bought from Paul Trunick that encompassed, Smithton Street, Grand Avenue, Central Avenue and Rothplett Steet which is how I met the love of my life … I was Moosch’s paperboy and knew from the first time I saw her that we would someday be married. The love story grew … I was her first date … we married at an early age … she was 19 and I was 20 … we had two children (Rachael and Justin), watched our 6 grandchildren grow into beautiful, well-respected adults and spent every day of our lives together. Well, that’s the story …live goes on but … it will never be the same. So, I close by giving advice to all, even if you don’t want it. Love each other to the fullest, be kind to one another, live each day together as if it were your last … but most importantly treasure the memories! God Bless and Merry Christmas…