Some months ago I asked dad what he would do if he finally won his millions of dollars. What did he need that he didn’t already have? His response after some thought was, “I would like to go back to Latvia one more time.” My response was, “We can do that right now!” With some …
Learning Latvian Last night, my cousin John Grinberg came over to offer me a lesson in the Latvian language. John is a retired high school German teacher, and I think he relished the opportunity to teach again because he showed up in full Latvian Language Mode! All I could say was “I don’t speak Latvian” …
I had been planning a trip to Latvia this summer as a celebration. I mentioned it to dad awhile ago, and he said he might be interested. In fact, when I asked him what he would do if he did win one of those stupid sweepstakes he has been entering, and he said, “Travel to …
On the way to the USA Women’s Volleyball game in Lincoln, Vitauts began telling me stories. Usually, he will point out what road we are on and which way to go and how many times he has been on a certain highway. “Are you taking interstate?” he asked as I turned onto 680. I told him …
I have been saving this one for last because this is the most egregious of Vitauts’ gambling vices. While he spends a few dollars on the fraudulent contests and a few dollars on the scratch tickets, he spends hundreds at the casino. I have idly sat by for the past year watching him go “Across …
This is one of the harder posts to share with the world, but I think what I have to say on this issue is important. If to no one else, then to me. Vitauts has always liked games of chance. From an early age, I watched him play poker, solo, solitaire and many other games …
As the mercury has fallen, so has dad’s Mercury Grand Marquis. After getting into his accident a few weeks ago, and as we wait patiently for the State Farm insurance people to call, the car has fallen into a state of disuse and perhaps a slow death cycle. As you may know from other posts, …
A week or so ago, I came home from lunch and dad was a bit excited about the mail. I asked him what it was, and he showed me a package from Venezuela. “Who do you know in Venezuela,” I asked. He looked at the name and thought aloud, “Guntars Gedulis… Guntars Gedulis…” He paused …
I was sick on Friday, and luckily I was home when dad got yet another flat tire. The first flat tire happened on the way to Lincoln several months ago. He was driving down I-80 when his rear tire shredded. He called me for help, and I, in turn, called my son, Kyle, who lived about …
This is Vitauts about fifty years ago or so. Dapper and dashing with his pipe. He always had that air about him. Today Vitauts turns 88-years old. Eighty-eight! What a terrific number. The crazy 88 from Kill Bill come to mind. And then there are, of course, 88 keys on the piano. For his birthday, …