I want to show you some photographs of my sons, Bob (left) and Tim. I don't know how I could have been so lucky to have such wonderful kids. Happy, healthy, smart, good natured, well behaved. My kids! They were the best. They still are the best!

At right they're enjoying an early-morning romp on the bed in 1965. Bob is five years old in the picture; Tim's two. This was at our home in Woodstock, New York.

It's amazing to me now, looking at these photos taken so many decades ago, how quickly the years have slipped by. Those times were so joyous, so bountiful, so beautiful. Why was I not able to see then how special those moments were. Now, I see them as golden; magic moments I was privileged to enjoy with my boys.

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Bob's seven years old in the photo above, left (taken in 1967); Tim's six (photo taken in 1969). They went to a nearby public school. (That's when public schools were still institutions of learning, not indoctrination.) I think they got good educations.

Woodstock is just inside the Catskill Mountains, so the terrain is quite pretty. The picture of Bob may have been taken near the Ashokan Reservoir or perhaps at nearby Mohonk or Minnewaska. The picture of Tim was taken at the rear of our back yard where a rock ledge rises twenty feet or so.

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The shots above were taken in 1973 at the Catskill Game Farm.

Both boys played Little League baseball and were pretty good at it (photo circa 1973). I remember frequently dashing directly from work to the ball field to see their games. Once the official second base umpire was absent and I was drafted for the position. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. Fortunately, there were no close plays I had to call or controversial decisions I had to make, but I must have made quite a sight out near second base in my suit and tie.

The excitement of seeing your son up to bat or making a play in the field was nearly overpowering. Of course some of the parents were so carried away with the intensity of the game they would make a fuss over a call or a coach's decision, but there wasn't too much of that.

The grade school years flew by and in no time Bob was in high school and Tim was in Middle School.

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In 1976 the family visited Disneyland in Orlando (left), Busch Gardens in Tampa (center), and the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral (right). Bob was 16; Tim 13. Everybody had a great time!

The years slipped by quickly and before anyone knew it both Bob and Tim had graduated from college. This photo was taken at Tim's graduation.

About that same time (1985) I moved from Woodstock to North Carolina and a year or so later my sons visited me at my Cary home. This picture shows a little model airplane action. When it was launched, the craft seemed intent to return to the point of departure, which proved exciting for the launchers!

Both sons are now married and have beautiful families of their own. They are both super kids, have super wives, and each has a super-duper daughter!

I have many, many things to be thankful for in this world. Bob and Tim are two of them. Perhaps the most important two.

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The way back home.