Kith & Kin

Mom (Jan Skaggs) looking young, slim, and attractive. Late 1950s? As I go through the photos in this album and reproduce them here, I am so thankful she kept the album and labeled many of the photos with names and dates! Keith, Dad, and me on Dad’s Schwinn, June 1965. I remember riding the bike this way. It was always a treat to go riding with Dad—and a little scary, as I balanced on that bar. And uncomfortable too! We would ride to downtown Fredericksburg, crossing railroad tracks on the way — bumpity bumpity bump, hold on tight! I assume this is the Cleveland Airport, June 1965. No one was hijacking or blowing up planes yet, so security was quite lax. It was fun (and loud!) to watch them take off and land. L to R: Steve, Keith, Dad. My first cousin Jill Skaggs, daughter of Dad’s brother Leo and his wife, Bonnie. What a cutie! Two more first cousins, Eddie and Kathy, son and daughter of Dad’s brother Eddie and his wife, Shirley. I wish I could have known my Skaggs cousins better growi...

NOTE: This was published months ago . . . I thought. But I found it listed in my drafts, so here it is again. A while back my brother Eric scanned in over twenty pages from one of my mom ’ s scrapbooks. I ’ ll post some of them here and more in the future, along with my comments and memories. Brothers, cousins, and others, feel free to comment! Dad and me, 1961. Time to wake up! What a cute little booger I was! 1961. Great-Grandma Mabel Slutz holding me, 1961. Wendell Sidle and his sons, Doug and Mike (behind the swing). And that’s me and Dad on the right. July 1962. Mom and Wendell’s wife, Caroline, became friends when they worked in the office together at Rubbermaid. This was taken on the front porch of our house at the north end of Fredericksburg. I remember that swing. And I remember being friends with Doug growing up—he and I were lab partners in high school Biology. Doug died in 1989 at age 27. I think he died of a heart attack, but I do not remember for sure. Too young—very sad...

NOTE:  This post deals with the topics of rape, murder, and suicide, so please use discretion in deciding whether you want to read on. If you struggle with thoughts of depression and/or self-harm, as most of us have (myself included), please call t he National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 and get the help you need— even if you feel like it won ’ t make a difference. It will. According to statistics available today , if you live in Wayne County, Ohio, your chances of being assaulted in any particular year are quite low—it happens to only 0.078 out of 100 residents. Your chances of being kidnapped are even lower: just 0.027 per 100 residents annually. And your chances of being murdered are almost infinitesimal: a mere 0.002 for every 100 residents. In fact, Wayne County, Ohio, is a less dangerous county to live in than three-quarters of all other counties nationwide. Data is also available for the frequency of crimes in particular Wayne County towns. For example, my tiny hom...