Cats

Back in the seventies the family vacation was in August, on Finch Creek Road, 37 acres of paradise, near Mancelona, Belaire, and Alden Michigan. Finch Creek was a trout stream, in piney woods that yielded to deciduous forests. The road ran north and south, given a compass I was told, "On this side of the road, head west." I wandered where I may. Kids these days are coddled. Let me fall and bruise. Cold creek came right out of the side of the hill, I found it, walked right to it in 1998 with my sis and a couple of brothers.

My dad sold a couple of acres on Elk lake to buy the place. He figured Elk Lake property values had peaked. The Elk Lake property value quintupled. The land on Finch Creek Road is probably still worth less than forty k. Dusty days as the cars drove by, now it is paved.

Mittens and Patches were the family cats. Mittens would come when you called him. He followed me through the woods. He was my dog. I had no idea that cats are generally antisocial.

Just some random thoughts going through my head.