Original anecdotes, commentary, rumination, and occasional pontification.
NOVEMBER 6, 2023 – THE LETTER – ANOKA, MINNESOTA – JUNE 17, 2010 For nearly a month, I had followed the same routine. After work and a quick supper, I’d drive up to Anoka and spend a minimum of two hours going through the volumes of stuff that Mother and Dad had accumulated over the …
NOVEMBER 5, 2023 – “A FAREWELL TO A GENTLE SWEDE” – ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA – MAY 12 – 14, 2010 The big, white, stately house graces the east end of Summit Avenue, not far from the St. Paul Cathedral and the James J. Hill Mansion. Inside, the house is spacious, well-crafted and well-appointed but by …
NOVEMBER 4, 2023 – (Cont.) I turned off the paved county road and onto Coppersmith Road, a narrower dirt road serving Björnholm and two neighboring cabins to the east. As was my custom at the juncture, I switched off the A/C and lowered the windows to fill my lungs with fresh, northwoods air. So Beth …
NOVEMBER 3, 2023 – DOUBLE BIRTHDAY DAY – GRINDSTONE LAKE, NORTHWEST WISCONSIN – AUGUST 7, 1997 The light, steady breeze played across the big, sun-splashed lake and teased the pine standing guard on the steep bank in front of the cabin. Drifting from the windows was the sound of an old recording of Jussi Björling, …
NOVEMBER 2, 2023 – Many years ago Beth, our two sons, and I went on vacation in Sedona, Arizona. We hiked, skied (well, three of us did), ate, played cards, slept (in)—mostly because we’d stayed up late playing cards—visited the Grand Canyon, toured the Lowell Observatory, and went on a dune buggy expedition among lots …
NOVEMBER 1, 2023 – There were times in 2021 and 2022 when I worried about the toll that Rutherford was taking on Cliff and me. Was the dim promise of an uncertain reward worth the stress? My cancer diagnosis at the outset of 2022 heightened my doubts. In the cool light of day I knew …
OCTOBER 31, 2023 – During the first week of May 2022 in a galaxy far, far away from Rutherford, I underwent what I referred to as “stem cell transplant boot camp.” Each day I attended various sessions with two groups of medical personnel. One group scared the living daylights out of me regarding the stem …
OCTOBER 30, 2023 – Sometimes when you run out of options you have to fall back on true-and-tried ancient methods, such as crossing your fingers. That’s what I did when Cliff called to report back what he’d learned about “water vs. foam” on the night of the Great Fire. The answer was . . . …
OCTOBER 29, 2023 – Miraculously—by the power of positive influences and advances in medical research and treatment—after mid-February I was feeling much better. And the purchase agreement for the Rutherford properties was at last fully signed, sealed, and delivered. Cliff and I could now focus on expediting and responding to Steve’s due diligence. Cliff assumed …
OCTOBER 28, 2023 – To welcome in the new year, I had my first encounter with an oncologist specializing in cancers of the blood. “We’ll need to schedule you for a bone marrow biopsy to confirm,” Dr. Kolla said, “but the blood test results strongly indicate that you have multiple myeloma.” Multiple myeloma. Both Dad …
OCTOBER 27, 2023 – Sure enough, Cliff returned from Florida with a positive weather forecast. Steve would take another look at the concept drawings we had, make a site visit (his second since having heard of our project) when he could squeeze it in, and make some kind of offer. I’d need to summon more …
OCTOBER 26, 2023 – Over three years had passed since we’d retained a land use lawyer and an architect, and all we had to show by the fall of 2021 were the concept drawings our architect had prepared in mid-2018 and (finally) an official designation of our properties as “an area in need of redevelopment.” …
OCTOBER 25, 2023 – The one positive feature of the negative condition of the country toward the end of 2020 was that the housing market had not collapsed. I remained sanguine that with patient persistence, we’d one day still realize significant value from the Rutherford properties as a mixed-use, multi-family housing development. Progress, however, remained …
OCTOBER 24, 2023 – Before we could get to the starting line, our lawyer informed us we’d need to hurry up and wait for “the judge to sign a stipulated order.” The matter related to a relatively obscure law peculiar to New Jersey, whereby a state-appointed commission and every municipality had to agree on a …
OCTOBER 23, 2023 – My strategic vision for the Rutherford properties was to achieve a “win-win” result. On the family side I wanted to “win” substantial realized value for sisters, spouses, nieces, and sons. I’d succeed by getting a reasonable redevelopment project approved, then selling on a non-contingent basis to a developer with the expertise …
OCTOBER 22, 2023 – I shouldn’t have been surprised by Cliff and Jeanette’s house a short distance from the endless beach and boardwalk of Asbury Park. Cliff had bought the capacious two-story frame house some years before, just as the town was emerging from its nadir as a magnet for drug addicts and dealers. By …
OCTOBER 21, 2023 – On my first visit to Cliff and Jeanette’s house, Cliff demonstrated his sound system in the acoustically live space of the living room. “Now here’s something you’ll like,” he said after a few of his favorite selections. He switched to Mozart’s Jupiter Symphony. The only problem was that the volume was …
OCTOBER 20, 2023 – According to plan, I stayed with Cliff and Jeanette that evening following the unveiling of concept drawings for the Rutherford properties. My hosts treated me to a celebratory meal, indulgent dessert, and upbeat conversation. After we cleared the table and filled the dishwasher, Cliff led us on what was intended as …
OCTOBER 19, 2023 – By the spring of 2018, Cliff and I were off to the races. Cliff had put me in touch with Charles Sarlo, a highly regarded land use attorney in Bergen County, and Jak Inglese, head of a local architectural firm with an impressive portfolio and excellent reputation. I retained both and …
OCTOBER 18, 2023 – Joining us on our memorial mission were Byron along with Cliff’s neighbor Steve—a retired bank examiner and avid downhill skier. Our late start was from Rutherford the Friday evening of Presidents’ Day Weekend. We’d first had to wait for Byron to leave work in the city and cross over the Hudson; …
OCTOBER 17, 2023 – Unlike marketable securities, real estate can be a highly problematic asset to hold, price, sell, and convert to cash. In all these respects the Rutherford properties—seven adjoined parcels—were especially challenging. At one time in history the crown jewel, of course, had been my great grandparents’ dream home at 42 Lincoln Avenue[1]. …
OCTOBER 16, 2023 – Ironically, I had only myself to blame for the expense of having to drill into UB’s safe deposit box at the local bank. The key to the box had magically surfaced in the course of my very first encounter with UB’s office of the “beautiful mind.” I’d put the key with …
OCTOBER 15, 2023 – After UB’s memorial service, my sisters and I spent a weekend together at the old Holman house overlooking Upper Hamburg Cove[1]. For us it was an historic occasion: the only time in our lives when all four of us had congregated there at the same time. Joining us were Linnea and …
OCTOBER 14, 2023 – I was strolling through Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, waiting for a return flight to the U.S. when I received the call from the hospice nurse at CareOne. UB had “landed” at approximately 5:00 a.m. New Jersey time. Close behind the call I got Queequeg’s text: “Uncle Bruce died peacefully, dreaming of old …
OCTOBER 13, 2023 – Mother the devout Episcopalian had said, “Funerals are for the living.” Her perspective resonated with me as I joined my sisters in a meeting with the Episcopal rector about the funeral service. I gave them all the latitude they desired in choosing the hymns and readings. The liturgy was the realm …