Readers Digest, a staple at our house growing up, had a regular feature called My Most Unforgettable Character which I found interesting. I’ve known quite a few UC’s in my life but I’d have to rank my maternal grandfather, William Badger Beaty as, if not my MUC, then certainly very near the top of the list. I can’t tell you anything about his lineage. We’ll have to call on cousin Pat Hughes, the Beaty historian for that ( Pat extensively researched and wrote about our Beaty family tree and I have a copy somewhere but can’t put my hands on it-Pat, will you send me another copy-thanks). I think his father’s name was Felix, weird enough, but BADGER? Who in the world would name their kid after a “short-legged omnivore in the families Musteliade (which also includes the otters, polecats, weasels, and ferrets), and Mephitidae (which also includes the skunks)” (Wikipedia), or maybe Felix was just a University of Wisconsin fan. Apparently cousin Max Head was impressed by the moniker; he, with I assume his wife, JoAnn’s concurrence, named a son Badger. Ouch.
Continue readingMonth: September 2019
Labor Day weekend usually marks the official end of the beach season, though I love the beach best in October when it’s not 95, but still pleasant under the sun and warm in the water. But from ages 13-21, my beach trips ended before August 15, when football practice began.
This will be a short tale as I don’t want to labor too hard or long on Labor Day. Other memorable beach trips, such as the one with our family and Aunt Nig, Mike & Pat, or the many with Bill Carr and, when he became of age, Harry, and later, Chris Pappas, will have to wait for another day.