Four first cousins hamming it up at the reunion described below. From the left are Jim Mongeau, Izzy's oldest (and the first baby born in Lansing's Ingham Medical Hospital), Dave "Doc" Mongeau, Slammin' Sammy Ward (like me named for the Grandpa Sam), and Mike Mongeau.


Jim, Mike, and Doc all came to East Lansing and lived in our house on Orchard Street. Each had done his time in the Service, and, I guess that Alma wasn't big enough to entertain or to contain them. Lansing, "the big city" had its alluring qualities: plenty of civil service job, where Jim found a job at the highway department; a large university with plenty of fine looking coeds, which worked out well for Mike; and plenty of retail work, which Doc took advantage of.

For me, it was like having a bunch of big brothers around. They were terrific--funny, funnier, and funniest.

Each brother has terrific stories to tell. Mike and Jim have beauties. Reputations dictate that they tell you; I won't publish them here. But think about this for a minute: Mike, when he lived with us, Jim, when he lived with us, and my mom and my sister were all dating during this time. Talk about a circus. Talk about not having enough bathrooms. Talk about the steady stream of conversation about people, places, and things.

The beastly heat of summer is gone for another year. Shorter, more temperate days, signal the plants in the backyard to move from drought-tolerant survival mode to full-blown participants in the stream of desert life. The ruella, pictured above, keeps it green leaves throughout the year. In the summer, it serves as a shady home to geckos and the assorted insects which serve as the prix de fare for gecko gourmands.
each day, Fall through Spring' the ruella serves up dozens of deep dish lavender flowers. The flowers are services by bees and hummingbirds who harvest and transfer the nectar from deep within ruella's treats.

The cell phone camera doesn't give justice to the true color of the flowers. The flowers run from a deep blue to a light blue and all have a subtle finish that contrasts with the still bright, early Fall light.

One of the days, Alice, I'll get myself a worthy camera.

We're driving south on a four-lane road. There's a center lane for left-turns, so, to be specific I am four lanes over from the roadside on the right. The roadside on the right is composed of an overpriced mud-track known as the Starfire Golf Course. Starfire? Should be called Mudhole.

Any way, the route I am driving leads me past the first hole of Starfire's East Course. The first hole is a straightforward par four. There's water directly to right of the tee which only comes into play if you've hit a dead shank. Further down the right is grassy wash area that poses no real problem. The road I am traveling sits less than 20 yards to the left of the tee box.

It's about 3:00 on a fine Fall afternoon. I am going about 35mph and minding my own business. I am about a quarter-mile from the first tee of the east course and closing fast. When, suddenly, an object bounces in front of me, comes up over my hood, and strikes the windshield just in front of Lori's face.

Remember, I am four lanes over from the the roadside. The tee box is 20 yards from the roadside. And I just took a direct shot to the windshield by a fast moving golf ball.

As a driver, I understand that these things happen. But as a golfer. I am deeply offended. I was just victimized by some dummy's over-rotated, over-the-top, decel, snap-pull hook, a problem this dope could have fixed if he didn't think he was Phil Mickelson (Come to think of it, he does have some Phil in that shot!).

Displaying much bravado, I flipped a U Turn at the tee box, I cruised alongside the tee as Hacker McGee was hitting a second shot. I yelled at the "players" wanting to know who had chopped their ball left into the street. Neither player looked up as they dashed to their cart for their getaway.

Cart riders, Starfire, they were made for one another!

Many of the first cousins gathered in summer of 1991 to celebrate the life of Denny Ward: fireman, fire chief, husband, father, uncle, and hero. The photo above captures most of the first cousins who were in attendance plus the three very special guests of honor, the three surviving members of their generation. Seated in the front row from left to right is my sister Celeste, Aunt Ming, wife of the Great Uncle Izzy, my mother Martha Jane, and Aunt Regis Mongeau Loftquist, who is pictured in the post below with her mother in the early 1950s.

There were more than 150 relatives who gathered on my cousin Margret's farm. Although I am not in the picture I may have been there. I know that I was at one of the reunions on Margret's farm. There was a horse, ball games, a keg of beer, food everywhere, smiles, hugs, and something no Mongeau reunion goes long without--plenty of laughs.

The picture above was sent to me by my cousin, Ann Mitchell. The two wonderful women pictured is of our grandmother, Suzy Mongeau and our Aunt Regis Loftquist.

Suzy died when I was very young and I remember visiting her a couple of times, although I know that I must have been in her presence many times that I don't. She was the mother of 8, four boys and four girls. My dad, Phil was her youngest. My brother Paul and I were her youngest grandchildren.

My older cousins, especially those who lived in the Muskegon area, knew Grandma Suzy much better than I did. I can tell you this though, the times that I remember being with her were extraordinary. In retrospect, I think that I can identify it as the palpable display of unconditional love.

Her daughter Regis and her sisters continued to treat me same unconditional love and affection. I was dumb enough to be uncomfortable and embarrassed around them. Wish they were around now so that I could apologize.

The D-Backs have made the playoffs. You may be wondering who they are. Here's my scounting report after watching part of most their games this season. (Picured above from the left: Brandon Webb, Orlando Hudson, Eric Byrnes, Chris Young, Steven Drew)

1st base: You'll see the venerable Tony Clark platoon with 2nd-year player Connor Jackson. Clark is the D-Backs answer to Gates Brown, only Tony is an asset in the field, too. Tony has hit clutch homers for the D-backs since he came two years ago. Look for him to start and to play as a late inning pinch hitter and defensive replacement.

Jackson has a great command of the stike zone, which leads to a good walk percentage, but, he also takes a lot of close pitches, which could be hittable and which are sometimes called strikes. When they're called strikes he gets into bad counts and then presses. He has come up with some very big hits down the stretch. Like most of the young D-Backs, he does not lack confidence.

2nd base: Losing Hudson was a huge blow. He's the on-field leader, a .295 hitter with excellent speed and great range at second base. He isn't gone, however. He still runs the clubhouse from the dugout.

Augie Ojeda is Hudson replacement. Augie is your prototypical hustle player. He's journeyman with more than 5 years in the bigs. He's diminutive, 5' 7." He will often take a pitcher deep into counts fouling off very good pitiches, and like most of the D-Backs, he finds a way on base to score important runs.

Emilio Bonifacio, a whippet phenom from AA, may seem some action. Look for him to pinch run in a critical spot. He's very green, but Melvin may use him in a critical spot.

Short: Stephen Drew, first year in the bigs and little brother of J.D., is very efficient with the glove and has good range at short. His hitting has been a mystery; he's only hitting .235 for the season, but he's been squaring the ball up in the last couple of weeks. Like most of the young D-Backs, he'll make the occasional mistake in the field or on the basepaths. But, like all the D-Backs, he never, every hangs his head.

This attitude comes directly from our beloved Gibby, (Kirk Gibson to non-Tiger fans, non-MSU fans) who's the D-Backs bench coach. Gibby is in charge of the outfielders and baserunning. You can see Gibby in the D-Backs play. He's their secret weapon. Gibby mans the top step of the dugout and each player must pass him by in good times and in bad times. If you get the chance to watch the D-Backs, look for signs of Gibby in this young club.

Third Base: Mark Reynolds, called up from Mobile AA in May. He has incredible power. He's a lunger with a heavy bat. He takes mighty swings and sometimes misses badly. He struck out in 10 consecutive at bat in July and then came back and hit .360 in August and September. Anything can happen when he's up. He's not a bad third baseman. Good arm and he'll stand in front of anything.

Leftfield: Eric Byrnes, Jeff Spicoli in a baseball uniform. He's another leader along with Hudson and Clark. He's not the most talented player on the field, but he plays the hardest of any baseball player this side of Pete Rose. He stole 50 bases this year. He's an excellent baserunner who will get caught trying to take an extra base from time to time.

Centerfield: Chris Young, rookie from AAA. Ahhh, my favorite player. The epitome of a graceful centerfielder. Such speed that it looks as if he's gliding through the outfield. If it can be caught, he'll get it. Enigma at the plate: 30 homers, 30 steals and a .235 average. If Melvin bats him lead-off he has a tendency to take the first pitch out the park. He had something like 8 lead-off homers this year. He's just learning the game.

Rightfield: Justin Upton, called up from Mobile AA in June. First player taken in the 2005 draft. Learing the game. Incredible 5-tool player. Sometimes he looks lost. What better place to learn the game?

Look for him to platoon with Geoff Salazar, another minor league (AAA) call up. Salazar looks like a professional hitter and a solild to excellent glove man.

Cather: Chris Snyder, 3rd year man. Has been on fire since the All-Star Break. Great defensive work. Great arm. Just the guy you want catching the D-Backs starting rotation.

Miguel Montero, first year player, backs up Snyder. Montero hits better than .570 after the 7th inning. Good behind the plate.

Starters:

Brandon Webb, last year's Cy Young Winner. Sinkerballer. When it's on, batters beat the ball into the dirt all day long. Had a 42-consective inning shutout streak midseason. Ace of the staff. Terrible bunter. Has trouble moving runners. Could ruin a crucial situation where the team needs someone in scoring position.

Livon Hernandez: Hasn't thrown a fastball over 80 miles an hour all year. Has thrown change-ups in the mid 60s. When his stuff is on, he baffles batters. The poster boy for crafty veterans everywhere. When his stuff isn't on, watch out! He takes hitting seriously. Not an automatic out. Good bunter and can hit behind baserunners.

Doug Davis: Soft-tossing lefty with a career 75-75 record. When his stuff is on, he can mow them down. When it's not, watch out.

Micah Owings: Young, hard throwing righty. Won two big September games. Wonderful hitter with power. Has three homers this year and went 4-4 with two doubles in his last outing against the Pirates. Melvin has had him pinch hit in the past and may do it again.

Bullpen:

Great counterpoint to the mostly, soft-tossing and sinkerballing starting staff. Melvin needs six innings out his starters then he can turn the game over to his hard throwing bully. Batter have trouble making the adjustment to the changes in speed and tactics.

7th inning specialist: Tony Pena, hard throwing youngster who has recovered from the August control problems. After six innings of facing Webb, Davis, or Hernandez, hitter need a couple of pitches to adjust to Pena. By then they're down in the count and trying to protect the plate.

8th inning specialist: Brandon Lyon: another hard thrower. Lyons is the the gem of the trade that sent Schilling to Boston.

Closer: Jose Valverde: Flame thrower, who, at times, can make things a little too interesting for my taste. When he's on, his fastball has extra pop, a devilish splitter, and when he wants to tempt fate, he'll thow a change.

Closing Comments The great thing about the D-Backs is that they defy both the Sabremeticians and the Insta-Analysts on the Four-Letter Sports Network.


The Sabremeticians (Society for the Advancement of Baseball Research stat dorks) say that a team that gives up more runs than they score should never win a division championship. Opps! The D-Backs did it. How you ask? They can lose a game 12-0 one day and come back and beat a team the next two games. Losing is not a big deal, for these kids tomorrow is another day.


Insta-Analysis on the Four-Letter? The game, like the world, sometimes defies the cable gabfest news cycle. If the Insta-boys can't get a handle on the obvious they're lost and with the Yankees, Red Sox, and Cubs all in the playoffs there's plenty of obvious to go around!

When it comes to the D-Backs, ignore the "experts" and enjoy the games.