Perfect day back home | Page 2 | Syracusefan.com

Perfect day back home

Got in town yesterday. Today I took a long walk on the Erie Canal Towpath where in my younger days I used to run 50 miles a week.

Swung through Watertree, where in 1979 I closed on a condo in the morning and then that night met the beautiful girl to whom I would be married for 40 years. Pretty good day that was.

Visited my parents graves then the church where my late wife and I were married 42 years ago next month.

Parked my car in the increasingly congested area around Marshall Street and headed up to campus. I like the new sign at the top of University Ave. Wandered up to the quad and took in the sight of the roller coaster looming majestically over The Artist Formerly Known as The Carrier Dome. Headed over to visit the building that now houses my old academic department. Looks like one of my old profs now has a lecture hall named after him. Well done.

Strolled down for a slice of my favorite pizza in the world at The Varsity. The mens room doesn’t look like has been updated since my SU days but I guess that is what is known as tradition. Replenished my SU wardrobe at the usual places and then drove through my childhood neighborhood in the eastern suburbs followed by a drive through the neighborhood my family lived in the western suburbs prior to moving to Michigan in 1991. Stopped for a cone at Peter’s Polar Parlor and called it an afternoon. Dinner tonight at Joey’s with old friends.

It doesn’t get much better for your old buddy Dick in Michigan but the SU game on Saturday with my niece will be the icing on the cake.

Great to be back home.
What a wonderful post. Thank you so much for sharing.

When you get a moment, would love to hear more about that fateful day in 1979! That seems like an amazing story in its own.
 
What a wonderful post. Thank you so much for sharing.

When you get a moment, would love to hear more about that fateful day in 1979! That seems like an amazing story in its own.
It was your basic plot of a Hallmark Channel movie only with me in it, plus fewer sweaters.

Boy attends SU inter squad basketball game and afterwards goes to a little place that no longer exists to meet up with friends he knew from college. One friend says “Dick, here is somebody I’d like you to meet”. Boy turned and looked into the loveliest brown eyes he had ever seen. Boy shares a drink and a dance with the Girl. Afterwards, the group goes to the Allnight Eggplant (does that still exist?) for a late night snack.

A few days later, Boy calls Girl and asks her out. Their first date is at the Ichiban Japanese Steakhouse in Liverpool. Nine weeks later they are engaged. Yep, just nine weeks. Somehow they just clicked and somehow they both just knew.

Girl graduated from Harpur College…now the University of Binghamton…and got her Masters from SU. Boy got his undergrad degree from SU and also did some graduate work there. Girl brought culture to the relationship in the form of season tickets to Syracuse Stage, Boy brought culture to the relationship in the form of guys wearing Orange uniforms and playing sports.

Boy and Girl were married on a beautiful Autumn day and marched off into the unknown. They raised two wonderful sons and had an incredible life together.

Girl became a diehard SU fan, and although she didn’t post on the board or even read it, she always enjoyed meeting board members on those occasions when we attended road tailgates.

Four decades later, Girl celebrated her birthday the day before she lost a courageous 2 1/2 year battle with a vary rare cancer. Among her gifts was a birthday video from a certain basketball coach who plays on a court that bears his name. She loved his video.

Boy considers himself to be the luckiest boy who ever lived.
 
It was your basic plot of a Hallmark Channel movie only with me in it, plus fewer sweaters.

Boy attends SU inter squad basketball game and afterwards goes to a little place that no longer exists to meet up with friends he knew from college. One friend says “Dick, here is somebody I’d like you to meet”. Boy turned and looked into the loveliest brown eyes he had ever seen. Boy shares a drink and a dance with the Girl. Afterwards, the group goes to the Allnight Eggplant (does that still exist?) for a late night snack.

A few days later, Boy calls Girl and asks her out. Their first date is at the Ichiban Japanese Steakhouse in Liverpool. Nine weeks later they are engaged. Yep, just nine weeks. Somehow they just clicked and somehow they both just knew.

Girl graduated from Harpur College…now the University of Binghamton…and got her Masters from SU. Boy got his undergrad degree from SU and also did some graduate work there. Girl brought culture to the relationship in the form of season tickets to Syracuse Stage, Boy brought culture to the relationship in the form of guys wearing Orange uniforms and playing sports.

Boy and Girl were married on a beautiful Autumn day and marched off into the unknown. They raised two wonderful sons and had an incredible life together.

Girl became a diehard SU fan, and although she didn’t post on the board or even read it, she always enjoyed meeting board members on those occasions when we attended road tailgates.

Four decades later, Girl celebrated her birthday the day before she lost a courageous 2 1/2 year battle with a vary rare cancer. Among her gifts was a birthday video from a certain basketball coach who plays on a court that bears his name. She loved his video.

Boy considers himself to be the luckiest boy who ever lived.
Beautiful story. The Eggplant very much still exists.
 
It was your basic plot of a Hallmark Channel movie only with me in it, plus fewer sweaters.

Boy attends SU inter squad basketball game and afterwards goes to a little place that no longer exists to meet up with friends he knew from college. One friend says “Dick, here is somebody I’d like you to meet”. Boy turned and looked into the loveliest brown eyes he had ever seen. Boy shares a drink and a dance with the Girl. Afterwards, the group goes to the Allnight Eggplant (does that still exist?) for a late night snack.

A few days later, Boy calls Girl and asks her out. Their first date is at the Ichiban Japanese Steakhouse in Liverpool. Nine weeks later they are engaged. Yep, just nine weeks. Somehow they just clicked and somehow they both just knew.

Girl graduated from Harpur College…now the University of Binghamton…and got her Masters from SU. Boy got his undergrad degree from SU and also did some graduate work there. Girl brought culture to the relationship in the form of season tickets to Syracuse Stage, Boy brought culture to the relationship in the form of guys wearing Orange uniforms and playing sports.

Boy and Girl were married on a beautiful Autumn day and marched off into the unknown. They raised two wonderful sons and had an incredible life together.

Girl became a diehard SU fan, and although she didn’t post on the board or even read it, she always enjoyed meeting board members on those occasions when we attended road tailgates.

Four decades later, Girl celebrated her birthday the day before she lost a courageous 2 1/2 year battle with a vary rare cancer. Among her gifts was a birthday video from a certain basketball coach who plays on a court that bears his name. She loved his video.

Boy considers himself to be the luckiest boy who ever lived.

Wonderful story. And sorry about your wife.
 
It was your basic plot of a Hallmark Channel movie only with me in it, plus fewer sweaters.

Boy attends SU inter squad basketball game and afterwards goes to a little place that no longer exists to meet up with friends he knew from college. One friend says “Dick, here is somebody I’d like you to meet”. Boy turned and looked into the loveliest brown eyes he had ever seen. Boy shares a drink and a dance with the Girl. Afterwards, the group goes to the Allnight Eggplant (does that still exist?) for a late night snack.

A few days later, Boy calls Girl and asks her out. Their first date is at the Ichiban Japanese Steakhouse in Liverpool. Nine weeks later they are engaged. Yep, just nine weeks. Somehow they just clicked and somehow they both just knew.

Girl graduated from Harpur College…now the University of Binghamton…and got her Masters from SU. Boy got his undergrad degree from SU and also did some graduate work there. Girl brought culture to the relationship in the form of season tickets to Syracuse Stage, Boy brought culture to the relationship in the form of guys wearing Orange uniforms and playing sports.

Boy and Girl were married on a beautiful Autumn day and marched off into the unknown. They raised two wonderful sons and had an incredible life together.

Girl became a diehard SU fan, and although she didn’t post on the board or even read it, she always enjoyed meeting board members on those occasions when we attended road tailgates.

Four decades later, Girl celebrated her birthday the day before she lost a courageous 2 1/2 year battle with a vary rare cancer. Among her gifts was a birthday video from a certain basketball coach who plays on a court that bears his name. She loved his video.

Boy considers himself to be the luckiest boy who ever lived.
I hate the overused word amazing, but it does work here. I like you married quick. My wife and I married 5 weeks after we met. That was 47 years ago!
 
It was your basic plot of a Hallmark Channel movie only with me in it, plus fewer sweaters.

Boy attends SU inter squad basketball game and afterwards goes to a little place that no longer exists to meet up with friends he knew from college. One friend says “Dick, here is somebody I’d like you to meet”. Boy turned and looked into the loveliest brown eyes he had ever seen. Boy shares a drink and a dance with the Girl. Afterwards, the group goes to the Allnight Eggplant (does that still exist?) for a late night snack.

A few days later, Boy calls Girl and asks her out. Their first date is at the Ichiban Japanese Steakhouse in Liverpool. Nine weeks later they are engaged. Yep, just nine weeks. Somehow they just clicked and somehow they both just knew.

Girl graduated from Harpur College…now the University of Binghamton…and got her Masters from SU. Boy got his undergrad degree from SU and also did some graduate work there. Girl brought culture to the relationship in the form of season tickets to Syracuse Stage, Boy brought culture to the relationship in the form of guys wearing Orange uniforms and playing sports.

Boy and Girl were married on a beautiful Autumn day and marched off into the unknown. They raised two wonderful sons and had an incredible life together.

Girl became a diehard SU fan, and although she didn’t post on the board or even read it, she always enjoyed meeting board members on those occasions when we attended road tailgates.

Four decades later, Girl celebrated her birthday the day before she lost a courageous 2 1/2 year battle with a vary rare cancer. Among her gifts was a birthday video from a certain basketball coach who plays on a court that bears his name. She loved his video.

Boy considers himself to be the luckiest boy who ever lived.
Beautiful, beautiful story. I'll have to return to this thread later. You're making me cry at work lol.
 
Got in town yesterday. Today I took a long walk on the Erie Canal Towpath where in my younger days I used to run 50 miles a week.

Swung through Watertree, where in 1979 I closed on a condo in the morning and then that night met the beautiful girl to whom I would be married for 40 years. Pretty good day that was.

Visited my parents graves then the church where my late wife and I were married 42 years ago next month.

Parked my car in the increasingly congested area around Marshall Street and headed up to campus. I like the new sign at the top of University Ave. Wandered up to the quad and took in the sight of the roller coaster looming majestically over The Artist Formerly Known as The Carrier Dome. Headed over to visit the building that now houses my old academic department. Looks like one of my old profs now has a lecture hall named after him. Well done.

Strolled down for a slice of my favorite pizza in the world at The Varsity. The mens room doesn’t look like has been updated since my SU days but I guess that is what is known as tradition. Replenished my SU wardrobe at the usual places and then drove through my childhood neighborhood in the eastern suburbs followed by a drive through the neighborhood my family lived in the western suburbs prior to moving to Michigan in 1991. Stopped for a cone at Peter’s Polar Parlor and called it an afternoon. Dinner tonight at Joey’s with old friends.

It doesn’t get much better for your old buddy Dick in Michigan but the SU game on Saturday with my niece will be the icing on the cake.

Great to be back home.

Dick, may we all be fortunate enough to live a life as fully as you have lived yours, while maintaining the wherewithal to understand what really matters and how lucky we have been. Cheers to you.
 
It was your basic plot of a Hallmark Channel movie only with me in it, plus fewer sweaters.

Boy attends SU inter squad basketball game and afterwards goes to a little place that no longer exists to meet up with friends he knew from college. One friend says “Dick, here is somebody I’d like you to meet”. Boy turned and looked into the loveliest brown eyes he had ever seen. Boy shares a drink and a dance with the Girl. Afterwards, the group goes to the Allnight Eggplant (does that still exist?) for a late night snack.

A few days later, Boy calls Girl and asks her out. Their first date is at the Ichiban Japanese Steakhouse in Liverpool. Nine weeks later they are engaged. Yep, just nine weeks. Somehow they just clicked and somehow they both just knew.

Girl graduated from Harpur College…now the University of Binghamton…and got her Masters from SU. Boy got his undergrad degree from SU and also did some graduate work there. Girl brought culture to the relationship in the form of season tickets to Syracuse Stage, Boy brought culture to the relationship in the form of guys wearing Orange uniforms and playing sports.

Boy and Girl were married on a beautiful Autumn day and marched off into the unknown. They raised two wonderful sons and had an incredible life together.

Girl became a diehard SU fan, and although she didn’t post on the board or even read it, she always enjoyed meeting board members on those occasions when we attended road tailgates.

Four decades later, Girl celebrated her birthday the day before she lost a courageous 2 1/2 year battle with a vary rare cancer. Among her gifts was a birthday video from a certain basketball coach who plays on a court that bears his name. She loved his video.

Boy considers himself to be the luckiest boy who ever lived.
dude after that story with the tears in my eyes you better get your a$$ down to the Fine Mess/SyraCruz tailgate so I can give ya the man hug of your life bro! Wow great stuff.
 
Rotnour Bridge. Sure do remember it. If you think driving over it was a white knuckler, you should have tried walking across it as a buddy of mine and I did several times walking to Minoa. The right side heading to Fremont had a walkway. It was torn down in 1972.

View attachment 220008
I grew up in Dewitt but don't remember Fremont or the bridge but I'm sure I was in that town and over that bridge more than once.

Looking at the map, I'm surprised to see the Arrowhead, Wo-Na, Poosbrooke, and Old Oak golf courses which weren't there when I was - not to mention Rogue's Roost, Casolwood, and Woodcrest. Are any of those good courses?
 
I grew up in Dewitt but don't remember Fremont or the bridge but I'm sure I was in that town and over that bridge more than once.

Looking at the map, I'm surprised to see the Arrowhead, Wo-Na, Poosbrooke, and Old Oak golf courses which weren't there when I was - not to mention Rogue's Roost, Casolwood, and Woodcrest. Are any of those good courses?

Arrowhead and Rogues Roost aren’t too bad. The others not so much.
 
It was your basic plot of a Hallmark Channel movie only with me in it, plus fewer sweaters.

Boy attends SU inter squad basketball game and afterwards goes to a little place that no longer exists to meet up with friends he knew from college. One friend says “Dick, here is somebody I’d like you to meet”. Boy turned and looked into the loveliest brown eyes he had ever seen. Boy shares a drink and a dance with the Girl. Afterwards, the group goes to the Allnight Eggplant (does that still exist?) for a late night snack.

A few days later, Boy calls Girl and asks her out. Their first date is at the Ichiban Japanese Steakhouse in Liverpool. Nine weeks later they are engaged. Yep, just nine weeks. Somehow they just clicked and somehow they both just knew.

Girl graduated from Harpur College…now the University of Binghamton…and got her Masters from SU. Boy got his undergrad degree from SU and also did some graduate work there. Girl brought culture to the relationship in the form of season tickets to Syracuse Stage, Boy brought culture to the relationship in the form of guys wearing Orange uniforms and playing sports.

Boy and Girl were married on a beautiful Autumn day and marched off into the unknown. They raised two wonderful sons and had an incredible life together.

Girl became a diehard SU fan, and although she didn’t post on the board or even read it, she always enjoyed meeting board members on those occasions when we attended road tailgates.

Four decades later, Girl celebrated her birthday the day before she lost a courageous 2 1/2 year battle with a vary rare cancer. Among her gifts was a birthday video from a certain basketball coach who plays on a court that bears his name. She loved his video.

Boy considers himself to be the luckiest boy who ever lived.
Thank you so much for blessing us with this true life fairytale. Nine weeks!!

Amazing. Brought a smile to my face.
 
dude after that story with the tears in my eyes you better get your a$$ down to the Fine Mess/SyraCruz tailgate so I can give ya the man hug of your life bro! Wow great stuff.
Two blocks west of the stadium?
 
By the way, which building houses your old academic dept?
 
It was your basic plot of a Hallmark Channel movie only with me in it, plus fewer sweaters.

Boy attends SU inter squad basketball game and afterwards goes to a little place that no longer exists to meet up with friends he knew from college. One friend says “Dick, here is somebody I’d like you to meet”. Boy turned and looked into the loveliest brown eyes he had ever seen. Boy shares a drink and a dance with the Girl. Afterwards, the group goes to the Allnight Eggplant (does that still exist?) for a late night snack.

A few days later, Boy calls Girl and asks her out. Their first date is at the Ichiban Japanese Steakhouse in Liverpool. Nine weeks later they are engaged. Yep, just nine weeks. Somehow they just clicked and somehow they both just knew.

Girl graduated from Harpur College…now the University of Binghamton…and got her Masters from SU. Boy got his undergrad degree from SU and also did some graduate work there. Girl brought culture to the relationship in the form of season tickets to Syracuse Stage, Boy brought culture to the relationship in the form of guys wearing Orange uniforms and playing sports.

Boy and Girl were married on a beautiful Autumn day and marched off into the unknown. They raised two wonderful sons and had an incredible life together.

Girl became a diehard SU fan, and although she didn’t post on the board or even read it, she always enjoyed meeting board members on those occasions when we attended road tailgates.

Four decades later, Girl celebrated her birthday the day before she lost a courageous 2 1/2 year battle with a vary rare cancer. Among her gifts was a birthday video from a certain basketball coach who plays on a court that bears his name. She loved his video.

Boy considers himself to be the luckiest boy who ever lived.
Was it the Watering Tree Tavern where you met? A great story and thank you for sharing it :)
 
Two blocks west of the stadium?
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Pretty much, I’ll be the guy in orange at the grill running around like a lunatic as I am head chef. The menu is Chicago Italian beef flown in from Chicago as well as Chicago style hotdogs, coneys, pancakes sausage eggs home fries breakfast pizza, chicken skewers and some kind of dessert. Hope to see you!
 

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