the Mahls

the long backyard of the house on Winckles abuts the backyard of the Mahl house which faces Prospect. Earl workd for the post office. he & his wife Helen had 8 kids. the oldest was Tom. we enterd kindergarten together at Garford School. later he went to Catholic schools but we'd see each other from time to time at Kent State (where one of Tom's English profs was David Meredith).

the next oldest was Patty. here's one of my favorite photos from chldhood. I presume the sled is my Silver Streak which I still have. that's me in the back   Tom in the middle   Patty in front.



a few years ago the Mahl progeny put out a cookbook Dinner at 410: Mom's Favorite Recipes. among the ingredients for egg noodles: "3 1/2 doz. eggs, separated (need yolks only: give whites to Helen Gildzen)." & indeed I remember not so long ago Tom brought over a jar of egg whites. his father was making noodles (his mother died last year).

Tom became a history professor   photographer   writer (Desparate Deception). he lives in his grandparents' old house on East Broad. Patty married Lawrence Kamba & lives outside Washington DC.

just before I left Elyria Patty made a surprise visit to "one of my favorite people" -- my mother. Patty & her husband were overnighting on a drive from Chantilly VA to Chicago. I mentiond to her the sled photo.

my cousin Sal took this picture of us:



I fear the reason Mom looks a bit dour is because she was only hours away from her regular saturday appointment with the hairdresser & probably wasn't happy abt being photographd pre-do.