I am in Mentor, Ohio this weekend, pet and house-sitting for friend Jodi. This is my old stomping ground, and I decided to take a cruise up to the lake (Lake Erie) to a couple of small parks from my childhood. First, the landscape has changed in the Lakeshore Blvd. and Mentor-on-the-Lake area, but I could still pick out familiar houses, churches and even businesses (yay.)

Housing developments, condos and apartments have sprung up on what used to be farmland. Two lane roads are now three and four-lanes with lots of traffic lights at new intersections and shopping center entrances. A Dairy Queen sits where my first library used to be. My car thermometer said 97 degrees. The Walgreen’s sign said 95. The humidity is about a million percent. Ugh.

Anyway, the first park at the end of Andrews, was full of cars—187 classic and hot rod cars plus a full parking lot of spectators. This was the 16^th year for the city-sponsored Labor Day event. Looked like it was going to be a success with blue, sunny skies, the hint of a breeze and Lake Erie as the backdrop. The 1970 Camaro ("ITZQWK" below) brought back memories of my first car, a '72 Camaro, gold with tan bucket seats. In the winter the locks froze--open--and the defroster didn't work. I commuted 10 miles back and forth to Lakeland CC with a rope wound around the console and seat holding the door shut and my head out the window.

Nice to be back in the old 'hood. Lots of interesting hood ornaments today. . .