We're in a small enough community that we get to know people over the years and like anyone, we have time together and time also pulls us apart some. Back in about 2005 I was ready to move into a little more permanent place to call home and found a condo in Roosevelt Park that was a great first step away from apartment life and one key thing about that was that it had a basement in it so I could build a little studio, do some "side work" that turned into my actual living, and with that new home came 20 exceptional neighbors who were all welcoming and wonderful. Neighbors being neighbors, cordial, friendly and helpful, but you never really know what's going on, right?
Well, directly next door, Georgia Moss was busy too. She is a life long teacher, a life long learner and a deeply caring and kind woman. Did I have the first clue that she too was a creative and working her fingers to the bone on writing books? Nope. I did however know she was keeping busy helping at tutoring and literacy programs, working to help kids with their ability to be smarter, stronger and believe in themselves and she gave up most of her free time to do just that. On occasion, there would be some nieces and nephews that came for a visit I remember, I always did my solid best to have something on hand to sugar them up with. We were happy neighbors. Those nieces and nephews though...turns out there was much more to the story.
When Georgia was little, there was "Uncle Buddy". We all had "that uncle" I hope. The one who was a little less cautious than the parents, still carried the values and purpose of course but being an uncle, or as some might say "funkle" there may have been a blind eye turned to some mischief or a bag full of treats and candy in tow. This was the case of "Uncle Buddy". A Pullman Car Steward by trade, Uncle Buddy provided Georgia and her siblings those times and memories that all kids take forward and hopefully return as life flashes by. Georgia reflects on the pretty humble means that her family had, but "Uncle Buddy" came in BIG in the eyes of a child with snacks, fun and a way to get valuable life lessons in with a little different slant than what might come from mom and dad. Effective still, but maybe without the thought of "what if" like you'd find with parents.
Georgia has put it all into her second book aptly titled "Uncle Buddy", which is a children's book illustrated by Jeffery VanDyke and available from Mays Multimedia. It was my distinct pleasure to welcome Georgia on to talk about her book, catch up a little and hear all about "Uncle Buddy". Take a listen.
Ordered our copy for the grand runts and of all we talked about in Georgia's book, maybe you caught on to the idea that I am kind of excited to know someone with a direct connection to a Pullman Train Steward. So maybe I can slip in a little history about those guys while we share the stories and memories that Georgia details with a very important educational twist and lives up to all she's worked for to help kids with reading. We're excited to help share the news about this book and we're very fortunate to see yet another amazing thig coming right out of Muskegon and heading up in a very quick way to much bigger things. Thank you Georgia for meeting up with us today and thanks too for your years as a great neighbor and friend. You help us all be better people. You can visit georgiaannmossbooks.com for a copy of "Uncle Buddy" or to learn more about her other book "Messages of Spiritual Sustenance".
