Homer'sWorld

My grandfather, Harold Philip Feiger, was born on 9 September 1904. He would be 122 years old today. These are my memories of him.

The year I was five I did not go to kindergarten. I think my mother thought I was too small and maybe she wanted to have me around. She would later say it was the funnest year. Anyways, one day Grandpa and I went to the Hostess Day Old store and bought an entire bag of raspberry twinkies, which were then placed in the huge chest freezer in the basement. Everyday I would run next door, past the grape vines and the purple martin house, and go to Grandpa and Grandma's house. I was sent downstairs to get a package of Twinkies and Grandpa would eat one and I would eat one. He had given me and my brother leather wallet kits for Christmas and I would watch Grandpa as he assembled them.

One time he took me fishing at their cabin on Lake Ann. I do not remember if any fish were caught. I well remember seeing my grandpa chop the head off a chicken and the hen run away headless. I screamed. I also screamed when I went over to their house and in the kitchen sink was a bunch of frog legs, minus the rest of their bodies. They were wiggling.

Grandpa had a bee hive and I helped spin the honey off of the combs in a metal spinning device in his basement. He also made homemade wine, which was illegal in Michigan at that time. I watched as Grandma sucked on the hose to siphon the wine out of the glass jar into bottles. I still have a bottle from the last year he made wine (1971).

Grandpa was a Renaissance man and could do anything. He got a moose hide from somewhere and I would watch as he pulled it out of a soaking barrel and removed the hair and tissue. He tanned the hide, cut into strips, and wove in on the frames to made snowshoes, bending wood to make the frame, bolting the end with a copper bolt and rivet. He also made a little pony wagon for Babe.

When I was five my older brother Lee taught me to play with matches and I did so inside my sister's playhouse. A match fell on an old fabric-covered piano stool and it burst into the flames. The fire spread instantly and the whole interior was burning. I ran inside the house and told my mother that robbers had set the playhouse on fire. She put it out with a garden hose and then sent me next door for a spanking, which Grandpa forgot to do.

Grandpa and Grandma had two dogs. Daisy was a black and white collie who lived in the house. Dee-dee was a beagle who lived in a doghouse down by the black walnut trees. Apparently I named her because I could not pronounce Daisy and thought both dogs should have the same name.

Grandpa and Uncle Ray made a toy barn for me and my brother, we probably got that in either 1970 or 1971. My brother still has it.

Mrs Overman gave my brother some rabbits and we were told we had to separate the males from the females to prevent babies. We asked Grandpa and he told us that male rabbits had longer ears. So we put the long-eared rabbit in a separate cage and in a few weeks little baby bunnies appeared.

Grandpa had a large teepee that he put up near the upper garden. We used to look playing in it.

Grandpa was a chain smoker. He tried to quit, but couldn't. He had meat at every meal, that was what Grandma learned was healthy when she went to high school in the late 1920s. In April 1972 he had a heart attack and an ambulance came and took him away. He had already had a heart attack but didn't tell anyone, he was apparently afraid of doctors. He was at the hospital for a few days and one night as we were eating hotdogs Uncle Fred came to the door and said to my mother, "Carolyn, he's gone." I can still hear that. My brother Lee and I were not allowed to go to the funeral. We went next door where Aunt Judy was, and cleaned Grandma's house. 

My brother Lee, Grandpa, and me (Homer), circa 1965 or 1966.

I have often wondered what would have happened if he had lived longer, would all of the horrible things that happened been prevented?

Harold Philip Feiger, 1904-1972.

What a time to be alive. Every day some fresh bullshit to comprehend. Many times I am so filled with rage about Israeli genocide, corruption, Arch, Reflecting Pool, Ballroom, Garden of Heroes, War with Iran, a planned War with Cuba, etc., etc.

Anyways, the new Ford Bronco gets about 25 miles per gallon. With gasoline over $4.50 a gallon here in Tucson, it costs between $58 and $62 to fill the tank. Thanks Orange Child Raper! There have been a couple of times in the last month when I just felt depressed over the whole situation.

You can see how excited I am.

Matt and I, along with Paul and David, decided to go down to Bisbee last Saturday. We enjoyed the drive down to Fairbank, where we visited the schoolhouse museum.

Matt and I went to the Ford dealership to test drive a Ford Bronco. The cursed 2019 Hyundai Accent had been repaired for the second attempted steering wheel break in, and I had had enough.

Very cute salesman Alex showed us some Broncos. One was a loaner (the dealership loans out cars while repairs are being done) with 3,300 miles on it. It was 10,000 off. My car was valued at $5,000 trade in. I had taken out money from my 401k (right before the stock market tanked) and could pay cash. I drove it home that night.

It has some amazing things. My phone rings through the screen. It has the map function giving directions. Lovely AC. 

Still can't believe I have a super nice vehicle.

It feels like summer already here in Tucson. Temperatures in the 80s. Flowers and citrus trees blooming. It smells nice sitting on my porch except the many, many times the neighbor to the north smokes pot and the fumes drift towards me.

So last Sunday morning Matt saw that my rear passenger window was broken on the cursed car. And then I found that the steering column had been torn up. Again. Last time was in October 2024. So the cursed car is now at an auto repair place. Once fixed it is going away. No Hyundais for me EVER. I'm going to take money out of my 401K and purchase an SUV.

Puff.

Ruby.

Clyde.

Smokey.

Matt and I stopped by Habitat for Humanity and I purchased this painting for three dollars. I really like the skiers, bright and cheerful.

I go on the White House Facebook page and call Trump a FUCKING PEDOPHILE. Or other things. Last week Bette Midler liked my comment.

Cannot wait for the day, you know what...

Two months. 

November

In November Matt and I hosted our All Souls Procession Cocktail Party. I had made an Ofrenda for the Presidio Museum- theme Thrift Store Ancestors and a similar one for my dining room.

I was set up north to Kayenta to work on a survey. I had not been to that part of the state since 1989. Kayenta is on the Navajo Nation and it really is a different place. There was a stray dog that I really wanted to adopt, so friendly and sweet.

Monument Valley is nearby and I drove out toward it and sent Matt a selfie. 

He wanted to come see it. So the next week we drove to Flagstaff for the night and then to Kayenta the next day. We had an open-truck tour led by a Navajo woman named Helen. She would point out things, insisting we see various rock formations, "Sleeping E.T." Sometimes I could not see them. 

The next morning we had a horse ride in Monument Valley. The last time I was on a horse was in 1988. Halfway through the ride I had to find a bush. Getting back on took four attempts. Embarrassing.

I returned the following week to finish documenting sites. I could not find the sweet dog on the last day.

Thanksgiving was me, Matt, and I. I got a Tofurkey. It was tasty.

December

Elaborate decorations ensued. 

Animal tree.

Secretary scene.

I have been working on a very elaborate Holiday Lego Village. I had so much stuff I couldn't put all of it out.

Matt, me, and Gandalf AKA Buddy-Boo went to Ace and has our picture taken with Santa. That Ace store is my favorite, so many things!

Homer, Santa, Matt, and Gandalf.

Doug bought a table saw (I told him not to pay rent) and managed to saw through most of his left thumb. I took him to the emergency room. He was in the hospital for three days. They sewed it back together, but I have to take him on the 2nd to have the end removed. Worst Holiday present ever.

Our Cookie Decorating Party was on the 13th and about 30 or 40 people came. I had a contest, How Many Holiday Trees? With Lego prizes. Wally got first place and was super happy about the Christmas Lego set. 

Cookie decorating: Sean, Monica, Kirsten, Mina, and Grazi.

Decorated cookies.

Chris L. and I went to New Mexico to do a survey near Socorro. The project was on the Bosque de Apache Wildlife Refuge and there were interesting sites with pretty decorated ceramics. We also saw some of the sandhill cranes that winter there, ducks, and javelinas. 

New Mexico ceramics.

The last night Chris and I made Holiday Cards- he has a great time being creative.

Chris and his cards.

Homer's cards.

Holiday we opened presents. I got some nice Lego sets, a blanket, and some cooking items. I got Matt some Lego sets, cookbooks, and cheese-making kits. Doug came for lunch and I made macaroni and cheese, peas, green bean casserole (store bought), rolls, and a Nilla wafer, vanilla pudding, and banana trifle.

Holiday Tree with presents.

New Year's Eve

I stayed home from work, my back has been acting up again. United Healthcare decided I did not need the MRI my doctor ordered. Luckily we are changing insurance at work. Matt is in the kitchen making a fancy dinner. I turned all the Holiday lights on and decided I better update this blog.

Let's hope 2026 is an improvement over 2025. I used to be a nice person. Not any more. I want bad things to happen to bad people.

Anyways, here is a cute picture of us.