Pittsburgh born and bred journalist Jim O'Brien likes to write about his family, particularly the women in his family. This book is a collection of stories he has written about his mother, his mother-in-law, his wife and their daughters, their granddaughter and a beloved dog. So these are stories about Mary O'Brien, Barbara Churchman, Kathie O'Brien and daughters, Sarah and Rebecca, granddaughter Margaret, or Maggie, and a grandpuppy named Bailey.

These are portraits of a Pittsburgh family, but you will find familiar themes and events in their lives that relate to your family and your own expe­riences. It's about births and deaths, triumphs and disappointments, schooldays, graduations, weddings, reunions, the challenges posed by teenagers and elderly parents. There are smiles and tears.

Jim is a people watcher, and a bit of a snoop who has often been scolded by his wife and children for eavesdropping on conversations at nearby tables in restaurants. He examines every­ day situations, the simplest stuff, seeking to dis­cover how to raise children, how to keep a wife happy, how to be a good son and how to look after and, eventually, say goodbye to loved ones.

These pieces, written in a weekly column for 14 years in The Almanac and The Valley Mirror, are personal observations and reflections on a common experience. Hopefully, as you read them, you might reflect as well and say, "I can relate to that."

Introduction
Starting off on Sunnyside Street
Bea Schwartz was a special secretary
Driving Miss Sarah a real trip
Not Easy leaving Sarah at music camp at Chautauqua
This Dreamland turns into a nightmare
Going back to Grove City
Pining for the perfect Christmas tree
Saying goodbye to your mother is difficult
Snake dance becoming a family tradition
Why do daughters grow up so quickly?
Sled riding is good for the heart
Wary of a fast break in West Virginia
Getting out of line in a funeral procession
June was just busting out all over
Cruising Pittsburgh’s rivers and reminiscing
There will be rainy days in college, too
It’s difficult to say goodbye in many ways
Best present delivered in the mail
Saying goodbye to a barbecue grill
Driving Miss Rebecca was a real challenge
Nancy is both a hair stylist and a psychiatrist
The summer all my girls went to work
They really were good ol’ boys
No nunsense with Sister Ann Patricia
Worrying about the weather and the kids
It doesn’t get any easier to swap cars
From Graduation Day to Father’s Day
Preparing an empty nest at our home
Keeping good company key to success
There’s no hamster in our house any Moe
Moe on my late dwarf hamster
Why we’re rooting for the Dean of basketball
Some weeks just seem holier than others do
Birthday and Mother’s Day come early again
Bill Priatko’s mother gave her kids the greatest gift
The sweet smell of a successful marriage
Dancing down the aisle with a smile again
First cars aren’t supposed to be sensible
My heart goes on as my two girls grow up
In the pink as family wedding day approaches
Lightning, thunder accompany wedding bells
Bailey is next best thing to a grandchild
Kids at play a picture out of pleasant past
Weekends with Bailey bring out the best in dog people
Delivering first baby is a special thrill for doctors
Rain is a reminder of special day in our lives
Discovering a former student has become Clemente
Anniversary cruise along the city’s three rivers
Thankful for those who assist my mother
Hello, Columbus and goodbye, Rebecca
My mother hasn’t forgotten how to say “thank you”
Walking a high wire at Dad’s Weekend at Ohio U.
Letting go of children is always difficult for most parents
No ‘Top Dog’ certificate appears in store for Bailey
Having a daughter become a doctor
Mom simply doesn’t remember as much anymore
A patriot in Ligonier likes to open home for visitors
It won’t be snowing in May in my backyard anymore
It took a long time before it was finally Father’s Day
A priceless photo provides a smile in difficult time
Bad news doesn’t invade Mom’s world anymore
Ghosts of Christmas past can be found everywhere
This year should be a happier year for our family
You’re never alone when you are grieving over a loss
Every visit to Mom now is on Valentine’s Day
Celebrating Mother’s Day in a very special way
A memorable interview with Ted Williams
Milestones are reminders of a road well traveled
Cousins come together for reunion on an idyllic farm
Christmas season was always busy with my mother
Be sure to have a good book and a Scrabble board, too
It kept you younger to be somebody’s ‘good kid’
Sunny Southern California is someplace special, too
Yes, there’s a doctor in the church
Enjoying a holiday party in a hospital
Trying to find the perfect Valentine’s Day card
Maggie could feel the thunder at Pitt-UConn contest
I’m ready to be Maggie’s grandpap any day now
A truly memorable Mother’s Day and then some
Father’s Day is different for all of us from now on