Well, I had the pleasure of sharing Joe's birthday with him this year, something that I hadn't been able to do for several years. He's my brother, and I don't get to see him often because he lives on the other side of the country. Actually, I got to spend about 12 days with him because he flew out to Wisconsin to help us with our move to Florida. I think it was a usual Joe Offer road trip, because he took my car and meandered through Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama and Florida on the way, seeking out lighthouses, state capitol buildings, churches, and whatever else interested him along the way. Just what you would expect from Joe.

When we got here, Joe immediately set to work with several home improvement projects on our new house, asking for nothing more than beer and pizza as compensation. He was a tremendous help, and probably saved us big money and lots of aggravation. Again, just what you would expect from Joe.

On his birthday, Joe insisted on cooking for the family...just what you would expect from Joe.

It's nice to know that Joe is "greatly respected". When someone is part of your family you don't tend to think of them in that way. You just love him like a brother. Happy birthmonth, Joe.