#231  Cathy Howe  - Back to Book 3

For me, The Belvedere holds many of my childhood memories, has given me friends across many generations that I will hold dear until my last breath and is a place I look forward to passing on to my daughter Filley and her family.

To say The Belve means the world to me would be putting it mildly...my Grandfather David Davis Walker started coming to Charlevoix Michigan in the 1940’s

And owned #502, now known as the Crook Cottage. My mom and her sisters would share this cottage in the summers and so summer fun began...

My earliest memories of life on the Belvedere included the usual things, Gang, Dairy Queen runs, pennies on the railroad tracks, Petoskey stones, riding bikes, fudge, jumping off of the boat houses and the trestle and the “Beee Boah” sound of the 9:30 curfew siren.

In addition to the usual, we lived across the street from 201 THE Alexander’s !
This lucky piece of geography shaped my life...Tommy climbing in our windows, Bobby Rowe’s Camaro out on The Moss farm roads, Boggs donuts at midnight, Cardinal Puff with Aunt Stella, learning every cuss word I hold so dear from Uncle Bud, TTA wedgies, skipping gang, dating Chipper AND Richard, Bells Bay, Philips 2:00 wake up calls, and so much more.

After my grandfather died, the cottage was sold as I said to George and Emily Crook

Two of my “ later in life” favorites. My Mom, Carol Walker Kenny, started renting the Diefenbach cottage up on the Park...with this move came many beverages at the McKays, Phil spraining both ankles, Boz Scaggs, Chris Cross- Pousette-Dart band, Barbis itch from Bells Bay and the USS HML sailing race... Babsie’s fear of lightning, and “I think I’m gunna die” coming from the bathroom...let’s not forget Young Annie Fords “new” toothbrush.

Eventually, Mom bought #231 from Sissy(Donut) Chamberlain...with this move came Filley starting gang, Ernie Meenie Miny F——Mo, black out and water ballon fight at Crooks, “Hello DD, Hello La”, my budding bridge career, lots of scotch and Nelson deciding the Belvedere was IT over Harbor Springs, and the infamous monogrammed golf cart with moms initials...CWKMKZM...

This brings me to the most cherished memories: Filley learning to ride a bike, “ let’s play family” with Beth and Brandt, Filleys nature walks with Aunt Julie, GramB teaching Fill about flowers and mushrooms, Peggy and Tui taking Fill to DQ and Gang, BarbieC doing handstands stands and somersaults in Aunt Stella’s living room, Filley growing up with all of her cousins and friends, solidifying great friends for life then going on to be a Gang leader herself...thus bringing up the next generation and the continuation of Belvedere Family ties...and now as of April 30, 2019 another Gangster has joined the ranks, our granddaughter, Capen...

So, the beat goes on............