July 25, 2026

Bill claims he loves me.

He claims he loves our oldest son.

But if there are free potatoes involved, we’re both competing for second place.

This photo was taken in Idaho on his way to Wyoming with our oldest son and his cousin Tom for a fly-fishing trip. They happened upon a place giving away FREE patatoes—their spelling, not mine—and Bill behaved exactly as you would expect.

He took all he could carry.

The smile on his face says it all.

This wasn’t a new obsession. Years ago he flew home from Idaho with a fifty-pound sack of potatoes because they were selling them for two cents a pound. Most people would have bought a few.

Bill bought fifty pounds.

I don’t remember how much the airline charged for the extra luggage, but I’m quite certain it exceeded the value of the potatoes.

Logic has never stood a chance against a bargain.

Or against Bill.

Looking back, I don’t think he was really collecting potatoes.

He was collecting stories.

And somehow, fifty pounds of Idaho potatoes have lasted a lot longer than fifty pounds of potatoes ever could.