and two nice cars. I don't think they have much in the way of investment assets, but because they have no debt, good cash flow, and a salable business, their financial worries seem to be nonexistent.
After Sunday brunch, Sue and I head back to Ann Arbor. On the way out of town, we stop at Heaven's Gate Nursing Home. I still can't believe they named it that. Our only living grandparent, my grandmother, has been "waiting at the gate" for five years now. The doctors claim she is in excellent mental health, but I fear otherwise. Last week she predicted the Lions were going to win next year's Super Bowl.
Finally, we arrive back in Ann Arbor and spend Sunday evening recovering from the hectic weekend.
However, this upcoming weekend, our once-a-month routine will be slightly altered. On Friday, instead of going out after dinner, Sue and I are staying at my parents' so I can talk to my father. When I phoned him yesterday, I simply said that I needed to talk to him. I did not go into any details.
What a mistake! Mom called back five minutes later in hysterics. "Are Susan and the baby all right?" she de-manded. "Are you all right? Did Cathy tell you something she hasn't told us? Are—"
To prevent my mother's impending coronary, I inter-rupted her barrage of questions and told her what I wanted to talk to Dad about—our finances.
Did it help? No. My mother persisted.
"Do you need money?" she continued anxiously. "Are you in trouble? Does this have to do with the time you—"
"No, Mom! I just need some basic financial planning advice."