Throwback Thursday: The Chirren and Me, 1986

This was about 1986. I was cruising toward 40; my daughter Jennie was was 18 with big hair and an attitude, and Evan was 11 or 12 and trying to squeeze out an adult look.

The dog is Emmett Smith, who was named not for the football player, but for the clown, Emmett Kelly. Emmett was a beautiful boxer with active bowels. One did not walk behind Emmett.

The photo was shot on a hiking trail atop Roanoke Mountain and I don't recall who the photographer was. Could have been Kathryn Rhoads, whom I would later marry ("favorite ex-wife" until Christina and I got a divorce and Kathryn was bumped back to second place). The time's about right.

I often tell young photographers not to take pictures of people 40 or older from below their chins and this photo provides a good example why. This was taken before I had more than one chin (and substantially more belly), but you still get the impression of multiples.