History & politics
Who changed the country? What moments still shape the lives we live?
Coffee, a porch, or a beer with Grandpa
We’ll pretend to do some work.
We might even do some.
Sam is an exuberantly curious extrovert who loves meeting people, listening to the stories behind their lives, and learning about whatever they’re excited to talk about.
Plan a visit
The menu is open
Pick a conversation.
Or surprise me.
I’m curious about just about everything. Choose a topic, mix a few together, or take the scenic route. I love meeting people and learning the stories behind them.
Art, music & dancing
What song takes you somewhere? Salsa, bachata, merengue, no partner or experience required.
Family & parenting
Family traditions, adoption, raising kids, and the funny parts nobody warned us about.
Woods, gardens & ecology
I’m no hunter or fisherman, but I love forest ecology, wildlife habitat, and getting the honeysuckle out of your sight line.
Books, writing & big ideas
Bring a book, a half-finished memoir, or a question that doesn’t have an easy answer.
Your life story
Where have you lived? What work mattered? What’s the story your grandkids should know?
Robots, AI & the future
Will robots take our jobs, clean the house, or finally load the dishwasher correctly?
Food, cooking & family recipes
Best pie in the county? A recipe nobody wrote down? What’s for supper, and who’s bringing dessert?
Science, space & how things work
Black holes, bird brains, weather, inventions, the human body, or a question from the grandkids.
Travel & local adventures
Favorite places, roadside oddities, the Illinois River, Starved Rock, or somewhere still on your list.
Work, business & the way things change
Jobs you loved, businesses you built, money, real estate, technology, and lessons learned the interesting way.
Sports, hobbies & happy obsessions
Teams, old cars, birdwatching, model trains, quilting, fishing stories (I’ll listen!), or your latest rabbit hole.
Faith, philosophy & what matters
Belief, meaning, love, community, and the questions people carry across a lifetime.
Surprise me. Or just listen.
Any topic is welcome. No topic, project, or plan is welcome too. Sometimes the best visit starts with someone willing to listen.
Grandmas, grandpas, neighbors, new friends
Good company doesn’t have an age limit.
Porch coffee with Grandma. A beer and a pretend workday with Grandpa. A check-in, a small project, or a visit just because. We’ll agree on the plan ahead of time, and Grandpa gets to pick the topic.
AN
AFTERNOON
WITH SAM
AFTERNOON
WITH SAM
A perfectly plausible afternoon
The brush pile gets smaller.
The afternoon goes fast.
Sam comes over to help clear honeysuckle. A little while later, the two of you are talking about Lyndon B. Johnson’s run for governor of Texas and the civil rights movement. The yard looks better. The conversation takes a few fascinating detours.
This is an illustrative example, not a customer testimonial. We would never make up a nice thing someone said about us. (Tempting, though.)