Len Penzo dot Com

The offbeat personal finance blog for responsible people.

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Grandfather Says

Original oil painting by: Grandfather’s wife

The remarkable RD Blakeslee (1931 – 2024) built his net worth by only investing in that which can be enjoyed during acquisition and throughout life, as opposed to papers in a drawer, like stocks and bonds. Len Penzo dot Com is grateful for the opportunity to share his inspiring and very entertaining musings and stories from his fascinating life in the biweekly “Grandfather Says” series. You can catch a fresh entry here every other Thursday. Enjoy!

  1. The Benefits of DIY Housing
  2. Never Underestimate the Utility of a Trebuchet
  3. What’s the Value of a Song?
  4. One Good Thing About Getting Old
  5. A Lesson on the Benefits of Working Smartly
  6. The Correct Way to Cope with Adversity
  7. The Miracle of Birth
  8. The Joys of Part-Time Farming
  9. Headless Horsemen and Horseless Carriages
  10. A Big Secret for Doing Well in Life
  11. Thanksgiving Greetings from West Virginia!
  12. A Few Words on Religious Conviction
  13. The DIY Harpsichord
  14. MLK’s Dream
  15. The Travails of Working with Stone
  16. The Importance of Self-Confidence and Independence
  17. Grandfather’s House and Custom-Built Stairs
  18. Something Beautiful That Money Can Never Buy
  19. Only Clean Firewood Will Do
  20. Net Worth and Real Value
  21. A Lesson on Real Estate Development
  22. A Few Words About Counterculture
  23. The Joy of Teachable Moments
  24. He’s a Cowman (He Hasn’t Been a Boy in Years)
  25. Here’s a Clever Way to Change Neighborhoods
  26. Coyote Countermeasures
  27. The Magic of Cape Hatteras
  28. The Dog Days are Here
  29. The Family Trip to Maine
  30. Grandmother’s College Graduation
  31. How I Order Pizza
  32. The Majesty of Trees
  33. The Meaning of Life
  34. Sophistication is Overrated
  35. The Veterans’ List
  36. Recipes, Recipes, Recipes
  37. A Quick Thought on Hubris
  38. The Alaskan Cabin on Chilkat Lake
  39. Remembering Grandfather’s Grandfather
  40. My Life as a Soldier
  41. Observations About Blessings
  42. A Look Back at the 29 Cars I’ve Owned
  43. Strange Dreams
  44. The Difference Between Cats and Dogs
  45. I’m ‘Bout Half
  46. Remembering an Old Friend
  47. The Beauty of Alaska
  48. A Fond Look Back at My Love of Fishing
  49. Political Anarchy
  50. The Story of Dan and Ralph
  51. High Wire Theater and Church Improvements
  52. A 4th of July to Remember
  53. Are You Ready for Retirement?
  54. The Discovery of Argobrite’s Cave
  55. The Carnegie Hall in Lewisburg
  56. The Little Kite That Could
  57. My Adventures With Model Airplanes
  58. Great Grandfather’s Stained Glass Windows
  59. Here Comes the Lightning Round!
  60. The Little Engine That Couldn’t
  61. I Think, Therefore I Am
  62. The Ghost of Major Alvah L. Miller
  63. Woody the Antique Dealer
  64. The Story of the Cowhide Guitar
  65. Run, Run, Rudolph!
  66. Twas a Time When Coal Was Used to Heat Houses
  67. The Rise of the Machines
  68. Grandfather’s Puppy
  69. The Boy ‘Is Just Who He Is’
  70. A Personal Portrait of My Time In Bergamo, Italy
  71. Musings on an Old-Time Liberal Education
  72. A Few Words on Our Nation’s Travails
  73. Western Civilization Is Out of Fashion
  74. Remembering Grandfather’s Father
  75. Some Thoughts on Building a Life-Long Homestead
  76. There Is No Escape from the Present
  77. Preparing for Hard Times
  78. A Trophy for the Natural
  79. Memories of a Budding Shipwright
  80. A Chicken Run for the Henhouse
  81. Happiness and Living in the Right Mold
  82. My First Job as a Newspaper Boy
  83. Spelling Bee
  84. Eulogy for a Friend
  85. Impressions In Charcoal
  86. The Story of Emile and Mollie
  87. The Heyday of Art & Culture
  88. Holiday Wishes!
  89. A Wintry View of My Raised-Bed Vegetable Garden
  90. Introducing the Art of Grandfather’s Wife, Tatjana
  91. The Early Birds
  92. Croc Hunting in Mindanao
  93. The Pogo Stick Snowshoe
  94. Testing an Experimental Battery Fire Container
  95. A Heartfelt Poem
  96. Signs of the Time
  97. The Saint & The Money Man
  98. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine
  99. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 2
  100. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 3
  101. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 4 
  102. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 5
  103. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 6
  104. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 7
  105. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 8
  106. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 9
  107. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 10
  108. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 11
  109. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 12
  110. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 13
  111. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 14
  112. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 15
  113. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 16
  114. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 17
  115. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 18
  116. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 19
  117. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 20
  118. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 21
  119. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 22
  120. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 23
  121. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 24
  122. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 25
  123. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 26
  124. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 27
  125. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 28
  126. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 29
  127. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 30
  128. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 31
  129. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 32
  130. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 33
  131. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 34
  132. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 35
  133. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 36
  134. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 37
  135. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 38
  136. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 39
  137. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 40
  138. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 41
  139. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 42
  140. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 43
  141. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 44
  142. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 45
  143. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 46
  144. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 47 
  145. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 48
  146. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 49
  147. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 50
  148. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 51
  149. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 52 
  150. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 53 
  151. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 54
  152. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 55
  153. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 56
  154. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 57 
  155. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 58
  156. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 59
  157. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 60
  158. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 61
  159. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 62
  160. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 63
  161. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 64
  162. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 65
  163. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 66 (Coming May 8th!)
  164. The Continuing Chronicles of Elaine, Part 67 (Coming May 22nd!)