In the front yard of 185 Rustic Place, on a beautiful September day in 1983, multi-colored balloons floated to the sky.  Susan Simms and Bob Palmer had just exchanged marriage vows in the living room of their “new” Old Beechwold home and were celebrating.  In the ensuing 33+ years the house endured four kids, more than four remodels [one resulting in a life-size tree in the kitchen] and many more celebrations.

        However, the four kids who all started their interests while ‘banging’ around (literally) at 185 now pursue their passions in places beyond Old Beechwold:  Son Matthew lives on an island in the Pacific Northwest where he creates metal, stone, and wood sculptures and paintings. [See his work at matthewgraypalmer.com] Son Chuck is a drummer, sound engineer, composer and producer based in Brooklyn, NY most recently involved in composing and producing the score for the movie “Blind” with Alec Baldwin [See chuckpalmermusic.com].   Third son Max is a professional skateboarder sponsored by NIKE, Carhartt, etc. He is based in Brooklyn but has been flown to various exotic places --Korea, Copenhagen, Berlin, Montreal, Los Angeles, Puerto Rico -- to skateboard for videos.  He is also an artist. [See You Tube for skating and Maxspalmer.com for art].  The house still echoes with the banging of hammers, drums and skateboards.

         Having lived through the banging boys, youngest kid and only daughter JJ became a mountain woman. She is currently leading multi-week backpacking trips in the quiet Colorado Rockies for Outward Bound, and in Utah as a field guide for Open Sky Wilderness Therapy.  She lives in Durango, Colorado when not pitching a tent. [See her on Facebook dangling from cliff walls]

       While they often get to travel and visit their ducklings, the Simms Palmer parents linger at 185.  Susan, an OSU law school graduate who practiced law for 15 years, and then became a Professor at Capital Law school for 18 fun years, has just retired.  She now is on the flip side of the podium taking art classes, piano lessons, film and Spanish classes at OSU/CSCC and wondering how she ever found time to work.    Bob, a Washington University law school grad and USAF JAG, has been a trial lawyer for 40 years but is now primarily a private Mediator [See rgpalmerlaw.com]. Bob also served on the Historic Resources Commission for many years and is currently the OBA President. Always a ham, he also enjoys doing some acting and commercials. [See the WOSU TV Neighborhoods “Clintonville” for his portrayal of smarmy Pat Murnan--the mover and shaker behind Graceland]. 

       Bob celebrated his 70th birthday last year with an individual adventure with each kid. He did a 4 day sea kayaking trip with Matthew in the Salish Sea, made a record in a NYC recording studio with Chuck, built a skate “mini-Jersey” and an arc rail with Max in his Brooklyn art studio, and made it through a 3 day backpacking trip at 11,000 feet in the Elk Mountains of Colorado with JJ.

Next adventure for the Simms Palmers is taking an extensive Spanish emersion course in San Miquel de Allende, Mexico.  But, as ever, we will come back to Old Beechwold to celebrate more life here at 185. 

Vida es buena en casa.

 

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