In this collection of stories, the author and his wife share memories of their rich and varied lives.

The stories begin with author Charles Francis Guittard’s childhood tales of being “polished” by his parents, each with their own specialties. His mother, herself “polished” by her own mother, oversaw such matters as manners, music, dancing, bridge, speech and teeth, among others. “If she had an apple for a teacher, she would have spitshined it before putting it on the teacher’s desk,” Guittard writes. While a childhood of so much instruction might seem lacking in fun, the young Guittard manages to lead a full and colorful life featuring bridge games, tennis, and dance lessons that did not include the “dirty bop.”

Guittard follows his childhood memories with a chronology of the romance with his third wife, Nancy Davis Labastida, including reprinting a heavy dose of emails as the two get to know each other. Once married, they attempt to catch up on what they’ve missed by meeting so late in life. She shares her “best prank” from her college days and the story of the time her family won the “Walking Man” contest, winning numerous prizes, including a Cadillac, washer and dryer, and diamond and ruby watch.

In Thinking Things Over, which ends with a light-hearted piece of fiction, the author shares not only the couple’s lives, but the culture of an era vastly different from the current one. He does so with an eye for the past that is nostalgic without being overly sentimental. Guittard’s best stories take place during those early years of “polishing.” The conversations with Nancy, while not as colorful, are nonetheless interesting, particularly her observations in Dallas on the day President John F. Kennedy was shot.

The emails are likely to interest mostly friends and family, but taken as a whole, this volume will appeal to those who remember the era when these stories took place and those who enjoy learning about it.

Also available in hardcover, ebook and audio book.