Robert Mueller discusses the report

Old Ebbitt Grill in Washington, DC - Creative Commons photo by David, Flickr 

It was a chilly evening in Washington, DC when I stepped into the Old Ebbitt Grill on 15th Street. I had never been here before but as soon as crossed its threshold, I recognized this small restaurant from a dozen other places around the country with a different name but the same feel.

Its dark interior, lit with only a small lamp on each table. The aroma of rich food and fine wine filled the air with a subtle scent of old leather. This is the place where Washingtonians of the Old Boy’s Club could safely meet with outsiders over a meal or drinks.

I spotted the man that I came here to see at a table in the corner. Depending on who one asked, he was either the man who gave Congress a roadmap to impeach the President of the United States or the man who lead a two-year long witch hunt; a witch hunt that would ultimately provide that same President with a total vindication.

“Hi, there, Frank,” he said as I approached his table.

“Good evening, Mr. Mueller,” I replied. “I can’t thank you enough for agreeing to talk with me tonight.”

“It’s okay,” he added with a subtle grin and a wink. “Susan spoke highly of you.”

Back during the summer of 1994, I served as a driver for Congressman John Dingell. He lived less than a mile from me and I got to chauffeur him around from campaign event to the next. It was during those moments driving from one stop to another that Mr. Dingell imparted at least shared of his wisdom with me.

5 Tips for Spring Lawn Cleaning

Spring 2019 is here at last. This means that the snow is gone and warm days are becoming more common. One of the things that this also means is that it's time to get everyone's lawn ready for the growing season.

To get everyone in the Warrendale neighborhood and beyond started with spring lawn care and clean up, I want to share five tips on what to do first. Ryan Knorr Lawn Care, a professional landscaper from Minnesota, created the video that I embedded above. It gives you a few simple suggestions for getting started.

One of the things that he suggests most strongly is getting a soil test done on your lawn. Loewes, English Gardens, and other stores in the Detroit area have kits available to test your lawn. However, I'm a fan of ordering one from Michigan State University. One can order it from MSU online here.

These five tips for spring lawn clean up as well as where one can get a soil test kit in the Detroit area are your Tip of the Week for April 22, 2019.

These tips are brought to you by the Warrendale (Detroit) Blog as part of our semi-regular Tip of the Week feature. Please check back every Monday for more advice on your home, money, and life.

Also, be sure to follow the author, Frank Nemecek, on Twitter and Instagram as @fnemecek for more great information.

Happy Easter, Detroit

I want to wish a happy Easter to everyone in the Warrendale neighborhood of Detroit and beyond. Christians will celebrate the Resurrection today. The non-religious will celebrate the return of spring. And all of us can celebrate the mountain of Easter candy and colored Easter eggs.

I will spend the Easter holiday with my Mom, my three brothers, and the rest of my family. I hope that everyone in Detroit is able to spend today with those that they love and who love them.

Happy Easter, Detroit.

Fire at the Notre Dame Cathedral

Firefighter - Stock Illustration/ Creative Commons

The city of Detroit was founded in 1701 as a French colony. For much of the 19th and 20th centuries, our community was known as the Paris of the Midwest because of its French heritage and influences. It is this context that I feel adds to my horror - and the horror that many of my neighbors feel - as we watch the news come in that Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris is engulfed in flames.

I pray this afternoon that Saint Florian, the Patron Saint of Firefighters, watches over, guides, and protects the estimated 400 firefighters who are currently battling the blazes at the Notre Dame Cathedral.

I pray that the piece of the True Cross, the piece of the Crown of Thornes, the nails from the Crucifixion, and each of the other holy artifacts that are housed at the Cathedral are protected.

Finally, I pray that Our Lady of Paris brings comfort and peace to the people of Paris and to all of those souls who are affected by this tragedy.

Amen.

Update @ 9:34 p.m.
Since I published this post a few hours ago, two important developments have occurred. First, according to published news reports, all of the sacred relics that were stored inside Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris have been saved. In addition, President Emmanuel Macron of France announced in a televised address to the nation that the cathedral would be rebuilt.

While the fire itself is tragic, I feel that these two updates are important. Moreover, I also believe that the outpouring of support from around the world is both reassuring and inspiring.