Tonight I decided to put a short photo book together to use as a sign in/guest book for the party on Saturday. I really don’t even honestly know how you go about capturing, or even summarizing 95 years of a human life...none the less Cliff Topel’s. Of course I only had about 20 years plus some odds and ends of previously scanned photos, but it’s such a small snippet of the multitude of what Cliff’s life has already been. The lives he has touched, the lessons he’s learned, the things he has taught, the people he has helped, the paths he has paved, the difficulties he has suffered, the hours he has worked, the miles he has travelled, the vehicles he has towed, fixed, and assisted, the sickness he has endured, the places he has visited, and on and on. As I searched through years of snapshots, I couldn’t help but think of how they portray not only what Cliff is, but who he is. A husband, a father, grandfather, father-in-law, a friend, a brother, an uncle, a cousin, a business owner, an entrepreneur, a member of the Lake Mills community, the towing community, the car club community, St.Paul Lutheran Church, and a distinguished man who would give the shirt off his back before wearing one himself. I cannot say how truly blessed I am to call him my father-in-law and how much I hope this weekend can be a party of all parties that this legend in his own time truly deserves. If you stop by on Saturday, please be sure to take a moment to share your wishes and thoughts with Cliff. He has no idea how he has made this world and our lives a better place. I sure wish he did, but I don’t think his humility would ever let him.