Uplifting, heartwarming stories of an inquisitive boy trying to understand his three older sisters. In these stories, Dennis is ten when Grandpapa comes to stay. The elder is in hospice, and Dennis thought his antics are a great irritation on his sisters. At eleven-years-old, Dennis is not good at helping Papa fix the rototiller. Instead, he explores his sisters' bedroom while they are away, trying to understand these people. The next year, Dennis learns to stay off the middle school honor roll to avoid attention. Yet, he gets too much attention when he plays in an after school, flag football game. When he is in junior high, the family moves to a farm and Papa buys a Holstein cow Dennis names Shelf Life. Milking the old cow is therapy, helping him adjust to his new school. Until she must be euthanized. Dennis gets over his grief when Papa brings Shelf Life's calf, Mary, to the farm. In December of his last year of junior high, Papa takes Dennis to a farm to slaughter a hog. Papa wanted to share his boyhood experience with his son and Dennis was glad for the sharing. It helped him consider being a vegetarian. After college, Dennis stays home taking care of Mary. Until one of his sisters introduces him to Helen.