Monday, December 17, 2007
CHECKING THE LIST TWICE.....
I feel like Rip Van Esther. It seems impossible that Christmas is next week….. pardon me but where did the year go? It’s been a very difficult year with Rocky, Dale and Ellen leaving us and me taking on the Administration of Dale’s estate. I spent most of the last five months involved with that.
The year has brought some peculiar weather, with some of our country flooding while parts were burning down and impossible to stop. Mud slides, drought, wind and fire…..all of Nature’s worst tearing us apart at the seams.
There is always good that comes out of any tragedy. The folks interviewed were all thankful their families were spared and the “things” they lost could be replaced. I know personal pictures and family heirlooms cannot but the things necessary to livelihood can be and it’s coming through hard times that make us tougher. If we don’t harbor on the things we’ve lost we can count the blessing for what has been spared.
When Rocky left us in the Spring there was a heartwarming memorial in his honor of family, close friends and his weightlifting buddies. To make a lasting memorial we have taken on the task of future Meets at the gym where he enjoyed working out, training and competing against men much younger than him. In April or May we will be giving Scholarships to several young men who desire to continue the sport as they go on to higher education. This is a blessing Rocky would be proud of.
When we lost Dale in June I “found” the cousin on his mother’s side that I heard him talk about quite a bit and who commented on his blogs as I did. Over the years, she and I were the ones close to him after his dad and then his mother died. Dale never married and never had children so this other cousin and I became personally acquainted as we shared our grief over Dale together. Dale was not prepared for death and it came without warning one evening as he was watching a movie on the couch. He was a world class guy and I’ll always remember him smiling or laughing.
I am going to be working on the things I need to do before the Strain kids arrive next Saturday so I’ll write when I am able. After Christmas when they leave Becky and I will be closing down our booths at the Antique Barn. It was fun and I learned a lot but the years are catching up with me and Becky’s promotion requires a lot more of her time so we’ll be finished at the end of the year.
Once the first of January comes, I will be getting ready for the Rockenbach families who live close enough to drive but we will miss Janet and her family who live in California. This is such a nice time of year to remember friends and loved ones. May you enjoy the days ahead and make time for the people who make your world complete. Just five minutes of your time can be remembered for a lifetime if you wish it so…….
Essentially Esther
The year has brought some peculiar weather, with some of our country flooding while parts were burning down and impossible to stop. Mud slides, drought, wind and fire…..all of Nature’s worst tearing us apart at the seams.
There is always good that comes out of any tragedy. The folks interviewed were all thankful their families were spared and the “things” they lost could be replaced. I know personal pictures and family heirlooms cannot but the things necessary to livelihood can be and it’s coming through hard times that make us tougher. If we don’t harbor on the things we’ve lost we can count the blessing for what has been spared.
When Rocky left us in the Spring there was a heartwarming memorial in his honor of family, close friends and his weightlifting buddies. To make a lasting memorial we have taken on the task of future Meets at the gym where he enjoyed working out, training and competing against men much younger than him. In April or May we will be giving Scholarships to several young men who desire to continue the sport as they go on to higher education. This is a blessing Rocky would be proud of.
When we lost Dale in June I “found” the cousin on his mother’s side that I heard him talk about quite a bit and who commented on his blogs as I did. Over the years, she and I were the ones close to him after his dad and then his mother died. Dale never married and never had children so this other cousin and I became personally acquainted as we shared our grief over Dale together. Dale was not prepared for death and it came without warning one evening as he was watching a movie on the couch. He was a world class guy and I’ll always remember him smiling or laughing.
I am going to be working on the things I need to do before the Strain kids arrive next Saturday so I’ll write when I am able. After Christmas when they leave Becky and I will be closing down our booths at the Antique Barn. It was fun and I learned a lot but the years are catching up with me and Becky’s promotion requires a lot more of her time so we’ll be finished at the end of the year.
Once the first of January comes, I will be getting ready for the Rockenbach families who live close enough to drive but we will miss Janet and her family who live in California. This is such a nice time of year to remember friends and loved ones. May you enjoy the days ahead and make time for the people who make your world complete. Just five minutes of your time can be remembered for a lifetime if you wish it so…….
Essentially Esther
