morrowlife

 
Here’s a very nice rainbow I photographed during an afternoon walk to the mailbox a few days ago. Very pretty, I think. Great Art courtesy of the exclusive iPhone-cam, taken in my neighborhood on July 30, and part of my famous Las Vegas series.

It’s been a very eventful few weeks. Foremost in my mind is that we passed the 18 month mark since Shannon’s death on the 2nd of August. That meant it was time to scatter Shannon’s ashes. I had a very difficult time deciding it was okay to do that, but I decided to move forward as planned after consulting with our children.

Accordingly, the kids, their spouses, the granddaughter, and I went up to Angels Camp to stay for a few days. We went further into the Sierra Nevada to Clarks Fork for the scattering. The exact location we had planned to use was very full of people, so we chose a place where the river runs through the campground we visited many times and had our little ceremony there. It was really a nice event in a beautiful location with my beautiful little family. We loved being there together and Shannon’s wishes have been fulfilled.

I wrote down a few thoughts I shared with them because I was afraid I would find it too difficult to speak off the cuff. Here’s what I shared:

I’ve been thinking for the last while about Mom’s legacy, as we prepared to be together for this event. There is much that she left me and each of us, and I just want to offer some thoughts.

For 35 years, she gave me literally everything she had. She used up her life serving me. She made beautiful homes for me and took care of them constantly. She fed me, she bought all my clothes, she helped earn money during the years I couldn’t do that by myself. She gave me our children. She loved and cared for our family ceaselessly. She taught the kids, especially Andy and Mark during all their years together in school. Before she became the teacher, though, she spent countless hours in classrooms, making sure our children got the best education we could possibly provide them. She was immensely proud of each of your accomplishments.

When I was grouchy, she soothed me. When I was sad, she comforted me. When I succeeded, she celebrated with me. When I failed, she grieved with me. And when I was happy, she stood by my side and simply enjoyed life with me. Most of all, no matter what, she loved and loved and loved me.

She taught me how to cook, how to clean, how to take care of my things, how to care for children, how to serve others, and how to love. She didn’t preach much; rather, she just did kind things and we all learned to be like her. I think this is her legacy to each of us.

She never stopped caring for me. During her tremendously difficult last year, she kept doing what she always did as much as possible. And when she couldn’t do things for herself, she taught me the deepest lessons of my life on how to love and serve. That year is precious to me because I have never felt such pure love before or since. All my energy and time was focused on nothing but her comfort and possible recovery from her disease. By allowing me to do that, she helped me learn what it really means to love someone. I will always be grateful for what I learned as we spent that year together and I think I have become a much better man because of it. I think this is her legacy to me.

I miss her terribly. I promised her I would move forward happily and I’m doing my best to accomplish that. It isn’t always easy. I know we have all spent plenty of time crying during the past 18 months. It’s been hard for me to lose my wife, the love of my life, and my best and really only friend. It’s hard for each of you to have to say goodbye to your mother so young. It’s hard to live without her advice, her support, her praise, and her love. I think she gave each of us enough to last the rest of our lives, but it’s still hard and it feels so unfair. But it is our duty to keep that promise to her – to live our lives happily and to be good people. To love and serve each other and the people around us. To savor life and live it to the fullest. To be happy.

I love each of you. Thank you for strengthening me when I needed you. Thank you for the wonderful people you are. I not only love you, I like you. You’re great people and I’m incredibly proud of each of you. I couldn’t ask for a better life, in spite of the heartbreaks. I love you.

Now let’s let Mom’s ashes go and keep her spirit alive inside of us.

I’m really glad we were all together.

Joanne and I have planned a few additional trips over the next few months. Her timeshare put some travel on sale, so she grabbed a few weekends. We’re going back to Angels Camp in October (Joanne didn’t go with the kids and me the first time), the Bay Area in February, and Anaheim in June, on top of the trips we currently have planned. I’m really enjoying traveling with Joanne. I love her.

I took my first glider trip behind a tow plane the other day. Actually, we had three tows last Friday. It’s both very exciting and very difficult. I’m sure ill get good at it, but it’s quite the challenge for me at this point. I fly again tomorrow.

My instructor has invited me to get a commercial license and do some flying of paying passengers. Sounds like fun, so I’m in! It won’t be extremely soon, but it will probably come before I know it.

Joanne’s first golf lesson is this Saturday at 7:00 AM! Why the early hour? Two reasons: (1) it’s when the instructor is available and (2) it’s the only time that won’t be unpleasantly hot. I’m excited for her to start and for us to golf together. While she’s learning, I’ll go to the range and hit a bucket of balls.

Tons more happening, but it will have to wait.

And I’ll leave my Loyal Readers with this shocking food violence news: French-fry-related gun pointing incident!

See you tomorrow.

Here’s Your Humble and Obedient Blogger just before being brutally fried by his son. Note how Andy remained in the shadows to try to escape being recognized. Fortunately, I got better. Great Art courtesy of Joanne’s exclusive iPhone-cam, taken at the Mob Museum last Christmas Eve (I think), and part of my famous Electronics, Las Vegas, and Machinery series.

It’s been a pretty good few weeks since I last wrote. Joanne and I just got home from Temecula, California. We spent the weekend there to do a bit of wine tasting and attend a wonderful concert. Gerald Albright and Jeffrey Osborne performed. Gerald was very good and Jeffrey was amazing! Go see him if you get a chance, Loyal Readers. He was full of energy, his music catalog is excellent, his performance was spectacular, and it was a beautiful evening. Really, go see him.

Let’s see, what else has been going on? Ryan spent a couple weeks at Joanne’s place. He came out to celebrate his birthday. It was great having him here! He’s really a great guy. Get to know him, Loyal Readers!

I’ve had a few more flights in the glider. I’m starting to get slightly competent as a pilot! I think I’ll get it figured out before too much longer. My next flight is Wednesday of this week.

This coming weekend is one I’ve been preparing for the past eighteen months. On August 2nd, it will be eighteen months since Shannon’s death and the date the children and I go to Clarks Fork and scatter her ashes. It’s a bit difficult for me to finally let go of her remains. But it needs to be done. I need to let her go. We all need to let her go. We need to keep her in our hearts and our thoughts and our memories. We need to talk about her and think about her. We need to keep loving the alive Shannon and let the dead Shannon go in peace.

I’m looking forward to being with all the kids. Joanne has gotten us a beautiful place to stay in Angels Camp. That’s so kind of her. She opted not to go with us, which I’m sorry about and which I understand completely.

Anyway. I expect it to be an emotional weekend.

And I’ll leave my Loyal Readers with this exciting Morrowlife Employment Agency job opportunity: video game-playing chimp!

See you tomorrow.

Here’s Mia relaxing on a hammock during our recent trip to San Diego. About which more below. Great Art courtesy of the exclusive iPhone-cam, taken at the Bahia Hotel in San Diego, California, and part of my famous Event and Vacation series.

Wonders of WordPress. Today is actually a week into July. My, have I gone a long time without writing. I’d like to write more and I have plenty to write about. I guess I’m just focusing more on other things. Maybe that will change.

So let’s talk about June. It was the happiest month of the year! My birthday happened! I’m 58 now! Katy and Clifford got married! Joanne’s birthday happened! She’s an undisclosed age now! Mia visited me!

Let’s take them one by one, shall we? I’ll start with my birthday. Joanne gave me an unbelievably cool present: she took me to The Richard Petty Driving Experience. Go ahead, click on the link. I’ll wait. . . . Okay, you’re back now. Doesn’t it look like fun? Well, it was. I went 140 miles per hour. Lots and lots of fun. I loved it. It’s an experience I won’t forget. Thanks, Joanne!

Also, Andy came to stay with me for my birthday weekend! Fun! Thanks for coming, Andy. It meant a lot to me.

And now: the wedding! Yes, Katy and Clifford officially tied the knot. It was a beautiful wedding and we were thrilled to participate. Congratulations, Katy and Clifford! I love my favorite daughter and I love my favorite son-in-law!

And now: Joanne’s birthday and Mia’s visit! Mia came home from the Bay Area with us after the wedding. She stayed until July 1st. Much of that time was spent in San Diego. Joanne took Mia, Ryan, Kristina, Corey, and me for a few days at the Bahia resort. It’s a beautiful place. It was there when we lived there, but I never got to see it. Mia, Joanne, and I had a Marina Suite. We were on the first floor. It was a matter of about five steps from our sliding door to the sand and another dozen or so to the water. Of course, that was marina water, so you wouldn’t want to go in it, but still: beautiful!

The actual beach was about a block and a half away. We walked down there a few times during the weekend. We walked along the beach, waded in the water, walked the boardwalk, bought some beach junk, and rode the roller coaster and bumper cars at Belmont Park. It was a great stay and a happy birthday for Tina (the 25th) and Joanne (the 27th).

Now we’re home and Mia is with her other grandparents. It’s awfully quiet around here, but it’ll noisy up soon enough.

And I’ll leave my Loyal Readers with this exciting Morrowlife Employment Agency job opportunity: attack housecat!

See you tomorrow.

Here’s the glider I’ve been flying the past couple of weeks. It doesn’t exactly look like the fancy racing gliders you might expect, but it’s solid as a rock and a very popular training glider. I like it! Great Art courtesy of the exclusive iPhone-cam, taken a few days ago at the Jean, Nevada glider port, and part of my famous Machinery series.

Once again, I have failed to post regularly. Some people simply never learn. I may be one of them. Let’s see, what’s been going on? Last time I wrote, we had just gotten back from the Bay Area. We went back for Mother’s Day. For another quick weekend. We visited Katy/Cliff/Mia again and also had a nice meal with Ryan. Joanne wanted to visit her parents’ gravesites, which we did. They’re in a beautiful cemetery. She’s planning to buy a spot for herself there too.

We went to Portland and Seaside, Oregon last weekend. It was cool and drizzly most of the time, but that just enhanced the beauty of the place. Our hotel was right on the beach at the famous Seaside Turnaround – the perfect location. We could see the beach from our room and it was even better to go downstairs and walk on the beach and the excellent boardwalk. There was good food galore and tons of relaxation. We went out to Haystack Rock one day and spent some time gazing into the tide pools. We also drove the Seaside bumper cars. Twice. Joanne organized a pack of little girls to take my bumper car out. It was quite effective.

On Monday, we checked out of our hotel and went to Portland for the flight home. We got there several hours early, so we took a fun Segway tour of Portland’s riverfront area. We both know how to ride a Segway now! That’s a skill that may be important someday. Probably not, though. Anyway, it was my first trip to Oregon. It’s beautiful up there.

We’ve had a cool spring this year, but it has finally warmed up. It’s been over 100 degrees the last three days. It feels great. Finally!

Right after we got home from Oregon, Joanne started her new job! She has left Downtown Grand and is now working for Aristocrat Technologies. They make gaming machines. She’s very happy there so far. I’m delighted for her congratulations on landing the job, Joanne!

Paul and Melissa live in Las Vegas now! Well, they actually live in Henderson. I’m delighted to have them here! My Loyal Readers may hear a little more about them in the future.

Joanne and I are just finishing a very relaxing pedicure. I love pedicures! They’re the woman’s best-kept secret no longer.

And I’ll leave my Loyal Readers with this very rare non-animal Morrowlife Entrepenurial Agency business opportunity: toilet landlord!

See you on Monday

Here’s Thomas Edison’s shop. He developed the lightbulb here. Nice work, Tom! Great Art courtesy of the exclusive iPhone-cam, taken last July at Greenfield Village in beautiful Dearborn, Michigan, and part of my famous Architecture, Electronics, Vacation, and Workbench series.

It’s only been five days since my last post! That’s a new record in recent days here. So there’s not so much to report about. However, we are not without news here.

Joanne and I went back to the Bay Area on Saturday morning. We came home Sunday evening, so it was a bit brief. Joanne attended Katy’s bridal shower and appears to have enjoyed it quite a bit. My in-laws-to-be are wonderful folks and Joanne loves them too now.

In the meantime, Clifford took his stepdad James and me out for the world’s fanciest donuts, the world’s fanciest coffee, and the world’s prettiest wedding venue. It was a great morning! The big wedding will be beautiful. Sunday, Katy, Cliff, Mia, Joanne, and I went to the Berkeley Kite Flying Field. Surprisingly, while we were there, we flew kites! Never saw that coming, did you, Loyal Readers? In the afternoon, Joanne and I went to visit Ryan. We had lunch together and went over to visit with Junior, Joanne’s former dog and Ryan’s current dog. Then we came home.

Anyway, it was a pleasant weekend. San Francisco was beautiful. And we missed the big Las Vegas rainstorm on Saturday.

Joanne and I went to the 51’s baseball game last night. Our team won! We enjoyed the game. Plus, they gave everyone in our row free Big Foam Fingers! For keeps! Now that’s something.

I may need that finger. I sliced my thumb open this morning on Joanne’s mandoline. Oops. I wasn’t even cutting with it. I was just trying to put it back in its box. It was bleeding badly enough that I decided to take a trip to urgent care. They put a butterfly bandage on it and told me not to get it wet for a week. So it’s not a big deal. Still, it’s nice knowing I have a spare foam finger around the house just in case.

And that’s about it for today. I’ll leave my Loyal Readers with this exciting Morrowlife Employment Agency job opportunity: crime-fighting parrot!

See you tomorrow.