OUR LOVABLE OLD ZOE

Today is the day all pet-loving families don’t look forward to. We all have to do it…but it is so painful. For today…we had to let our lovable 13-year old Golden Retriever, Zoe, be put to sleep. My wife…my girls…my grandchildren…and I…have a little less happiness in our life today.


Zoe has been a member of our family since 1998. Our daughters were teenagers when she got to the house. She has been with us every Christmas…every birthday…and every special event…since.

Three grandchildren have entered our lives and grown up with Zoe. They wrestled her…pulled her ears…laid on top of her…played ball and tug-of-war with her…and she was so patient…and loving with them…through it all.

For most of those 13 years…we had to learn how to spell certain words. During our conversations…we had to spell…G-O…or…O-U-T…or…W-A-L-K…because Zoe knew what those words meant…and she was at the door…ready to go with us. But this last year and months…she just raised her head from her spot on the floor…or raised an eyebrow as if to think about the words…and then just said with her body language…”you guys go ahead…I’ll wait here until you come back.”

Zoe grew to be our 115 pound lovable family member. Thirteen years is a long time for a dog that size to live…but we are so glad she did.

Now it is time for her to rest. We will miss her so.

  Dan

THE TRADITION...CONTINUES

We got a call the other day from Carol...my nephew Kim's...wife. We had a little laugh after Carol called to tell us..."the tradition continues." We knew exactly what she meant...and we laughed some more.

You see...over the course of our marriages...Cindy and Carol were 'always' pregnant at the same time.

Our oldest daughter...Jaime...was born in July 1978...their oldest...Andrew...was born in September.

Their second...Kory...was born in September 1981...our second...Julie...was born the next April.

Their third...Kelly...was born in February 1985...our third...Joni...was born in March.

Now...the tradition continues.

Joni...is due in a few months...October 2012. Carol called to tell us that Kelly is expecting in March.

We are so excited for our new grandbaby on the way...and Kim & Carol are equally excited about their new grandbaby. And we are excited for them.

I love that the tradition...will continue.


Dan

THE BEATLES

I read it's International Beatles week in Liverpool this week.

I've been a Beatles fan for about as long as there have been...Beatles. Cindy has bought me...probably...15 Beatles shirts over the last 10 years. It's not uncommon for me to wear 1 or 2 a week.

Today...in Saugatuck...I wore one of those many Beatles t-shirts. As usual...almost without fail...someone commented on my t-shirt. An elderly lady said..."my grandson would love that t-shirt."

Cindy and I have laughed often as person after person has commented about the Beatles t-shirt I was wearing that day. Elders say they like it...boomers like it...teens like it. Even my grandkids know who the Beatles are.

Seems we all grew up liking the Beatles...and we taught our kids...and grand kids...to
like them too.

The Beatles seem to be one of those few subjects that bridges the generations.

Maybe when we're all having one of those days...we just need to throw one of our Beatle albums on...and ALL sit and listen.

All you need is love!


Dan

IT'S MY ANNIVERSARY...DAD

Dad

Today's my 38th wedding anniversary. Cindy & I were looking through our wedding album pictures this morning and one of them that caught my eye was the one of you giving her a big hug. Cindy was happy...and you were happy.

Lots has happened since that day.

Cindy & I finished school...and moved to Lafayette. Three girls and three grandchildren...(and a 4th to be here soon)...have been born into the world. You, my brother and sister, Cindy's uncle and dad...have all left the world.

It's been a fast 38 years. Cindy & I have had a good life...some sad moments...but many, many happy moments.

I wanted you to know we're doing well over these 38 years. I hope we can have a whole lot more.


Danny

NEIGHBORHOODS

Earlier this week, one of my patients and I spent a few minutes reminiscing about the old days. We began talking about our kids and grandkids…and then went on to talk about how different our kids/gkids are these days…compared to when we were young.

She remembered when she was little, her dad was always telling her and her siblings to...‘go out and play’. We talked about how it wasn’t uncommon...on those long summer days...for us to leave the house in the morning...and not return again until dark…spending the day playing with friends…and maybe grabbing some lunch at one of the friend’s house. Moms weren’t so likely to be at work…in those days…so it was frequent that one could stop in at a friends…and have that mom fix us something to eat.

We decided that…back in those days…we had ‘neighborhoods’…places where we knew our neighbors…and we were known by those neighbors. We could play safely…and our parents knew we were safe. My patient even laughed about how…if she or her siblings were misbehaving…she was as likely to get a swat on her butt from one of the other kids’ parents…as she was her own.

Our children/grandchildren don’t have that type of environment today. We allow them to be indoors too much…we allow them to watch too much TV…or play their electronic games...rather than get outdoors and enjoy the weather...and invent games to play...and exercise...and build friendships and memories that last a lifetime.

And because of that…we too often have lost ‘the neighborhood’ feel. There are neighbors we don’t even know…nor they us…or our kids. We’re often too busy looking out for ourselves…and paying less and less attention to our neighbors.

That’s a sad loss…for all of us.

Dan

SAN FRAN

Joni…our youngest…and her husband Ryan are in California for about 10 days. They will attend one of Joni’s school friends’ wedding this weekend…and then hang around next week to do some touristy stuff.

While having a non-sleep night last night/this morning…I headed to the living room and flipped on the TV to disrupt my brain that was running 100mph. I watched a part of a PBS show called ‘The War’…one of those Ken Burns documentaries about the 2nd World War. It was a wonderful segment about the boys who became men in that war…about what they saw…about what they returned home to…about their struggles with adjusting ‘back into the world’.

While my mind raced…my thoughts were about Joni being near San Francisco…and about my brother Dave…who lived in the San Francisco area until April…when he died. Joni and Ryan had planned this trip for nearly a year and Dave was aware they were coming for a visit…and while there…they were going to visit him.

As I thought about that…and watched the TV show…I also got to thinking about Dave’s time of service in the Navy. Dave wasn’t in WWII…as the documentary discussed…but Dave served in Vietnam…and I know he came home with lots of memories…some good…some bad. In these recent years…Dave was able to share some of those stories…some of the good ones that made him smile…and the horror that some of them caused him…some for 45 years.

I’m sad that Dave is gone…and sad that Joni & Ryan can’t visit with him while they are there. He would have loved it. He would have enjoyed showing them the sights of San Francisco and it would have been so enjoyable for them too.

Joni & Ryan will have a wonderful time in San Francisco and the other areas of California that they will visit.

I will miss them while they are gone. And I miss Dave.

Dan

ALBUM VERSION

This morning while getting dressed for work…I heard a song on the radio that I recognized from years ago. It started out differently than what is usually played on the radio…with some intro music before the vocals started. The thought…’album version’…popped into my head. As that thought rattled around in my brain for a few seconds…I realized those words…’album version’…would mean nothing to my grandchildren. Those words…show my age.

If I were to ask my grandchildren what an ‘album’ is…they might think of a ‘picture album’…but they likely wouldn’t think of a ‘record album’.

The more I thought about it…the more I realized I could age myself even more with words from my younger years. The grandkids also wouldn’t know what a…’45’…is either…or what an…’8 track’ is. They might think the word…’cassette’…was referring to…’their old days’…when we used to put a ‘VCR cassette’ in for them to watch a movie on TV. They’d never relate a cassette to something that has music on it.

I can still remember purchasing my first ‘45’ record in 1967…Kind of a Drag…by the Buckinghams. Then there were more 45’s…stacks and stacks...until I realized that for only a few dollars more…I could buy ‘albums’ that contained lots and lots of songs besides the ‘hit’ song that was on the 45. Then…I could buy 8-Tracks tapes and have the music in my car! I remember my first 8-Track player…and the agony of having it stolen out of my car on prom night…and friends buying me a new 8-Track for my birthday. 

All this ‘old’ lingo would have my grandkids confused…'8-Track player'…’cassettes’…’needle'...phonograph player’…’45s’…’albums’.

They bring back wonderful old memories to my mind…but they’d be like speaking a foreign language to the grandkids.

Oh the frustrations of growing old!

Dan