It's About Time, I Feel a Blog Coming On, Part 3. Movin On Past the Past

Good sleeping was difficult from thoughts of all the happenings and hallmarks of life lived. As I lay in bed the drone like sound of a lawnmower, cutting through the thick grasses from this rain filled spring plows on.What will I speak to at the memorials coming up about my friends, their lives? The evening of Jazzy Jeff and Jazzman's deaths was a golf league night. No question game should go on. I even went out early to play a 9 before and  it turned out to be only golf Peter and I played as an unpredicted, cool steady rain and wind began. Instead I would toast a Jameson's out of my flask in my golf bag, a couple of Oberon's at Thornnapple lounge and off to see if I can track down Martin J. and others at Richland Pub where I guessed other friends of Jeff would be meeting. There were about 6 others at a packed Pub where we would try and process the latest in too soon demises. We did our best.

Jeff Lambert's Memorial service was on the Saturday after his passing where many friends and family gathered in Richland. Several folks spoke and I played a short tune on a harmonica Jeff had given me several years before. Marty offered to host an impromptu wake at his place nearby where we all shared sentiments with one another and Jeff's family. It was a pleasant afternoon of toasts and a fond farewell the man from Lake Odessa.

Jim Miller's service would not be til the following weekend. Jim would have a more formal morning service at St. Luke's Episcopal in downtown Kalamazoo where he attended and was involved in church business, Also participating on this day would be The Masonic Order as Jim was a member of The Masons. I was able to speak about the James Alan Miller I knew but was asked to be brief so I did what I could sharing just a glimpse into the simple complexities of Jimmy Jazz. I even lead those in attendance in the chorus of Jazz's song Tourist Town. Jim's family was very much in mourning and grieving as were the rest of us. We all said so long to the man from Grand Haven. After a luncheon and out into the overcast and rainy day Mary and I had to shift gears and head out to Detroit for my brother Dennis' surprise 60th birthday.

My brother's party was to be a surprise planned by his daughter Erin, who lives in San Francisco. I was conserving my energy from a long day already so Mary drove through torrential downpours half the way there. Flooded highways and dark gray skies were not going to stop us as we plowed through making it there in time before 6:30 to Buca di Beppo, a really unusual, cool Italian place on the near Northeast side of suburban Detroit. Dennis was duly surprised as he and JoEllen arrived and a wonderful, celebratory night was shared as all our parents were there along with brothers and sisters, Dennis' son Marshall, and close friends and coworkers. Erin was accompanied by her new beau Scott who was meeting us all for the first time. What made this even more special was the fact that Denny was just approaching 2 years since his triple bypass open heart surgery. It was a special night Erin made happen. Denny and I both saw 60 after our heart episodes.

The following weekend on June 6 we would attend a wedding of Callie's longtime friend Ashley out here in Gull Lake, another grand occasion on a lovely setting and afternoon.While at the wedding reception Callie's boyfriend Andrew came over to me and said did you hear about the horse race? I said no what ? American Pharaoh completed her historic run and won The Belmont Stakes and the Triple Crown.Yes! That horses' magic ride to glory was a joy to follow.
 On Father's Day weekend we would head back to Detroit to meet up with cousin Judy and Tim. They live in Oregon and Tim had never been east of Mississippi. They did a whirlwind tour of Pure MI. Downtown Detroit and up north being highlights.They made diner for my Mom, her Auntie, Bro Den and JoEllen, Mary and I. It was fun sharing family memories and making new ones.
On Fathers Day we would get up and go over to my Dad and Bev's early for some love before we would head back to Richland as Callie was putting together a meal for us and we were scheduled to Skype with Ashley later in evening.
Last weekend of June would bring about a couple of late June celebrations. Both somewhat unexpected and long overdue. One on Friday June 26th the day marriage made history and was made legal for all. Mary and I were in downtown Kalamazoo  in Bronson Park for a while witnessing wedding ceremonies take place and  joining others in rejoicing the decision. Oddly enough it was almost to the day that we witnessed daughter Ashley and Sherry's wedding in Salem, Mass.two years prior.The last time inspiration struck me to blog again. Mary and I continued celebrating visiting Boatyard Brewing and Bell's Eccentric Cafe for rest of the evening.
On Saturday a reunion with an old friend Steve D. whom I met as a dorm mate at Western in 1971. We got to meet his significant one, Clare in a reunion at Ron and Con's. It had been 30 some years since we had seen one another. They reside in NYC and were headed out west for the Summatime. Dave P. my roommate in that dorm showed up catching up on life since last we all were together. With great friends it is always same as it ever was

1. Today is June 30, Ashley and Sherry's 2 year anniversary. Now throughout the USA as we approach Independence Day other couples can plan and take part in events like we did with Ashley and Sherry, their friends and families 2 years ago.  As I write the SW MI region just experienced its second earthquake in 2 months the first coming on Callie's graduation day, the start of this blog. Extraordinary events? Indeed!

So much has taken place. As I can see now, most of it in celebrations, rejoicing our milestones and accomplishments and lives well lived. Mine is not such an extraordinary tale, all of our lives have this ebb and flow. So  many reasons to celebrate. I see it in just the last week in all the anniversaries of friends. The sweet sounds of summer, birds chirping and humans singing, as Joni Mitchell would say lawns hissing, beating drums, here and now all help to drown out the drone noise of dread.

 The sky cries but hasn't fallen. The rain falls but moves on. When life pushes

we need not retreat but accept and adjust, move on past the past, suffering and struggle are part of the same life-death package, We are here now, let us live it and love it while we can.    Sreno 

Into Every Life a Little Rain Must Fall, I Feel a Blog Comin on Part 2

Yes, a little rain must fall but what we have seen recently in May-June all over much of the country other than California is a bit excessive. Grass is growing faster, things sure are green but thick and soggy.
As I begin  Part 2 of this post I need to mention that during the last several months my friend and first college roommate, Jim was in and out of the hospital battling the effects of liver disease since September. By May he had numerous treatments and his physical self was slowly deteriorating. Many visits and outings during this time were made with other friends Mikey D. and Seabiskit to keep his spirits up. I will get back to this later in this blog but this was part of the drone soundtrack playing in the background during May that I previously mentioned.

So Callie graduated and next on our May list of hallmarks was eldest daughter, Ashley's 30 birthday on Cinco de Mayo. Does having a 30 year old child make one feel old? It is a marker of some sort I suppose. Ashley had plans for a celebration that involved bringing some of her east coast pals along with friends she met at MSU to her home state for a Pure Michigan party. As many of you know per previous blog of her nuptials 2 years ago in Massachusetts where she resides was a wonderful affair.
Well, she rents a super place in South Haven right on North Beach that will sleep 10 comfortably and the plan is on for Memorial weekend. Before that Mary and I had our 32nd Wedding anniversary on May 14th. Since we had already done our dinner celebration with friends our marking of the event was a quiet affair, happy together.
note: On May 16th in a rain soaked downpour American Pharaoh won The Preakness on a sloppy track, the second leg of the Triple Crown at hand.
The week of Ashley's 30 Bday fest was upon us. We were anticipating their arrival on Thursday when on Wednesday the news that Jimmy The Jazz had passed that morning came from Mike Seabiskit Seaton. Barb, Jim's wife had called the night before saying he was failing so it was not a complete shock as each recent visit he was weaker and weaker. He had fought against the inevitable for the last 9 months, his coherency coming and going at times. My first college roomie from almost 45 years ago, band mate, part of an annual golf foursome, and close friend had faded away from this life.

Now as I was calling friend Martin J. to tell him about Jazz before I could tell him he was telling me he had just returned from our friends Jeff and Lucinda house across the street from him and Jeff was found dead in his basement where he had been painting the night before, paint roller still in hand. Jeff did have some medical issues but still a shocker. Another former band mate and friend for close to 25 years gone. 2 60 year old gents whose obituaries would both read May 20th as date of passing. They had played music together in the Hokey Barn and Clone Studios. Cue the soundtrack, louder it loomed.

To wrap up Ashley and Sherrys' Pure Michigan weekend visit without much detail I can say it was well planned as we have grown to expect from an event planner like Ash, starting from airline flights, pickups, places to go in and around Kalamazoo, Richland,and South Haven and back to the airport for their flights home. Mary and I provided a home base and our vehicles as needed. We got to hang out a couple nights and a day with some fun loving, interesting women who made us feel as young as is possible. We had a BnB gift certificate from Callie and Andrew that we used at The Inn at the Park just a few blocks from where the girls were staying. A delightful place with great beds and breakfast. Sister Callie came out and stayed a couple nights and as always made her presence felt.

On Memorial Day we assisted with the load out and drive back to Richland with more than a few bottles and cans to return. A really great Three-0 celebration was a success. Weather had been mostly sunny and minimal rain fell. Their last stop before airport was Old Dog Tavern. Choo Choo Chug-a-lug. After the ladies left and our normal life returned there now was memorials to think about and my brothers surprise 60th Birthday celebration in Detroit to attend. Stay tuned....for Pt.3 wrap up.

It's About Time, I Feel a Blog Coming On Pt.1

To say it has been an extraordinary several weeks of spring is an understatement. Today my wife Mary just left for work for her last day employed with Kalamazoo Public Schools after 37 years service in various
positions. Mostly as a  paraprofessional working in Special Education or Early Childhood classrooms. Much of the last few weeks has been spent with events and parties for her from the district, PEEP program, her building, the union she was a part of, etc. Today will wind up with one more after work gathering at The Old Dog Tavern. Kudos dear, bring on the next phase.

So as a prelude her final day takes me  back to her turning 60 first week of May, the last weeks of MI winter and our trip to Florida to visit BMad and his love Lee. We had a wonderful brief visit tooling around the waterways of Venice, walking the beach and enjoying the company and the weather. On our return she had a party on her bday at where else ODT in downtown Kalamazoo.So you see already the circular nature of this story already.
My intention/motivation/inspiration for Return of the Blog is the all of life is a circle.  Our celebrations of survival another year, winter, illness, accomplishments etc. Deaths we mourn and attempts to celebrate the lives through memorials while the grief plays on our mindset for a time like a drone soundtrack.

April was slow to warm and my return to golf league after a years sabbatical due to shoulder surgery, Partner Peter took me back in what is a blog story in itself for another time but our first night golfing was warm and I began playing well for a few weeks. There was some nasty weather following where us Roughriders played wimps and ate and drank instead.

I should mention our "anniversary dinner group", Konvalinks, Dilucchios, Wiegands and Symons'  had to move up our usual mid-May celebration to April this year to fit in our night out together which consisted of an Asian Fusion meal at Wild Ginger and music at ODT.

Then first of May was upon us and on May second we were out of the shoot like a Derby Day horse, we were headed to second born, Callan Jean's graduation from Western Mi. University. Celebration in order! After 7 years of up and down struggles, Callie achieved her goal of a teaching degree in Early Childhood Education with hopes of a decent job in some form of education. We celebrated her stick- to-it tiveness and not giving up when it was a struggle with a promised Lobster dinner with beau Andrew, his mom, Mary and myself. Callie made herself proud as well as all of us supporters when she walked across the stage and received that diploma. Her successful intern teaching was done at her old elementary school here out at Gull Lake. (what goes round), where some little ones cried to see her leave. Her next phase beckons. Added note here after dinner we happened to catch  American Pharaoh win the Derby, moving around that track the fastest, setting up the run for Glory for Triple Crown, come what May. Part 2 to come.