Memory Lane > You Had Me From Hello

Gary.  

It's been 10 years now since we met online.

I'll never forget the thrill of hearing your voice for the first time on the phone.  

And then when we met face to face for the first time at the hotel.  It was fairy-tale like.  You were my knight in shining armor.

A little walk down memory lane....

Above.  The night we met.

The day I fell in love with you - when I saw what a wonderful father you are to your children.

The day you fell in love with me - When we were visiting my friend in the nursing home.

Remember the beautiful bike rides in Indiana?  

And our very first Lobster dinner together?  Oh, yes.  That was delicious.

You had me from hello...

Remember the picture above?  We were at the courthouse getting our marriage license.  

Always having fun.  

Romantic dining at the Cornish Manor?  

The best fried oysters ever.

Laughing...

Good times...

Yard sales....

Our first Easter Sunday together...

Our very first home together...   in West Virginia.

Our romantic 5th wedding anniversary stay at Romancing the Stone.  That's when we realized we were getting old.  

Too many flights of stairs for us up and coming seniors.  LOL.

Times at Lake Michigan....

And who could forget our baby>  

Thanks for the memories. 

We met online in late February 2001

 and met in person at the end of March 2001.  

Happy Anniversary.

Respect

Today I attended my uncle's funeral.  He was in his late eighties and his family was not so much mourning as rejoicing that he was no longer suffering but that he had moved on to Glory.  

 With my headlights turned on and a funeral flag placed on my car, I drove through town and about half a dozen red traffic lights as I followed the funeral procession.  Crossing over a major highway and through yet another red light - all hurried motorists came to a standstill while watching our vehicles file through in front of them en route to the cemetery.  I felt special, being a part of something that 

created this much respect.  

This was funeral with Military honors, since Uncle Roy had served in WWII.  Attending  a military funeral is a wonderful experience.  I hadn't been to one since my Dad's funeral many years ago, and I had forgotten.  Other comrades in full uniform who had served in that same war filed one by one to the front where he lay, respectfully saluted him, and left.  It gave me chill bumps.    At the cemetery there were guns fired, taps played, and the presenting of the folded flag to the family.  How could you not get teary?!  

Today I saw something I hadn't seen in a very long time.  

It was genuine and heartfelt.  

In one word - Respect.  

Howard

Yesterday my 92 year old patient gave me his secret for a long and healthy life.  

1. Work hard!

2. Don't worry about anything.

3. Be happy.

4. Eat whatever you want.

5. Eat lots of cakes, cookies, sweets, etc.  

That's all he had time for.  He had to go home and cut some dead limbs from the tree with his chain saw.

His name is Howard and I have decided that he will be my mentor from here on out.