Just catching up...

I've just finished dealing with another death in the family. It's been a rough year and a half for my Mom's side of the family (probably because I've already buried nearly my Dad's entire side.) This time it was my Uncle Kent, who many of you who've known me since Sleepy Hollow days, will remember was a Colonel in the Army. He would always have a new t-shirt for me from his artillery division whenever he saw me when I was young and made no bones about it, I was his favorite Nephew. Indeed, there were quite a few years in my youth I planned on following in his footsteps. But, things change, people change, and I am most decidedly NOT the boy I once was. I hadn't seen Uncle Kent in quite a few years. Tellulah and I had actually asked he and my Aunt Nancy to go out to dinner with us shortly before this past Christmas, and the time of Noel being what it is, we never got the times to coincide, and that record-breaking blizzard 3 days before hand did not help any. This death was another one that's like a bolt out of the blue, like my Mom's youngest sisters death last year, and my Fathers oh so long ago.
All the family members have returned home now, after a beautiful memorial in a very touching Military tradition. So as things get back to normal yet again, I thought I would take the time to remind all of you how much you mean to me. Our friendships have truly lasted beyond the time when you refer to someone as friend, and simply start referring to them as family. That is truly how I think of all you.