Yesteryear

A new year. Time to reflect on the past. To remember those I loved who passed. To think of the new people I met that have filled some of the void.

I lost a brother. Retired Master Chief David Rivera, USN. Veteran of WW2, Korea, Vietnam and all the other "police actions" that were really wars. He served with honor and valor. Once the ship he was on was supplying my ship while we were underway. He was in the "Gator Navy" and as I teased him I was in the fighting navy.

I lost a brother in law. Ben Ehling, retired air force. He served long also. He married my sister when I was just a kid. He introduce me to "lounge music". I still have many Julie London tunes. Some transfer from old LP and on to CDs.

He taught me to respect books. Keep them clean, don't bend the pages and don't tear the dust jackets. Near the end of his life, he only knew his wife and kids. My sister stayed with him to the end. I wish I could have had some of his books. I remember reading them when I was a teen.

I met a new grandaughter. I help her in my arms shortly after she was born. Had to fight my way past the locked doors and mad nurse that didn't want me to go in when I was ready. Sophie SueAnn, middle name of my wife is also Sohpie's middle name. She is growing so fast. I love to hear her laugh and I love it when she falls asleep in my arms.

Time goes on. I look back and see good times and bad times. I look forward to new memories and good feelings. Warm fuzzys as we called them. I have blogging friends, some I have met, some I never will. But they are friends. I feel with them, I rejoiced with them. When they hurt, I hurt. When they have good things happen I am happy.

A new world for for me. My blog is one year old this month. It has opened a new world. I learn from bloggers, find it strange that one can feel for someone that one has never met. I hope I can be a friend to them.