Makes Me Smile

 My brother liked to laugh and have a good time; He enjoyed life, and  brought joy to  the people around him - friend and stranger alike.

In a conversation  several months before his death, Walt talked to me about who his role models were when he was growing up, and how it was never his  goal to sit  around in an office reading books, and  doing paperwork,  (as if I didn't know) but learning to ride  motorcycles, fishing, guns, cars . He wanted adventure,  and the outdoor life. I'd say he followed his heart pretty well along those lines.  Walt was a fine  fisherman, knew a lot about cars,  had a prize gun collection, and owned a Harley.

Two years ago, Walt called  to ask if I'd take a road trip with him on the back of his motorcycle. I asked if he was joking.  He wasn't . "We'll  have a great time", he said. I hemmed and hawed a bit too long.   "You're not afraid to ride with me,are you?"   I told him, no ,but in truth I was. My daring,  and longing for adventure didn't quite match my brother's. Thinking about it now, I'd give anything if i could turn back time,  as Cher sings,  "If I could find a way". I wouldn't hesitate a minute to  pack my  saddlebag (with a bottle of tranquilizers),   and  take that road trip with Walt. He was right, we'd have  a grand time ! Him in his Harley leathers, me in my Harley boots ,  we'd be a poster promo for  brother and sister  bikers on the loose.
This Memorial Day marks a year since Walt's been gone. We, his family and friends think of him tenderly - the darling baby, the cute little boy, the fun-loving teenager, and the good man he was.

A few minutes ago I read a poignant letter from dad, recalling funny things Walt said when he was little. Dad wrote,  While at Mass one Sunday,  he asked me, "Why do the Sisters wear cowboy hats?"

 Last night, with both tears and laughter, my mother and I sat together telling and re-telling stories about Walt, and the  joy he was to us.

Because my parents divorced when Walt and I were young, and  dad moved to St. Louis,   for many years it was just Mom, Walt and me - we called ourselves The Three Muskateers, and shared a special bond  of caring and  togetherness . It truly seemed we were , " One for all , and all for one".  Our home operated on team work. Mom was the leader. She went to work every day, Walt and I to school, but each of us were responsible for certain daily/weekly tasks .  For awhile I did the ironing, but didn't iron Walt's shirts to his liking so he took over that job, and was I glad he did ! I hated to iron, and do to this day. Walt also liked to cook better than I did. And kept his drawers neater than mine. When we got older , Walt would tease me , and we'd  laugh about him being a better housekeeper than me !

We also played together.  Mom would get home from work at 5:30, we'd give her just enough time to change her clothes,  never realizing how tired she was ,then we'd drive to the beach for some summer fun. While mom watched, Walt and I would make believe we were great body surfer's ,  and toss a Frisbee. It was an idylic time in our lives.

It's impossibe to capture all the memories of my life with Walt in a paragraph or two, and what he meant to me,  but I'll continue to tell stories about him, and in doing so will smile.


















."

Robin Red Breast

i sit at the kitchen table
looking out the window
at a Robin Red Breast
starring  back at me.
She doesn't seem bothered                
or concerned about the
weather or other birds,
but content and carefree;
Enjoying the quiet of
her early morning reverie.

Note: The American Robin (Turdus Migratorius) is a common and familiar bird throughout north Idaho,  making   their habitat in towns, lawns, farmland, and open forest.  Easily  recognized by its grey back, yellow bill and brick red breast, and by the sound of their sweet, lilting sing-song .  According to Stan Tekiela in Birds of Idaho Field Guide, Robin Redbreasts  aren't listening for worms when they cock their head to one side, but are looking with eyes that are placed far back on the sides of their heads. To learn more about Robin's and other birds, I suggest  The Cornell Lab of Ornithology at http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Robin/id

Like Diamonds & Jewels

The lake shimmers, and sparkles
in the brightness of early
morning  sun, like diamonds
and jewels displayed at
Tiffany's;  A flock
of crow fly overhead
flapping their wings
like sails in the wind
across the pale blue
north Idaho sky,
while a lone bird
sits perched  high atop
a tall fir whistling his
cheery tune
At this moment, at this time
all seems good, and right
with the world

No Sun Today

There's a saying  in north Idaho  folks make about the weather, "Wait ten minutes, and it'll change". Ten minutes may be an exaggeration, but not much  (and not always true in the long cold winter), but certainly the weather  here  can be  unpredictable, and often changes from hour to hour, and certainly day to day.  Just two days ago that  May day was filled with things of spring; Lovely blue skies and warming sun.  We moved outdoor furniture onto the deck and sat outside drinking morning coffee, enjoying the lake view.  Not so this day.
 Today   the sun is in hiding, the sky dim and grey
covering the land  like a canopy;
A canopy full of holes
unable to keep the rain away
from an already rain soaked
earth, making mud of dirt
and puddles in the newly
planted vegetable garden.

May Day

This merry day, the 14th of May in beautiful, bountiful north Idaho
was grand and glorious from early morn until late evening; A warming sun
made it pleasant to work outside - planting seed, pulling weeds and
painting wrought iron benches and discolored fences.

Overhead, an Eagle in flight caught my attention, while nearby
a squirrel made a covert move from his hidden domain, to the
bird feeder hanging from the tree. In a moment's time,
both the squirrel and the feeder broke from the branch and
 landed on the ground with a loud ka-boom, and the startled
 squirrel scurried off to whence he came.

Friends - Past, Present, Future

Wapato Point, once part of the Chief Moses Indian Reservation  in northern Washington, and gathering place for Native Americans in the 1800's, now provides a peaceful, picturesque setting for this trio of long time, life long  friends. Sandy, Margaret and I   meet there  once a year for what we like to  call  the Friendship Retreat.

Free of family chores and daily duties, we laugh  and play   like the carefree kids we once were, and talk, talk, talk from the moment we wake until it's again time for sleep. We listen, too, not just with our ears, but with our hearts  about husbands, daughters and sons,  and beloved brothers now deceased;  House plans, travel plans,the book we're reading, and books we've read. We reflect about the ever changing  world, and our faith in God, convinced Divine Providence  brought us together back in '65 when we were lowly high school freshmen. We  reminisce about those early days of friendship and are  so familiar with each other,   one easily picks up the story where the other leaves off -   about where we lived, what we did, who we were then. We've come to know,  and  appreciate ours is a shared history, an evolving history that connects our past to present, into the future.

Commitment & Love

i lay my head on his shoulder
he takes my hand in his hand
we sit comfortably, cozy on the
family room couch, watching t.v.
and eating chocolate covered peanuts
and pistachios
At the commercial i ask,
"are you ready for a game
of cribbage"?  He nods
his head yes, and together
we move to the  table
to set up the board and shuffle cards
Sometimes i win, but not very often;
Gary is the acclaimed cribbage  champ
i'm competitive though,  and count
my crib 15-2,15-4,15-6
to make the game close

we exchange words of love
and reminisce about the many years
we've shared a bed, and a million other things
We smile at remembering  our younger  days
raising two sons, building a business, making a home
and wonder how the time slipped away so quickly
We look  into each others eyes, and
quietly know  commitment, and love
 is forged deep between us, and  those vows  made
thirty-two years ago (today)  forever  hold true