07/10/2024
Last week has been draining and I'm running on fumes - today is supposed to be a "down-day" of rest - working on that. But, as I look back here's where I am:
2,223 miles on the Impala - averaged 29.1 MPG - awesome road car - I did ALL of the driving as Suzie has "sleep issues" at the wheel - she swears she doesn't fall asleep at the wheel but I've waked her up there a time or two.
Five nights in Holiday Inn Express - once in Monroe LA going to Georgia - then three nights in Braselton, GA - and then a night in Monroe LA on the way home.
We dodged the Beryl Hurricane and the Tropical Depression that went right over the top of Shreveport (on our route of travel) - it had passed by the time we woke up yesterday for the trip home from Monroe LA.
There were a LOT of boom trucks on the road headed to Texas to help restore power - the hotel was packed with "bubbas" - heroes one and all coming to the rescue of those sweltering in oppressive Texas humid heat. My cousin has a generator or he'd be without power.
We had a good day of honoring my best friend Rick Kennedy on Saturday - wasn't expecting to, but, was asked to give the eulogy - an honor that meant the world to me. We were friends for 65 years (since 5th grade) - we had been separated geographically - but not in spirit and there were some HUGE memories that came flooding back starting last Sunday morning when Robert his son called to say that he'd died. With ALS you know it's coming sooner rather than later, but, it's still really hard to know that your birthday calls can't happen anymore. We called each other on our birthdays (3 May and 9 May).
It was a great turnout and Rick and Theresa's other friend who spoke filled in so many things I'd not known about him over the years. My regret is that time/distance and "busy" kept us from visiting in person more - Suzie and visited twice after the ALS diagnosis - once he could still walk but was having visible issues - and the last visit he was in an electric wheelchair - the last call we had was hard to understand everything because of his BiPAP breathing machine.
Sunday we spent with Suzie's brother and SIL and one of their sons and his family - they were just back from Cooperstown where Trey, their son, hit a homerun - that was a super visit.
All in all - it's been 10 days since Robert called - and each day there's a void in my heart from the physical absence of my brother (we were brothers on SO MANY levels).
BUT, the joy in a Christian funeral is that our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and His righteousness - Rick was led to the Lord in his last days in an answer to prayer - it was Rick who asked about going to heaven - and the person he asked had all the scriptures at hand - and Rick asked Christ to save him - it may have been in the eleventh hour - but, when we've been there 10,000 years we've NO LESS DAYS to sing God's praise - and so I am sad to miss him - but know we'll see each other again in Heaven where we'll all have perfect pain-free bodies.
Our prayers shift now to Theresa, Robert, Chris, and all of Rick's other kids (Theresa's kids) - they are missing a Dad and a husband. Rick loved with all his worth each one of them - and gave of himself to them as a husband and father should.
In the Army we use a couple of phrases when we part ways:
One is "until Val Halla - the place of the warriors.
The other is "I'll see you on the high ground" - and infantry term for I'll see you when we have vanquished the foe.
I ended my eulogy with the second one - but, for me, the high ground that I'll see Rick on is Heaven's portal - the place where we'll spend eternity with the Triune God, our Creator, our Savior, and our Sustainer.
And, now - a nap for Bonzo (me!)
