For Carmen--A new beginning--A new journey: Leo the Biker

Monday, February 22, 2010

Leo the Biker

With his hands on the bike and his Grandma beads around his neck Leo looks the biker. Grandpa and Leo may not be able to go for a bike ride this year but it won't be long.
Another busy day, what can I say. Made pancakes and sausage for Henry and I this morning and then took Henry to school. Stopped by the cemetery on the way home and talked to them about a monument. Stopped by Nokomis store on the way home and got home in time to go out for lunch with Jerry W. Returned home in time to get things ready for a meeting at 3:15 and now am waiting for Liam to arrive for his sleep over. I am getting a tad concerned about the sleep overs as I know I do not make things as interesting as Grandma nor do I make pancakes as good! The pancake recipe this morning called for 1 t of salt and I did say to myself that was a lot of salt but went ahead and followed the recipe. They were OK but it was too much salt. Will make a different kind tomorrow and see how they turn out.
At the Highland Grill I met a co-worker who is older than I and I had not seen for some time. Was nice to chat for a bit with her. At one time I did painting for her. She and a sister in law were both celebrating their 75 birthday.
Not much new today. Life continues to fly by at a break neck pace. Jerry and I had a great conversation today about how life changes when one comes face to face with mortality and a person is closer to the end of times than the beginning of times. I was saying that I plan to live a long time and I hope to live a long time but if I were to find out that I was sick and had a fairly short time to live I would have a very different attitude now than I would have had a year ago. Different things are important and things have a different place than people in my life now. I remember Gail and I having conversations after her first bout with cancer and we decided that if we had a short time to live we would not change our lives at all. That is for sure the way Gail lived her last months but we did hope for a healing. Still we would not have changed anything. I am not satisfied with who I am, I want to be a better person but I am content with where I am, where I am going and what I am doing. That said I expect and hope to live many many more years but when the time comes for me to meet Gail once again I will be excited.

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The first reading at Gail's funeral September 18, 2009

I know of no one who fit this better than Gail

Proverbs 31: 10-31
A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.
Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.
She brings him good, not harm.
all the days of her life.
She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.
She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.
She gets up while it is still dark;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her servant girls.
She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
She sets about her work vigorously:
her arms are strong for her tasks.
She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.
In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.
When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
She makes coverings for her bed;
she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
Her husband is respected at the city gate,
where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.
She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.
She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her;
Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all."
Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
Give her the reward she has earned,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

Well done good and faithful servant, your praise is much and your reward is to be with God forever.

Our Story

Our story begin in 1951, when Carmen was 4 and Gail was 5! We met as our parents were at a camera club. Fast forward--Carmen begin to attend grade school in town in 1957, the same school that Gail went to. Fast forward--We had our first date in the winter of 1964 in Gail's senior year of high school. Again--we were married June 1st of 1968. We moved to St. Paul in October of 1977 and lived at 2094 Niles Ave until Gail's death September 14 of 2009.
Gail first breast cancer was found in October of 2003. After surgery, chemo, radiation and infusions for a year she felt well and we lived life in our normal mode. Carmen retired in June of 2007 and shortly after that we quit doing the paper route as well. In the fall of 2007 we went on our dream vacation. We camped for 7 weeks in Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia and in the New England states. Sleeping in our truck and eating over an open fire we felt that we had experienced heaven. Then in January of 2008 we spent 3 weeks in Hawaii with friends and again had so much fun. In the fall of 2008 we did much work on the outside of the house and we were so excited to enter 2009 with big plans and dreams. In January Gail was diagnosed with new cancer. For the next 7 1/2 months we prayed, changed our life style, laughed and cried often. As the end of Gail's life drew near she was peaceful and family cared for her at home until she met Jesus. It was a journey that was wonderful, exciting, blessed, full of life and full of love but of course it was too short. Gail is so missed but I know she is in a better place so my journey must continue on without my true love.
I enter a new decade as the "I" that I never wanted to be but I have hope. Hope of things not experienced and hope that life will again, in 2010, become something that I look forward to each morning. My hope is based on our Lord who gives all, who is all and who gives love to all who believe. I enter this new decade with so many questions and so few answers but with faith that all will be well.

For Carmen--A new beginning--A new journey

Monday, February 22, 2010

Leo the Biker

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The first reading at Gail's funeral September 18, 2009

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