Cherish Each Day

[arcticsid]

It was about this time last year, when I was still a stranger here, I told you about losing my friend Mike Green, who burned up in his home. It was January 12th, I think.

A member send me a label for a watermellon wine I still have yet to make.

About 30 minutes ago I recieved a call from Mikes brother telling me that his (Mikes) wife died this afternoon. Tracy had her own medical problems combined with heartache was enough to eventually get her.

Friends passing is never good, but, just yesterday, I was talking to my Mom back in Milwaukee and we discussed one of the perils of getting older is the fact you will lose friends. I can accept that. I told her I felt lucky I only lost one this winter, she responded by saying her and her husband had two in line.

After hearing of my friend Tracy, I called Mom first to cry on a shoulder. She told me that their friend Hank died about 1 hour before my friend Tracy.

My Mom and I both agreed to take a minute to cherish and be thankful for what we have. It doesn't take a religous conviction to realize the world is filled with small blessings. We all need to take notice of them.

Excuse me if this post has tears on the keyboard. When I look up at that dark sky filled with bright stars tonight, I want to remember that each of those stars represents a friend, mine, yours, or someone elses.

I have never counted my friends on my fingers, but soon I will be down to one hand. This can be a tough land, and friends are an important part of what gets us through.

Excuse me if I am blubbering, I am glad to be human. And I am glad I was taught to recognize those blessings.



Troy

 

[arcticsid]

Luckily I saved a bottle of my finest wine just for times like this. She always encouraged me to make my wine. Her and I have shared more than one bottle of hooch right from the jug. No need for mix when all you have to do is wait for the burn to go away and grit your teeth.

YOPE AH DOE

Troy

 

[deboard]

Well said sid.

 

[arcticsid]

These work too!!!

RIP Trace, see you under the bridge leading to the gate.

Troy

Sorry gang I don't mean to take this out on you. I am just Pi$$ed, sad, and working on getting drunk. If I do anything not normally associated with me let me know!! LOL.

 

[upper]

Sorry for your loss Troy,all I can say is I hope my name is not on one of your remaining fingers....Upper

 

[Racer]

Troy I'm truly sorry and saddened by the lose of your friend and now your friends wife too. I hope the good memories of them never fade away and give you strength and comfort to see you thru the tough time of their passing.

 

[arcticsid]

Thanks Upper, luckily for you , I am counting you on my toes!! LOL

Come around the begining of winter I thought I might get through unscathed. lost an old friend back in November and now this. Geez Louise.!!

We'll make 'er, and we'll get it done too!!

 

[arcticsid]

man this just really sucks, this is still pretty new news, like just a few hours ago, still haven't mustered up the balls to call her family yet.

 

[arcticsid]

Might be a good time to give up the rabbit experiments, fire up the Polish Houseboat and hit the Yukon River.!!LOL

 

[upper]

If that is your closet,you better double-up on the Mustard.Just saying.............Upper

 

[Tom]

I hope you consider myself and all here Your Friend!
Losing a good friend $u_ks. , maye go
Better yet start that wine you been postponing.

 

[arcticsid]

I absolutely consider everyone in here my friend, thats why I came here first. This isn't going to be easy.

It'll be okay, just not sure when. getting used to this, unfortunately.

'Preciate the hug Tom, just need a few hours to collect myself. I still have to be represenative in front of her family, I want to be sure I can do that without losing it, then all the gals start crying, and somehow it will be my fault cause all the ladies are crying.

LOL. Gonna be a tough one, but nothing I can't handle, I realize this loss is shared by many here, and I need to do my part to stay reasonable and focused.

Thats why I drink and cry now. Tommorrow we deal with it. been waiting for the "family" call, but as you can imagine, they have alot going on right now. Kinda good. I talk like a tough guy but this sort of thing hits me hard.

 

[Wade E]

Man, sorry to hear about that Troy, I havent lost ant friends yet(Knock on wood) but have lost my father in law which surely was not easy at all. Times like these make you sit down and appreciate what you do have.

 

[arcticsid]

in the last 15 yrs I have lost all my Grand parents, a couple friends to murder, a couple at sea, a few got old, some had cancer, a few drank themselves to death, lost a brother in a car accident, my best buddy and his dad crashed an airplane into the side of a mountain,(thats the CP on my arm, "cabbage patch", to much weed for him and to much thinking"), my dad died a couple days before Xmas 9 yrs ago, my ole pal Lane died just a month or so ago. Mike burned up in his house last January after getting up from my couch, begged him to stay..man. It gets old bro'. takes every bit of human I have to deal with this.

Damn sure makes me aware of my actions and how I act around the world around me. Thats not religion, thats truth.

Thanks for letting me hang out here and express this to you. Don't mean to bring anyone down. I just don't have a whole lot of friends left who know me like you guys/gals do.

 

[Wade E]

Let it out my friend!

 

[arcticsid]

How do you like the houseboat. cracks me th Flip out. We all have one lined up and we WILL make one tis summer. if I can find it I will post a picture of my buddy Daves(blow boat) airboat he made from the dumpster. he bought the airplane motor but the rest is 100% dumpster. stand by. i think I know where it is.

Even the control wires came from the dump.(cables from an exercise machine.)

You oughta hear this thing fire up. Too much!!

 

[Green Mountains]

Troy,

Life is short. I've only lost one contemporary....I had to search for that word....It was my best buddy from high school. We ran the town we did.... and did some things we never should have. But all was well.....we lived thru it....

and he died. I was shocked. Shocked that life was so...... short.

But it's LONG too. Filled with things that we can embrace. Love of a friend, love of a lover, love of a parent, love of sibling, love of a pizza.

Lot's of stuff we can love.

I've always enjoyed the statement............"We'll all be dead in a hundred years".... it's true, and helpful. It won't matter then.

What matters is.........be good. Do nice things, and perhaps enjoy everyone around you. And wine. Enjoy some wine.

 

[arcticsid]

Screaming machine

The motor came out of a Piper Super Cub, couple grand there, the rest, 100% from the dump. When this thing starts, it's time to get the wife and kids in the house! I didn't go with him last summer on it, but they say it screams and only pulls like 2 inches of water. All the controls, seats, paint, etc. from the dump. Thought I had more pictures but this is it.

We are nuts here! Our friendships run deep. Thats why when one is lost it is so significant.!!

 

[Wade E]

Troy, how big is that rabbit?

 

[arcticsid]

You said it good Green, good indeed.

I hope others pay attention to what you said.