Ten of the longest and fastest moving years.

 I can't believe it's been ten years.

I can still hear your voice...

and Arnie's bark.

You are missed!

In My Life...

Every year I say I'm not going to think about it...

Talk about it...

Write about it.

Then this morning, Michelle, my sister-in-law, posted this oldie but goodie

of Mark, Tori and of course, Tony.

Of course, it brought back so many memories...

Like this day...

I know I'm not alone in missing him...

We'll get together again some day...

RIP Mark and Arnie on your 62nd birthday!

Garage Party

Mark (my late husband, Andy and Tony's father) and his friends had a long standing tradition...

Garage parties!

It didn't matter the reason, the weather or the season,

the guys met at someone's garage for beer, snacks and usually

 ping pong.

Tony sent me this photo.

Tony and Henry  wanted to give Mindy a break, but it was raining so they decided to have a garage party!

Just reminds me of Tony!

Speaking of Henry and sports...

Isn't he adorable?

~sigh~

I love being a grandma!

The story of Izzy Boyant

When Andy was 14, he saved his money to buy a

15 foot sailboat.

Andy and his Dad spent months restoring it.

When they brought it home, it seemed to be a white boat

But buffing proved it was bright yellow!

They named it Izzy Boyant because they didn't know if it was floatable.

It was!

A few years later, Andy sold her because he wanted a much larger boat.

A few years after that, we saw it for sale in someone's front yard...

Then we lost track of it.

Last week, Andy sent me this...

Yes, Andy got in touch with the seller.  

And yes, it's Izzy!

They spent their honeymoon on her.

Glad to see she is still making memories!

No, we are not going to buy her back.

Two motor boats, 

4 kayaks

a pedal boat

and various floating things...

No room at the dock!

I Wasn't Going to Talk About This

I was going to pretend that today was just like any other...

But I can't.

This afternoon, about 1 o'clock will mark the 8th anniversary of the day our lives changed dramatically.

The day my boys lost their best friend as well as their dad.

The day I lost the husband that I was finally getting used to

(after 27 years)

It happened so fast, so unexpectedly...

We still talk about him as though he was in another room.

We still laugh at some of his antics.

Once, when we were cracking up about something he did,

Mr. K piped up with, "I miss him too!"

I know we'll see each other again...

One of these days.

RIP, Mark

We can still celebrate

Sixty one years ago, in a blink, you were there!

July 28, 1958

Third child, first son.

Fifty three years later, in a blink, you were gone!

October 8, 2011

Husband, father, brother, friend.

Between those two dates, so much happened!

You are so missed.  We talk about you, laugh about the things you said as if you were just around the corner.

In a sense you are...

We'll see you again soon.

Until then, we'll cherish our memories...

My 500th post/Happy Father's Day

Can you believe it?

I've been here, at Red Sock Mama for 4742 days but it's only my 500th post.

As much as I talk in real life, I think I could have 

done better than that.

If you think that, keep it to yourself.  

I'm rather sensitive

How strange that not only is it my 500th, but it's father's day...

Humor me while I show you a few of my favorite photos of fathers being fathers...

.

I couldn't dig up any photos of Mr. K being a human dad in my files...

but he IS Shirley's dad too...

Happy Father's Day!

It's a Great Day...

It's a great day for Hockey!

I was not a hockey person until I met Mark (my late husband).

He was born in upstate New York where they are born with skates on...

I soon learned to  love the sport and Andy and Tony didn't know any other way.

We were determined to give them the opportunity to learn to play.  

Dek Hockey and then roller hockey  seemed to be the best way.  

They each started Dek Hockey when they were four.  Guess who is four now?

You got that right, it's Locklan.  

This summer he attended a learn-to-play session at the Y.

Monday was his first realistic game...

Of course, we all went to cheer him on!

First they got a refresher and reviewed their equipment...

Then they did drills...

Locklan is in the orange shorts...

And then...

The scrimmage!

What a hoot!

When your legs are that short and the rink that big...

Someone tired out!

Brought back memories, for sure!

Oh...and it was a tie game!

Memories...like this one?

Heavenly celebrations...

Do they celebrate birthdays in heaven?

 

Probably not since we're all promised eternal life...

 

So I'll continue to celebrate, in my own way, depending on the year...

 

Happy birthday, Mark!

 

Today you would have celebrated your 59th birthday.

 

 

 

 

We never got to say good bye to you...

 

Most of the time I think it's just as well...

 

What would we say?

 

Just what I hope you already knew...

 

You are loved...

 

We miss you!

 

 

 

Jan, Andy, Tony...and now there is Ashley, Mindy and Locklan!

 

 

The things we do so we don't have to do things!

Oh the things we do when we are avoiding doing something we really don't want to do...

 

Take me, for example. 

While ironing (shiver in horror), I began wondering...

 

How long have I been completely sugar free?

 

118 Days!

 

I found this great ap that calculates time!

 

There's no stopping me now!

 

How long have Mr.K and I been married?

 

(only) 1224 days?

 

How many miles have I put on my

 

 

Since Mr. K decided I she and I were kindered spirits in July?

 

Roughly 10,000!

I have not had a cigarette for 4089 days!

 

Today Locklan turns 786 days old...

 

How old am I?

 

24, 012 as of this afternoon...

 

~sigh~

 

No wonder I need a nap!

 

On the other hand...

Things have been rather pleasant around here.

 

After church on Sunday, Mr. K and I jumped in my car

(top down, of course)

And headed up-river for a late lunch.

We stopped at camp and then hit the highway,

basking in the sun,

when all of a sudden I caught sight of me in the rear view

mirror...

To my horror, I saw that I had

Trump Hair!!!!

 

But the day ended happily with ice cream with the kids...

 

 

Locklan was coming to stay with me yesterday.

Andy said they were bringing something special!

 

 

 

Yes!  A sand box!  Andy even filled it with sand although

by noon, I thought we might run out of sand.

 

 

I spent most of my afternoon sitting on the edge of the patio filling the dump truck from a bucket.

 

Notice that neither of these photos shows his face?

I don't think he looked up from playing most of the day!

 

Well, it wouldn't be right for me to sign off without a warm-n-fuzzy photo.

 

How's this?

 

 

Remember the quilt I made from Mark's shirts?

The story is HERE!

 

Locklan calls this quilt Pappy Mark's Airplanes!

 

If that isn't enough...

I came across this photo the other day...

 

 

Aren't they funny?

 

Hey...have to get busy!

 

Until the next time,

God bless ya!

How strange is this?

Yesterday, Andy and Locklan came to cut the grass, eat lunch and play.

 

When Locklan came in...

 

I chuckled...

 

But suddenly, when I became aware of the date, I thought of this man...

 

 

It must be genetic?

 

 

 

and realized that today it was five years ago that we said good bye...

 

Five years?  I wish I could say it flew by, that we are fine...

 

But sometimes it dragged by, there were days when just a heart beat seemed like a chore...

 

 

 

Well always miss you, but we know we'll see you again.

 

Love you!

 

 

In our hearts, on our mind.

Today would have been Mark's 57th birthday.

 

He's been on my mind all day, the boys said for them too...

 

The stories, the jokes...

 

Yes, even the arguments...

 

Everyone should get to celebrate 57, or so we thought...

 

You are missed!

 

Happy birthday!

 

 

Happy Father's Day

There are so many reasons to celebrate Father's day...

To honor the memory of my own father...

 

 

 

 

 

To honor the memory of Mark, who loved being a father!

 

 

To  honor  Andy, my son, who is celebrating his first Father's day...

 

And to honor of Mr K, who became an instant step-father of my own four kids when he married me...

But who also became a 'step-father' to Linda...

And a 'doggie-daddy' to Shirley...

 

A 'Pappy-Ron' to Locklan...

 

As well as a dad to his own kids and a Pappy to the grandkids!

 

He's an all over handy guy to have around!

 

 

I am so thankful for all these fathers in my life...and for many others.

 

God bless you and thank you!

 

Oh, and today is my tenth blogsaversary...

but more on that tomorrow!