Two Losses
In the past couple weeks, our family has experienced 2 losses. The first would be Janet Shannon, the grandmother of Kortney and Emily. I only had the privilege of meeting her on a few occasions, but I know that Kort, Em and Karrie loved her very much. She worked for over 35 years for the Fauquier County Department Of Social Services. You can read a proclamation from the Board Of Supervisors from Fauquier County celebrating her career and their best wishes on her retirement here.
This past weekend, we received news that my Uncle Bob had passed away. He was a very cool individual. I was looking through past blog posts, and came across this.
"Family and friends really are all you have. Material goods are nice, but there really is no substitute for a handshake or a hug from someone you haven't seen in a long time."
And, in that same blog, these pictures of us hanging with Uncle Bob at Rob's wedding.
When I was a kid growing up in Woodbury Heights, New Jersey, I would always look forward to Uncle Bob coming to visit. That meant I could bug him to take me for a ride on his motorcycle till he would give in and take me. He would take me from our house on Glenwood Avenue to the DMV Inspection Center on Glassboro Road and back. Weird the stuff that you remember after all these years. I remember listening to The Beatles Abbey Road on the turntable in their living room with Rob. I remember Uncle Bob making me and Rob leave the table because we had starting laughing so hard I had grape soda come out my nose, which only made Rob laugh harder. I remember the VW bus he had, and the cool swimming pool in his back yard. When I saw him at Rob's wedding last summer, I shared some of those memories with him. And told him those motorcycle rides led to the love of our bike and riding now. He had ridden a Honda and we ride Harley, which led to some good natured ribbing. He couldn't ride any longer, but you could see the spark in his eye when we talked about it.
One last quick story about Uncle Bob. It was probably 10 years ago that he and I made a bet on a Washington Redskins - Philadelphia Eagles game. The bet was for $20 and I won. A couple days later, FedEx arrived with a 2 foot by 2 foot square of wood. It was 2 pieces of wood glued together. In the package was a mathmatical equation on where to locate the $20 bill. It took a LONG time to figure it out, and I carefully cut the quadrant that I thought the money was in. I revealed a folded black and white 8x10 picture of Uncle Bob, smiling. And a $20 bill. Fast forward to last years football season, and a $5 bet on the Washington Redskins - Seattle Seahawks game. This time he won. So I had to send him $5. And I did.
Lovingly sealed in a snow-globe, with the base super glued onto it. He appreciated the effort. It is a sense of humor that us Parkers' all share.
This is a sad blog post, but also a celebration of 2 wonderful people.
Shadows are falling and I'm running out of breath
Keep me in your heart for a while
If I leave you it doesn't mean I love you any less
Keep me in your heart for a while
When you get up in the morning and you see that crazy sun
Keep me in your heart for a while
There's a train leaving nightly called when all is said and done
Keep me in your heart for a while
Sha la, la-la-la, la-la-li, li, lo
Keep me in your heart for a while
Sha la, la-la-la, la-la-li, li, lo
Keep me in your heart for a while
Sometimes when you're doing simple things around the house
Maybe you'll think of me and smile
You know I'm tied to you like the buttons on your blouse
Keep me in your heart for a while
Hold me in your thoughts, take me to your dreams
Touch me as I fall into view
When the winter comes keep the fires lit
And I will be right next to you
Engine driver's headed north to Pleasant Stream
Keep me in your heart for a while
These wheels keep turning but they're running out of steam
Keep me in your heart for a while
Keep me in your heart for a while
- Keep Me In Your Heart by Warren Zevon and Jorge' Calderon
This past weekend, we received news that my Uncle Bob had passed away. He was a very cool individual. I was looking through past blog posts, and came across this.
"Family and friends really are all you have. Material goods are nice, but there really is no substitute for a handshake or a hug from someone you haven't seen in a long time."
And, in that same blog, these pictures of us hanging with Uncle Bob at Rob's wedding.
When I was a kid growing up in Woodbury Heights, New Jersey, I would always look forward to Uncle Bob coming to visit. That meant I could bug him to take me for a ride on his motorcycle till he would give in and take me. He would take me from our house on Glenwood Avenue to the DMV Inspection Center on Glassboro Road and back. Weird the stuff that you remember after all these years. I remember listening to The Beatles Abbey Road on the turntable in their living room with Rob. I remember Uncle Bob making me and Rob leave the table because we had starting laughing so hard I had grape soda come out my nose, which only made Rob laugh harder. I remember the VW bus he had, and the cool swimming pool in his back yard. When I saw him at Rob's wedding last summer, I shared some of those memories with him. And told him those motorcycle rides led to the love of our bike and riding now. He had ridden a Honda and we ride Harley, which led to some good natured ribbing. He couldn't ride any longer, but you could see the spark in his eye when we talked about it.
One last quick story about Uncle Bob. It was probably 10 years ago that he and I made a bet on a Washington Redskins - Philadelphia Eagles game. The bet was for $20 and I won. A couple days later, FedEx arrived with a 2 foot by 2 foot square of wood. It was 2 pieces of wood glued together. In the package was a mathmatical equation on where to locate the $20 bill. It took a LONG time to figure it out, and I carefully cut the quadrant that I thought the money was in. I revealed a folded black and white 8x10 picture of Uncle Bob, smiling. And a $20 bill. Fast forward to last years football season, and a $5 bet on the Washington Redskins - Seattle Seahawks game. This time he won. So I had to send him $5. And I did.
Lovingly sealed in a snow-globe, with the base super glued onto it. He appreciated the effort. It is a sense of humor that us Parkers' all share.
This is a sad blog post, but also a celebration of 2 wonderful people.
Shadows are falling and I'm running out of breath
Keep me in your heart for a while
If I leave you it doesn't mean I love you any less
Keep me in your heart for a while
When you get up in the morning and you see that crazy sun
Keep me in your heart for a while
There's a train leaving nightly called when all is said and done
Keep me in your heart for a while
Sha la, la-la-la, la-la-li, li, lo
Keep me in your heart for a while
Sha la, la-la-la, la-la-li, li, lo
Keep me in your heart for a while
Sometimes when you're doing simple things around the house
Maybe you'll think of me and smile
You know I'm tied to you like the buttons on your blouse
Keep me in your heart for a while
Hold me in your thoughts, take me to your dreams
Touch me as I fall into view
When the winter comes keep the fires lit
And I will be right next to you
Engine driver's headed north to Pleasant Stream
Keep me in your heart for a while
These wheels keep turning but they're running out of steam
Keep me in your heart for a while
Keep me in your heart for a while
- Keep Me In Your Heart by Warren Zevon and Jorge' Calderon
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