Norm's grave
Our lunch bunch All of us are in the following 2 pictures 24 year ago
Mary took this picture 24 years ago. Josh is only 3 on Holly's (age 16)shoulders. I am in the middle
So I took this one From left to right-Harold, Richie, Stu, Holly(with Josh), Norm, Mary, Steve and Shanna
So for the past 3 days we've been tour guides to Steve's cousin Stu and his friend Richie. We've been having a good time with lots of good conversations with maybe too much drinking. Sunday night we all went to Josh and Julia's for a BBQ. Lots of funny stories were told such as Stu's first attempt at ice skating at 15 while on a date during his no-underwear period and the first time he let go of the rail, his legs did the splits as did his pants... As for J&J, they said that anytime they lose faith in humanity, they see what a fine young couple J&J are and their faith is restored. For the past 2 mornings, we've been going down to Gallup Park to run as Stu wants a completely flat surface. They were taking too long to get ready today so I ran down there ahead of them bringing my total to 7.2 miles for the day though lots of that was downhill. They are shocked at our $1.99 martinis and photograph everything they see.
Today we went to the cemetary to see Norm's grave. Norm was their close friend who died of colon cancer 10 years ago. Directions to his gravesite were very skimpy though it turns out to be close to my grandfather's and I guess, eventually mine as I inherited several plots there. We were scouring the land for a good half hour when I found it. Very hard to read the lettering even though the stone is fairly new. Richie asked how I found it. Jewdar. I got that expression from Cancer Bitch-her method of finding fellow Jews. I am not Jewish (just married to one) but I do know they leave stones on the grave to show they visited and I saw a pile of stones in the distance (most of the dead there are not Jewish) and figured it must be his grave.
We also had lunch with Norm's old girlfriend Mary.I brought pix of all of us when rented a condo in the mountains of W. Virginia 24 years ago. Richie, Stu, Harold (Steve's brother), Holly (Stu's step-son), Mary, Norm and Steve and myself (and our 2 kids at the time). She and I used to be very close doing lots of stuff together-mainly sports. Anytime there was snow, we were out x-country skiing. During my first marathon, she ran me in from the 20 mile mark to encourage me. Somehow we drifted apart-I had my kids: she had her business. Now she is married and is a fiber artist. Ironically I had stopped in her booth the other day with Jo when we were searching for a bathroom at the art fair but she wasn't there (nor did I know her new hobby). But I always have been sad that we grew apart. Maybe we'll be good friends again-we'll see.
Right now I am concentrating on advising Naomi on what classes to register for tomorrow-an exercise in frustration. Although she scored acceptably in writing and math, her reading score is too low to qualify for the classes she needs for her major without taking a remedial class first. Also another class she needs is offered 40 hours/week in 3 week periods so she'll need to go to summer school as she can't fit it in during the regular semesters
Today we went to the cemetary to see Norm's grave. Norm was their close friend who died of colon cancer 10 years ago. Directions to his gravesite were very skimpy though it turns out to be close to my grandfather's and I guess, eventually mine as I inherited several plots there. We were scouring the land for a good half hour when I found it. Very hard to read the lettering even though the stone is fairly new. Richie asked how I found it. Jewdar. I got that expression from Cancer Bitch-her method of finding fellow Jews. I am not Jewish (just married to one) but I do know they leave stones on the grave to show they visited and I saw a pile of stones in the distance (most of the dead there are not Jewish) and figured it must be his grave.
We also had lunch with Norm's old girlfriend Mary.I brought pix of all of us when rented a condo in the mountains of W. Virginia 24 years ago. Richie, Stu, Harold (Steve's brother), Holly (Stu's step-son), Mary, Norm and Steve and myself (and our 2 kids at the time). She and I used to be very close doing lots of stuff together-mainly sports. Anytime there was snow, we were out x-country skiing. During my first marathon, she ran me in from the 20 mile mark to encourage me. Somehow we drifted apart-I had my kids: she had her business. Now she is married and is a fiber artist. Ironically I had stopped in her booth the other day with Jo when we were searching for a bathroom at the art fair but she wasn't there (nor did I know her new hobby). But I always have been sad that we grew apart. Maybe we'll be good friends again-we'll see.
Right now I am concentrating on advising Naomi on what classes to register for tomorrow-an exercise in frustration. Although she scored acceptably in writing and math, her reading score is too low to qualify for the classes she needs for her major without taking a remedial class first. Also another class she needs is offered 40 hours/week in 3 week periods so she'll need to go to summer school as she can't fit it in during the regular semesters
2 comments:
Sue it really makes me sad too when the friends you had just are no longer there...I have had the same thing happen since I have had breast cancer.....
Alli xx
Friends are like ships, some pass by quickly while others drop anchor for a long time! Enjoy the view and remember what a nice ship they were once!
Maybe your friend is having a hard time coming to terms with cancer and her own insecurity? Whatever the reason, it isnt your fault!
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