2012

Well 2012 is ending just as f**king good as it started, the American Congress can not get their heads out of their asses long enough to see what the American Public wants.
The Congress does not care at all about the public, just their buddies... great..but the Public is the ones that pay the bills and the price for this stupidity...

2012 started this way...........

In Janurary I get a text message that my oldest brother had died...two weeks before my birthday...just wonderful....
Denny had struggled the last few years with some health issues and it was sad to know that his body gave up...but at least he is not in pain anymore.  The ones in pain are his family because he was so integral to his family.

In Feb.  we got notified that Al's cousin Penny had died from her battle with cancer.  We were so sad, we had hoped to go and meet her this past summer.  

A couple of months later, my Uncle Danny died. He was two days younger than Denny.  Uncle Danny had fought for a long time with his health and had finally became the heavenly angel that he was on Earth.

My hope was that this was the last bad news of the year... Al was due to graduate from Wayne State University in May and I really could have gone with no more stress.

Despite some bs from Wayne State University, Al finally got the info that he was going to get his BA in Film.  I was so thrilled that I threw him a party.  That was one of the most rewarding things I had done in years...it was wonderful to see our friends, many who were our "Heart Family".  We were so glad that the college years were over....

Then June decided it wanted to be noticed and I was told I had breast cancer....I went "Really"?  This was just not an acceptable situtation for me, so I decided that without health insurance I was still going to find a way to get this resolved.  Found the wonderful program through Karmanos that offered free care for women up to age 64.  The team I worked with was wonderful and it turned out I had false postives and scare tissue....that was such a relief that by September I was too exhausted to do much more. 

And during this time we helped a friend move in with another friend who needed help.

We had planned on moving to Arizona, but those plans went bye bye when we realized that we had a powerful support team here and would need it.

Al had been deteriorating thorough out the summer and had to go into physical therapy to try and get his arm to stop hurting and for it to be useful.  Just as he was getting through that, he bad knee decided to give out.  He blew out the cartilage and messed up his lateral ligament....good gravy we did not need that.

And for me, lets just say stress and Polio do not go together...it has been sucky.

But in November we got ourselves another family member...her name is Babe.  She is nine years old and beautiful.  Her human had died and she was left in a house by herself for a month, having a neighbor feed her.  The son of the deceased lady just wanted the cat to be put down.  Well considering the vet said Gabby was lonely, we went and got Babe.   I love her so much, and so does Al, she has been a delight...Gabby and her are still adjusting, but it looks like they will be okay.  So in the scheme of things, this doesn't seem like something big, but for us it was a great thing.

So in December when the country had just gotten through the shock of the East coast being slammed by Sandy, comes the most horrible crime ever, 20 babies murdered with their teachers in Connecticut.  The sadness has been overwhelming to say the least, and the sorrow will be forever for these families.  

But apparently this country has not had enough, now we have the New Years Eve news that our Congress is a bunch of nincompoops.  I want to know how these people look in the mirror and the faces of their families.  They have become such a joke around the world.  The men and women who have given their lives, bodies and minds to make this country free do not deserve this kind of abuse.  Those of us who have worked, and put our money into a program that we PAID for can not understand why some congressman's or senator's pork is more important than honoring the promise made to us Americans.

All in all 2012 has been a "F**KING BAD YEAR".  

BUT I FEEL BLESSED...I HAVE A HUSBAND WHO LOVES ME AND A "HEART FAMILY" AND FRIENDS WHO I LOVE AND CHERISH.     

 I WISH EVERYONE A BETTER YEAR IN 2013......
  

Santa and Me

When we got invited to do Santa and Mrs. Claus for the National Guard Armory again we were so pleased.  We have done it numerous years and this time we were  asked two months ahead of time.

But we were really concerned we could not do it because Al torn his lateral ligament and a cartilage in his knee last week.  We asked the doctor if he could still do it and Dr. G thought it would be okay if we were very careful.  So Al took it super easy all week, stayed off his leg as he was told and crossed his fingers he would feel okay.

I will be the first to admit that this morning it did not look good for us.  It was raining and muggy, and it started to get super warm...not a good combination when one is in a wig, beard and costume.  After trying not to sweat to death, we arrived to a full house.... there were hundreds of soldiers and their family members.  We were there for over an hour with a line of children that never stopped.  It was amazing and the wonder and enjoyment on the children and their parents faces was so beautiful I wanted to cry.  We finished up and headed home.  And low and behold, the sun started to come out.  I guess that prayer I made came true...Please God, don't make us wet and damp, don't let the children be disappointed....it came true.

When we got home Al's pain really started to kick in, the meds were wearing off, so he was so glad to get home.  After de-Santaing, Al sat in his chair to stretch out.  Babe decided her dad needed to be loved and got on the back of the chair....they both fell asleep for a couple of hours...so cute....Babe would keep touching Al's head, like letting him know she would take care of him.  Gabby decided to crawl up in his lap and sleep...Al was nice and cozy.

  Babe sleeping....

 
Babe with her dad...Al

 
And Gabby on the lap saying "Really Mom?"  let us sleep.

Al and I love doing this for the troops and the kids.  Our only regret is that our bodies do not keep up with our minds.  Al says he does not regret this, even though he had to go to bed a while ago to try to get more comfortable.

Those beautiful faces, so full of excitement and joy help us feel less pain for a few moments and that is priceless.  

So Santa and Mrs. Claus hope everyone has the Holiday Season that they wish for......

 

BABE RUTH

Well the week has ended in a strange way for us.  I was checking my facebook page and there was a posting for an emergency home for a cat that was going to be put down if it could not find a home.....and....this is what happened.

Al and I have been in mourning for the loss of three of our cats last year....we were just exhausted, we had just lost both our mothers the year before...  
We still had our lovely Gabby... and she was in mourning also, but she was lapping up the love we bestowed upon her.  But she also was mopping about and talking to the mirror so much we talked with the vet to see if he thought she needed a partner.  Our vet said he felt she did need one and that he would keep his eye out for one.  I told him I would love a Tortie even tho they have the crazy gene.

I started checking shelters and other places, but found we could not afford the adoption fee and I did not like the idea of a chip being put in the animal.

 So...on Friday I saw this picture :

So...on Friday our lives were about to change...boy were they about to change.  I contacted the rescue place and they called me and told me her story:

Her name is BABE and she is 9 years old.  Her human died last month and she has been in the house for the last month alone, a neighbor feeding her  a couple of times a day.  I am afraid that the neon "sucker" light went off on my forehead and so did Al's.  I was told that the owner son just said to put her down.  Well...I don't do good when there is someone in need...and BABE was in need, and so was GABBY and US.

We had already fallen in love with her, just by the picture...and Al came up with her new name, before we even met her....BABE RUTH Bouchard...after all she was like the candy bar...dark chocolate, carmel and cream, and a little nuts.  See cats with orange fur carry a crazy gene all my vets have told me over the years....so what does that tell you about me...she willl be my second one with orange hair. 
So we drove to Oxford and got her.

So this is our BABE.... I told her I wanted to take some pictures of her so people could see how beautiful she is...

 

BABE RUTH

She loves to be petted on the head and neck.

An I wanted to Thank her for posing so nice for me.

And this is Gabby saying Thanks for having a new buddy..

 

  

 
 So we have a great Thanksgiving this year, no deaths, just a new life to enjoy...

A Great Night

So after a few weeks of not being able to move I was thrilled that Sat we could go out to a very special event...my great niece Taylor's Sweet 16 birthday.

  I was going to be at my niece Brenda's house and I was looking so forward to being with "the family".  "The family" are the wonderful people that I have been blessed with who have accepted me as who I am and it has been for decades.  As I was looking around, there was three generations there and it was thrilling to experience it.  I can not tell someone how wonderful it is to be "Aunt Megan" and Al loves to be "Uncle Al".  Some of the third generation girls, the boys were playing video games.

The house was full of activity with people talking and the smaller kids playing.  So much was going on it could have made a person's head swim, instead I just soaked it all in.  I have loved these people for over 40 years and it was fun to see how each generation had changed, yet also carried on the same traits.  Also fun to see some of my influence...hahah even Sue got into it.....

When Nancy's daughter Amanda asked me which side of the family I was from because she was trying to figure out which side I was her aunt from we laughed...that was not a fast answer.
Sue was there and she said, well Megan, your grandma and I went to school together, we have known each other that long. That is how Sue became "Aunt Sue" to her and how I became "Aunt Megan".  That was totally understandable to her, but then she said, "How did you die Aunt Megan and come back?"  And just how many times have you died?  Al entered a number of 7, and we think that is right.
  THAT was not so easy to answer.  With Sue's help I explained about being a body that had been removed from a fire and that her grandma and grandpa were my next of kin and they were notified that I had died in the fire and could they come and identify me.  I explained that when my body was being taken to the morgue, one of my friends from high school was working there and asked the doctors to try and resuscitate me again.  I started breathing and my heart started to work and that lasted for less than 24 hours and it had to be done again.  I was in intensive care for 28 days and then moved to a regular room.  Because of some memory loss, Sue helped to fill in some of the gaps.  But Amanda asked why her grandparents were my next of kin and before I could say anything, Sue, Nancy and Brenda said because my family didn't care about what happened to me so they became my family.  I said I am sure blessed.  And I am.

Hoping for more fun in the future and will now get back to work listing on Ebay...work, work, work, but fun is also needed.

"The Voting Americans"

So Friday was our freedom day...we got our votes in on Thursday night and decided we would go to the Detroit Fanfare, a comic and fan con.

I had gotten some fun lighting wigs and dreadlocks I wanted to play with so I dressed up, and was enlightened...haha... sometimes my sense of humor gets the best of me.

 Al decided to join in and become his own fun.

 So off to Fanfare, "The Voting Americans"....pun here..

We had gotten tickets so we could go to the preview and thus have less people to bump into Al's shoulder. I must say it was the best decision in the long run.  We were able to have time to talk with so many of the artists, performers and writers.

We really enjoyed ourselves and had fun talking with old friends and new. 

We even made the Best of Fanfare picture gallery, how much fun...

 
But pain raised its ugly head so we did not go back for the rest of the weekend, especially after already witnessing some of the Tiger fans who were at the hotel and getting drunk.  We can not risk Al's injury getting any worse and so we decided to just rest for the weekend.

All in all it was a well run convention and the staff were great.  The artist and the art was amazing and the conversations fun.  It was also the most handicap friendly event be have ever been to.

Sweetest Day Suprise

So yesterday was Sweetest Day so we spent five hours at a Senior Expo.  While at the Expo we filled out a bunch of tickets for drawings, but we never win anything and know it is for someones mailing list.  After hours of talking with different vendors, we wheeled out of the mall and headed home.

We were both so tired we laid down for a rest.  As we were resting we got a phone call who asked for Al.  Al answered and then found out what the call was about.  He had won a flower arrangement from all places, Price Funeral Home.  I almost fell off the bed with laughter because Price is the place that handled my mother and brother's funerals.   We must have filled out 25 different tickets and we get this.  Now considering I am allergic to flowers we discussed what to do with them.  Al said we could take them out to the cemetery and put them on Mom and Bobby's graves.  I thought that was a great idea, especially where they came from.  Al was told he could pick them up after 10am Sunday morning.

So we went out to the funeral home and this is what Al got...

 Now I squealed with joy...they were purple...Mom's favorite color...unbelievable....Al said as soon as he saw flowers "Mom, because it is purple."

So because my husband won flowers for me on Sweetest Day

 which was so cool, he could give the flowers to the other woman he so loved...Mom....

 So we went to White Chapel and Al gave Mom the flowers

 
From her "Bonus Boy" .... what a wonderful gift he could give her.  It was a beautiful day to top it off.  Mom loved Al so much that he got the last kiss she ever gave.  She gave him the kiss from a mother, considering his own mother did not.  She gave him the most beautiful gift a mother can give.  So when he won this, I felt that it was his way to give both of us a nice gift.  Life is good today, so I also grab those good days.
I helped him break up the arrangement to split between Mom and Bobby....so much delight  on this gorgeous day.

So things came out pretty nice, even put a flag up for Mom.

I kept the pink ribbon for my costume and the rest went to the graves...came out nice I think....

So my sweetie had a good Sweetest Day and our month anniversary day....

Acting

Today was one of those beautiful Michigan Fall days. It was brisk, but had clear skies and sun.  This was also a day that Al and I could leave the house and not be in so much pain that only the bed is the answer.

A friend of ours said something to me not to long ago that has been stewing in my brain.  Barb and I were discussing how Al and I have to present ourselves to the public, and what the cost is.  She said that the longer she has gotten to know us, she has realized we are great actors.  That took me by surprise because I was not sure how to take it.  As we discussed it, I realized that she meant it as a compliment, but I am not so sure it should be.

It has occurred to me that the World is a Stage and we are all actors...just some of us have a larger character to create.  For those who see us in public they do not realize the effort it takes for us to "come out".  And they can not conceptualize the after effects.  I am not even talking about a large event, I am talking about something as simple as going to the store or a doctor's appointment.  There have been times when I don't leave the house for up to four months at a time, so as a result, when I get out I am thrilled.  Al does get out more than me because he is not hooked to oxygen.  We feel blessed that we are capable to do that, so many people can't even had this much freedom.

We tend to be independent and not ask for help very often, and when we do, we try to pay in what ever way we can.  Sometimes the people who offer help fully value what we can offer and others don't. I do not have control over others, only myself. (Sometimes).  We try to help others if we are capable, but the last time caused Al's disabilities to really flare up horribly. As a result, he has had times were he can not even get out of bed due to the pain.

I have advocated for children, seniors, homeless, veterans and the disabled for my entire life.  I have always felt that the information that I pass on has value, and have never asked any payment for it.  I have always respected any information that I have gotten from other experts.  They have been generous enough to trade in kind for information or skills.  So when I am told Al or I have not offered anything of value, it makes me concerned that our limited human contact is possibly infringing on our interpersonal communication skills.

So have our acting skills become rusty?  I am not sure.  I do know that due to the past Decade from Hell, the stresses we have been dealing with have worn us out.

I also know that the public events that we could tolerate are declining, so finding new resources has become a challenge.  New places are always difficult because of checking out if they are handicap accessible or not. I know we are getting older, choke, choke, and maybe not getting better but we would like to continue onto the World Stage.  So as we try to figure things out, we will fail at times, but mostly we hope to succeed.  That's Entertainment !!!!!!

My Sweet Billy Happy Birthday RIP

Today my brother Billy would have been 57.  Dennis and him were 10 years and 3 days apart. Both are gone now.  It is so bittersweet to know that the first week of October has three of my siblings and one uncle gone...three had their birthday this week, one died this week.  Needless to say I really don't like this week much.

Billy is my third brother.  He was a real character, in the sense that he tried to live his life on his terms.  His beginning was fraught with health issues that impacted his life forever.  His struggles were made worse when he had to be put into a foster home because his step-father did not want him to be in the house.  Billy always felt abandoned, and in reality he was.
He always fought to be part of a family, but he self-medicated his health issues, which created more distance.

 Billy struggled with many of the same demons my father struggled with, and had many of Daddy's traits.  The difference was my father had WWII to run away to, while Billy did not.  My father would have been proud of Billy though, especially when he went into the Army to try and get his life back on track. Unfortunately it did not work out that way.

I lost Billy in 1993 and miss him so much.  He had a fire and passion about life that the world tried so hard to put out.  He never gave up. I think back to when he was a baby, so ill that his prognosis was grim, rocking him and trying to get him to eat.  His life was short and full of turmoil, so I can only hope he is at peace now.

Rest in Peace Billy boy, have that piece of German Chocolate Birthday cake with Daddy, Mommy, Bobby, Rosie and Denny....I will always love you.
 

Rose Marie RIP MY Lovely Sister

Time has a way of getting away from one.  Twenty three years ago today, my little sister passed over.  Rose Marie was the most wanted little sister anyone could ever ask for...she was so wanted because I already had three brothers.

Rose was stunning, she had the most beautiful blue eyes, it was like God had reached down and put the bluest sky into her and she had a wonderful golden hair.  When she was brought home from the hospital, I wanted to hold her around the clock...a SISTER...finally....Mom said when I fell asleep they finally could get her back from me.

I learned to sew, and knit for her, I so wanted to make her special....

 And special she was...she was a great artist, horse rider and trainer, and loved animals to the max.  She hunted, fished and could grow her own food.  She was a Renaissance Woman she could drive a semi-truck, traveled across the country and had a busy life till a brain tumor felled her at 32.
Even then Rose was still making plans, she had hoped that after the tumor was removed she could go back to her life, sadly that did not happen.

I have been blessed to have some wonderful "heart" sisters that I have met throughout my lifetime and cherish everyone of them, but Rose Marie Bibby can never be replaced and I will love her for eternity. 

Well Rosie Posey Puddin and Pie, I still cry over your being gone, but know you are safe in the arms of Mom, Daddy, Bobby, Denny and Billy.  This is a hard week, Denny, Danny and Billy's birthdays are only a day apart and you passed over in the middle of them.

I am so tired of losing those I love, but figure I am still here for a reason and have to keep plugging through, but it still hurts.  Until we meet again you will always be in my memories and heart.

4:00 AM

I am finding that not being able to breathe is a problem...one can not sleep.  As the hours are going by I realize that the breathing meds I must take to help me breathe, interfere with my sleep. So I have to decide which to do..breathe or sleep.  So considering the alternative I decided that sleep was not needed.

Sleep has always been my enemy, it rarely has been peaceful and mostly problematic.  I tend to stop breathing a lot, and so at night it is a scary thing, bad enough when I do it during the day. Sleep has always brought out the bad dreams and night terrors all my life and I would fight going to sleep because of it.

Poor Al is not able to sleep because of his pain, so when we both toss and turn it is like being on a rocky boat...neither one of us rests.  I decided long ago that when I can not sleep to just get up and let Al try to get some needed rest.  I can sit in the dark and read with a small reading lamp or now that I have a good keyboard write...

Happy Birthday Denny

Today is my older brother Dennis's birthday.  He is 67 today, or would be if he had not died in Jan. of this year.
It never occurred to me that he would not be here for his birthday he had always before. In fact he had always been here for all my birthdays....I met him when he was 4 1/2.  Denny had always been here and it seemed like he always would be here...but life decided to throw a curve ball.  For the first 4 1/2 years of my life, it was just Denny and me, so there was this bond that developed between us that I thought was forever.  Sometimes one's thoughts are not right, they are more like wishes.

When I heard about Denny's death I was in a meeting and had to be careful how I reacted, it was difficult to restrain my pain.  Not another one I thought, my family was disappearing so fast, it just could not be.

The whole extended family was shocked to find out that Denny had gone...he was the very first grandchild, nephew and was loved and spoiled by my mother's family before she married my father.  My father adopted Denny as his own and when I came along he was THE big brother.

When we were little he was my hero, he would protect me. Once when I fell and was bleeding he picked me up and carried me to school, and he was only ten and I was five.  We fought and loved as most siblings but always forgave each other.  I forgave faster than he, but it usually happened over some little thing. 

Denny had the burden of being the oldest boy, and had five of us under him.  He had some very active and passionate brothers and sisters and he was able to keep up with them all.

I think he missed the younger ones and Mom, and now is up in a place having the time of his life.  He is getting his cake, ice cream and a shot of whiskey and sitting there with that wonderful smile on his face.

Happy Birthday Denny...may you have a great day no matter where you are...I will always love you....

Daddy Happy Father"s Day

Well today is Father's Day, a day that I have not been able to celebrate since 1963....boy does time fly.

I only had my daddy for 12 years, he was killed a week after I turned 13.  Time has gone by so fast at times, and yet other time it seems like yesterday.  Certain holidays bring up the past more than others, this is one of them.

My father was a character, with a capital "C".  He was patriotic, adventurous, passionate, loving and funny.  When WWII broke out he tried to enlist in the USMC when he was only 15 and got sent back twice.  He finally got into the Merchant Marines at 16 and served a year before he was blown up off the coast of Trinidad and injured.  He was discharged with the injury and you would have thought that would be the end of his military service. Not daddy, he was only 17 when he enlisted in the USMC and was there at the end of WW2 and ended up in the Korean War.

I am very proud to be his daughter and to have had him for the twelve years that I did.  I wish I still had him so I could tell him this.

He was a young daddy, here is is with just the first 4 of his 6 children, but had an old soul from lots of experience.  

I was so excited when I was able to get his name and service time approved on the WWII memorial this week....he was my hero...and I felt he should be recognized for it.

Thank you daddy for teaching me to be tough, I find I have used that knowledge my whole life.
Happy Father's Day....

Mom

 
                                         
                                       
                                              
Today is Mother's Day and it is the 2nd one that I have experienced since my Mom passed over.  I was very lucky I had my mother for 60 years to enjoy and to be driven crazy by.         

                                    



Mom was an only child, whose mother died when she was two years old, so Mom never knew her Mom. I on the other hand knew mine very well, sometimes too well. 

Mom ended up being raised mostly by her maternal grandparents, because her father was not into fathering, he was more interested in living the single life.  It was always a source of sorrow to Mom that her dad did not take much interest in her.  But she told me her grandparents were the most amazing people in the world and she never felt unwanted by them. The funny thing is that there were no "legal papers" giving them custody of her, they just took her in.

                                   

When WWII started, my Mother joined the Marines because she said it was her patriotic duty.  She contracted rheumatic fever and after a few months was discharged and sent home to die.  The USMC doctors told her that with the damage to her heart she would never have any children and would die young.  Mom was only 23 at the time.   Later in the year she had Dennis, her first child.



When Mom married my Daddy, she told him that the doctors had said that she did not have long to live and Daddy said, they were wrong about Dennis, they can be wrong about other things.  After all Daddy was a Marine also and knew how the USMC worked.  I came along, then Harold, then William, then Rose and finally Robert.....boy was the USMC wrong.     
  

                                        

The other thing the USMC was wrong about was how long Mom would live. Mom lived to be 87 1/2 years old......and to top it off she was a polio survivor of 1950.  Guess that New England blood and her stubborn nature won out.

                                     



I so miss her wonder full faced smile and heartfelt laughter.  I miss her hugs and kisses, but what I do not miss is the horrible last two  years of her life.  She fought like a warrior, she wanted to outlive her husband because she was afraid her children would be cheated of any inheritance.  I told her, Mom you have already outlived him, and you made the money so you and your husband would not be a burden to anyone, so the money was to be spent on the two of you, no one else.


My most cherished moments are the last Mother's day I had with her.  We had made arrangements with a restaurant so we could take her out to dinner.  She was so excited, she had not been to one in two years.  The place was just about empty and the staff was so great to us.  She had such a great time.  I did not want to take her back to the hell-hole of a situation she was in.  She did not want to go back either, but realized she had to. Mom died in July, 2010.  I am so lucky to have had her as my Mom and despite the hellish last two years, choose instead to remember that last Mother's Day.......

Rest in Peace Mom.....I love you and miss you......and so does Al......     

1/2 & 1/2- Denny & Danny

 Danny and Denny 1956



This year I have lost a whole brother......Dennis Jay Harshman and Daniel Lee Bibby...the two of them equaled a whole to me.
   Let me explain this theory; my older brother Dennis was adopted by my father when he married my mother, so he was technically my 1/2 brother.  I just never saw him as that.  My father's mother always would tell me "Dennis is ONLY your 1/2 brother", and I would ask her what half?

Daniel was my uncle, my father's youngest brother, by 18 years.

Now the interesting thing is, Denny was born Oct 4 and Danny Oct 6, 1945 so they were only two days apart in age.  And the first thing they did when they met was bond as best friends.

Danny and Denny 1948......New best buddies

Two really cute guys....

So when I came along, I already had two of them.......so I thought my grandmother meant that Denny was a half and Danny a half, so the two of them made a whole, they were inseparable .....

Okay, now remember I was 4 years younger and did not understand adult thinking.

So it is with great sadness that 2012 has turned out to be the year I lost both halves....Jan. 12 for Denny and April 20 for Danny.  It seems so ironic that they would die so close together, I guess Heaven is looking for some fun, because the two of them always had a way of making fun.

Even though due to circumstances beyond their control, they lost the contact they had as young boys they both thought fondly of each other.  They became husbands, fathers and grandfathers to some wonderful people.  I feel sorrow for Carolyn and Karen for the loss of their husbands and for Marlene, Michelle, Sandi, Tom, and Suzzi for the loss of their dads and for all the grandchildren.

 So my hope is that the two of them will be together to make things witty up there....and it will cause beautiful rainbows and sunlight to  come down to Earth to bathe all of their family and friends...... I will forever love my "WHOLE" brothers....

Daniel Lee Bibby- Good bye Uncle Danny RIP

My youngest uncle died on April 20, 2012...His name is Daniel Lee Bibby and I was so lucky to have him as an uncle.  Uncle Danny was my father's youngest brother, he was only 66 years old.  Uncle Danny was only 4 years older than me, so he was a playmate for me when I was growing up.

The family story is that when he was born, he was not expected to live, but live he did.  He was one of the smartest, gentlest, funny men I knew.  He could make me laugh at the drop of a hat.  His ability to make some of the most beautiful stained glass was amazing; he could do home remodeling, and even tinkered with mechanical things.  One thing he was a master of was Science, first as a Chemistry teacher and then as a Forensic Scientist.  This kind gentle man worked on what or who caused the death of others, but never lost his sense of humor.




Unfortunately, Uncle Danny had a long struggle with his health before he passed.  I think that he fought so hard not to leave because of his three children, and his lovely grandchildren that he took great pride in.  He was a devout Christian and lived a life that anyone would be proud of.

  Danny and his family.......


After my father was killed in 1963, I did not get to spend as much time with him, and our lives drifted apart, but I still will always love him.

Well Uncle Danny with how horrible the world has become, I guess God needed another Angel and one with your strength.  I am sorry I didn't get to see you for so long, but you were always in my thoughts.....Rest in Peace and have the rest of the Angels in Heaven laughing....

Love you forever.....

Happy Birthday Daddy!!!!

Today Daddy would be 84....Happy Birthday Daddy....may you Rest in Peace...Harold Leslie Bibby is his name.

I never got to know my father as a senior citizen, he died when he was only 34.  I always wondered what kind of grandfather he would have been.  I always wondered how he would like the spouses his children chose.  I always wondered what it would have been like to have lived with him the rest of my childhood and have him to filter out the "crappy" men as he used to call the men who were bad.

Daddy was a young man when he became a father, and he was even younger when he went to war.  He became who he was because of the events in his life and these events colored his life at times.  In reality he was a man, not a super hero, or magical person, but to me he was everything I could want as a daddy.  I never got to the "Dad" stage of our relationship, he was still daddy to me when he died.  Even my mother would tell me he was my daddy, not my dad, she said he never got to be anyone's "dad".

He had left Michigan during a financial crises for our family and made his way to California to try to get a job to help us.  It was a bold thing to do in the early 60's and he was criticized for it badly.  He was a Marine who had been trough two wars and and kept fighting his way to support his family.  He loved us all, and yet struggled with the responsibilities that came with being a father of six kids and not having a job.  He did what he had too, and my Mom said that she understood and forgave him for any of the troubles it caused her.
Now that I am a senior citizen I think of all the tragedy that I have endured in my life and wonder how I managed to get here.  I wonder if there would have been less tragedy if Daddy had lived and we grew up in California.  That is just a wonder.

Happy Birthday Daddy....hope you are having a kick ass day with Mom, Rose, Bobby and Billy.......I will love you always.