My Uncle Paul

I received some bad news from my Stepmom today. My Uncle Paul died last week. He was a really good guy. You see, we would have these family reunions twice a year, Christmas and sometime over the summer. It was a great way to catch up and for all the family to see each other. There was usually a baseball game with the men, the kids would run around and play basketball, and the women would get everything organized with the buffet line. After everyone ate, there was general talking and laughing, getting to catch up and things like that. I would see how many baskets I could shoot and my Uncle Paul would always tell me that I was great and he didn't see how I kept beating him. Well, 30 years later, and having kids of my own, I see he let me beat him each and every time. When I was growing up we lived on a street near him and my sister and I would walk home from school see Uncle Paul and Aunt Hazel, wave, and if we had a chance talk to them for a while before Mom came looking for us. When we moved to Florida we didn't see them that much, but I always knew they thought of us. Now that he's gone I wonder if he knew just how much I loved him, but never told him. I'll miss you Uncle Paul..hopefully you're there playing baseball and basketball and winning.

Yesterday HandyMan Dan and his faithful sidekick Hammerin' Brian built the dogs a doghouse. It's 6 foot by 4 foot and about 5 foot tall. They have a metal roof, and wooden sides that look like a playhouse. They have their pillows and blankets in there and they are 150% warmer than they were. Yesterday it was spitting snow and freezing rain, 38 degrees and the wind was blowing around 45 mph...Amber and I, (we're the weatherbugs), loved it. We just didn't like our fingers being frozen. (We're gonna have to get us some warm gloves.)

Patrick had his friend Cody over and they practiced their guitars and had a jam session in the bedroom for the weekend. They go to sleep at 4 a.m. and are awake at noon...such a nice time to be a kid, wish I had their stamina!