I hope all of you have a great Thnaksgiving, and that all of you have something to be thankful for!

had a grand time at the Port Washington WI pirate fest. Got to meet some new-old friends that popped up from the far coast, (bless you for coming!) and an old one from Bristol. He had a good time with my crew!

 and 2 new friends, one my new puppet, Flogging Molly the parrot. Here you see her with her new friend, Barney!  Molly's favorite saying is,"I dont want a &*^)^%& cracker, I want some RUM!" The other new friend is a ahark, but I've yet to name him. For more pics, go to foolsgoldpirates.com

My dad died on Tuesday May 8, with my sister at his side. I had already said my goodbyes to him, and made sure he knew he was loved.. he died with the Big Band songs playing on my Ipod, and will go to be with my mom..

 I miss him already, but I know he's in a better place.

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from a friend, and its helped me with my sorrow..

I am standing upon the seashore. A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength. I stand and watch her until at length she hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other. Then someone at my side says, "There, she is gone."

"Gone where?"

Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as large in mast and hull and spar as she was when she left my side, and she is just as able to bear her load of living freight to her destined port. Her diminished size is in me, not in her. And just at the moment when someone at my side says, "There, she is gone!" there are other eyes watching her coming, and there are other voices ready to take up the glad shout, "Here she comes!" And that is dying.

- Anonymous

my dad was a strong man, worked almost every day of his life, and didnt complain as others would. He knew how to skin a rabbit or teach me to ride a bike, or make fried egg sandwiches..

 this week we found out his pnuemonia was caused by his eating food, and as part of his living will, he didnt want a food tube in his stomach. As his family, we respected his knowledge of when he wanted to go on, and we are watcing him die.. he has shrunk with no food or water, since that would prolong his fight. I've wet his lips with a sponge, and made sure they were soft with lip cream, and made sure he had his morphine so he didnt fight to breath so hard.

one day this week, probably Wednesday, I'll get a call that my hero, my dad has died, and then I willl be minus one more person who I love, and who loves me.....

He will be with my mom then, and his 4 brothers, and his family who have danced this dance and have gone on to another place..

I ask you to thank those in your family who you love, and those you don't love, for making who you are today. I ask you to say I love you to those who you love, because you have one more day with them. I ask you to hug and hold those who love you, because human touch makes us all better people and kinder people.. 

love to you all....

Here I am with a few friends out for the night. I had a grand time playing with the bachlorettes there. Too bad the pub frowns on behaadings. I coulda had a large haul of gold.