Hellow again from Armonk ny.. I’m here for a patent thingy tomorrow after a long work day in NYC today..

spent the night on the boat last night with max.. so good seeign him as always.. the boat is a fun pied a tere for me in the city.. cold.. but inviting.. I think it was 37 in my room this am.. just like camping out..

I had a packed mornign with work meetings.. then hugged max and headed down town.

I was doing some media trainign stuff for IBM.. which was really fascinating.   I learned a ton in those 4 hours.. more on that later this month. Driving in city shipping traffic was .. uh.. interesting.. several roads were locked with one type of xmas thing or another.. Still.. I managed to enjoy the decorations.

Next stop was JFK airport.. I had to get fingerprinted for a new customs and immigration thing I’m trying. It allows you to skip the immigration and customs line when reentering the us. It was really fun getting photographed and scanned.. the folks at immigrations were really awesome and loving this high tech part of their job..

From there I drove up to armonk. My intent was to work in my room and go to bed early.. but I ran itno a group of IBM folks in this building having a spontaneous party (a bottle of makers mark). I volunteered the bread and hummus I’d bought for dinner.. and hung out and talked with all of them for a while. They were really awesome folks. Made some good work and friend connections.. I really do love this hotel.. everyone here is from IBM.. .. so it’s fun to play ‘who ‘dya know’ ..
The party roke up at 11:30 or so.. so I went out on my mission.. I went outside . (It’s in the mid teens out).. and walked on the trail throguht the woods over to IBM headquarters.where  5 years ago I just happened to be in this same hotel… actually this same building.. and couldn’t sleep. It happened to be the night before my last promotion was being considered.. …So I did what anyone would do.. I went for a run.. it was in the teens that night too.. I went and built three little snowmen.. one for each of my kids..on a rock outside the Chairman’s window..   I guess it worked.. I got the promotion.. Tonight I made the same trek.. in the same cold.. and left a SamStone on the same rock.   Note sure why.. it just felt right..

OK.. that’s all for tonight.. more tomorrow..

nite all, nite Sam

-me

Friends,

Tonight is Compassionate Friends annual candle lighting. CF  is a worldwide organization dedicated to supporting families who have lost children.  On the second Sunday of December they ask that everyone light a candle to honor all the children who have died over the years and all of their families. Please join us and light a candle at 7PM for our beautiful Sam and for all other kids who have passed before their time.  All those lights burning help us remember all those wonderful smiles…

Thanks so much for joining us///

nite all.. nite sam.. we miss you tonight and every night

-me

Beautiful snow everywhere..   and it’s all probably going to disappear tomorrow. We’re expecting wind, rain and ice..Dianne and I decided to get out and enjoy the snow.. We took our first snow shoe of the season with the dogs.. It was so wonderful getting out in the woods. We forgot that it was still black powder season.. and none of us had on our orange.. so we stayed close and made noise as we tromped through the deep snow.

When we got back, we had a couple of chores to complete the conversion to winter.. More windows sealed, the  storm door on.. and the fan vent covered. On my way to do that, I discovered a small treasure trove on the top of a book case in the hall.. Well.. more like a small shrine.

I found a small TeePee that Sam made in school .. maybe in first or second grade.. It’s a kinda cool idea.. You wrap a flour tortilla around some sticks and  let nature take it’s course. .. here it is.. still unfrash 10 years later..

I stood on my ladder and stared at the thing for a  good long while ..   How do such things make me feel.. happy ? sad ?a mix…. always a mix..

I also found one of Sam’s old dragons.. he liked ‘sparkly things’ when he was little. I think this was a Christmas gift at one time. I remember shopping for such things this time of year..   I’m glad we still have it.

All of the relics weren’t from Sam.. here was one from me.. it’s the cup that my 18 year old class from Waltergasse 4 in Vienna  ,.. I taught English there for a year in 1979-1980 The class gave this  to me when I left.. it says.. ‘Remember us John’ .. and I still do.. I keep in touch with one of my students from them.. Murat.. the middle kid of my Landlady.   I think I’ll call him and check on his family..

These memories remind me.. .. actually , everything reminds me.. that tomorrow is Compassionate friends annual candle lighting. Compassionate Friends is a world wide support organization for families who have lost a a child. On the 2nd Sunday of Decemebr, they ask everyone to light a candle at 7PM local time in memory of all the childreren who have passed on ..  The idea is to circle the earth with light..

Please join us tomorrow at 7 and light a candle for our wonderful Sam and all the other kids who have died..    We really appreciate it !

OK.. feeling a bit low.. I think I’ll got to sleep now..

Nite all, nite Sam,

-me

nit