Yearly Archives: 2012

Saturday night – leftovers

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We spent the day like many in this country.. trying to eat the remains of thanksgiving meal.. As i type that, I realize that is an insensitive thin to say.. .. there are always folks who go hungry.. this year the folks that were displaced by Hurricane Sandy are much on our minds..

we did do our best to crowd around the table for a few communal meals while Ma and his friends are here in town.. They made a great brunch around a dish called sohshoska.. a spicy Israeli/Arab egg stew.. very delicious


then at dinner, out came the leftovers.. more than 6 kinds of startch.. pasta, potatoes, stuffin. sweet potatoes, bread,…

which we finished off with cake in a late celebration of Jac’s birthday

 

It’s been so nice having max and his friends here..having Raya here..  having our whole family here..

beyond food, I realize that i’m having some emotional leftovers as well. The first part of the week was full of activity and love around our memories of Sam.. somehow in  the last two days , some of the mourning part of marking the anniversary have caught up with me. I found my self in a quiet and sad place these last few days.. Its a feeling that used to come over me regularly.. but happens much less now.. I have to jst sit and wit for it to pass.. and i know it will…

just like the leftovers …

nite all, nite sam

-me

 

Friday afternoon – black and white friday

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Been moping around in a blackish mood all day. A bit of a lull after all the good vibes we had over the past two days. Still, i wouldn’t change it.. We love having family and friends around. Feeling better now after a run with diane and the dogs…
On the way back from our run we saw our friend and neighbor bob.. He yelled that he had something for us.. He walked into the house and came back with this picture…. Its His and his twin brother Bud’s 1st grade class picture from 1946 . They went to school here in our house. Check this out.. The two fine looking gents 3rd and 4th from the right first row are bud and bob.. Or bob and bud.. Even bob couldn’t tell who was who 🙂 they still look quite alike but not this close !


Ok.. Back to doing nothing.. But i live doing nothing with my family

Nite all, nite sam
-me

– Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Thirsday night – Thanksgiving / Donate life !

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It’s thanksgiving day.. . .. it’s also the day that Sam gave four of his organs to save 4 people’s lives. If, g-d forbid, it ever happens that you are in a position to be an organ donor, the most important factor in making that gift is that your loved ones know your wishes. There’s no better way than to pass on the love than to tell you family how you feel about organ donation. Please have that conversation with your loved ones now.. do it in honor of Sam and all the millions of folks who have given the ultimate gift.

That what was on my mind today….  Of course it was also thanksgiving.. i have much to be thankful for.. i love my family and friends.. and where I live.. and  i enjoy my work.. I am grateful for what I have and what I’ve had.. . and I say that in the middle of recognizing sams passing..  I hope that everyone reading this has a chance ot reflect on their own blessings..  we are all lucky to be alive and thinking.

I managed to dodge out of helping with the prep for thanksgiving because I volunteered to go fetch Hannah, Matt and Olivier from Montreal.. I got up there in time to have a nice long lunch with my buddy George..


his office has a great view of the city..

I picked up hannah, matt and oliver around 5L30 and we headed back to vermont.. traffic was bad so it took us 2 and a half hours.. we spent the time going through matts iphone songs trying to spell things with the first name of the artist.. In ‘THANKSGIVING DINNER”.. we listened to  glitch mob Taylor swift, nirvana , Edith Piaf, notorious B>I>G ,  gypsy kings, swollen members, daftpunk, iron maiden, etc.. We got back in tme for an ad0hoc celebration of kevin’s 21st bbirthday.. most of the gifts involved alcohol.. what kind of example are we setting ?

 

we had more than 20 friends over for thanksgiving.. once again the house was filled with warmth.. felt good.. for the2nd time in so many days.

man.. am i exhausted.. taking vacation is harder than working.. gotta get some sleep

more tomorrow..

 

nite all, nite sam

-me

Wednesday night – Sam’s yahrzeit

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Today is the day we ‘officially’ observe Sam’s passing. Just like birth, leaving is a process. Sam’s soul left his body on the 20th right after the accident, on the 21st he was declared brain dead and on the 22’nd his organs went to save four others.   I wear the reminder of this day on my left wrist  and look at it every day..

In my culture, it’s tradition to mark the day of death , the yahzeit, by keeping a candle burning all day..

We appreciate all the candles others lit for him today ..

I like to think that sam would have appreciated this version more .

Before i describe the day.. let me drop back to yesterday for a moment.. Yesterday started with a ‘sunbow’  (or sun dog).. a good omen..

Gabe and I marked the day by making a red bull toast as we drove back from New Hampshire. .. We always dump a little out for sam..   since we were moving .. we had to do it via the sunroof..

Last night I ,marked the night by going to see Dark Start Orchestra at higher ground. Wouldn’t you know, they were doing a bone marrow donation screening..  a perfect parallel

 

The concert got out around 1:30 am.. which was perfect because Max’s bus showed up around 1:45 down town. By the time we got home. ate . hugged, drank, etc, it was 3:30.AM..    so morning came late.. Diane was p and had the Sam candles lit.

 

breakfast meant breaking out the hotsauce collection.

Before we new it, it was time to head to bolton.. we gathered at the base.. by the time we left we had more than 40 folks. it was a beautiful , warm and windless day.. a prefect day to walk with sam up the mountain.

By the time we got to the top for the picture we had more than 50 folks.. wonderful that 6 years later Sam  still has so many friends.

our tradition is that gabe. max and I climb the shaky fire tower, drink a red bull and blow something up.. we did that today.. it was beautiful up there sorry I didn’t get a picture of the explosion .. but we were standing right next to a large mortar.. i was cowering with fear rather than taking the  picture 🙂    .

we got home around 4 .. and folks started showing up for dinner.. by 5 the house was full of  love..

 

Pucket came by with his son Sam.. such a cutie.

 

James at 2 and a half was the second youngest.

Gabe poured the red bull toast…

A full day full of love . laughs, tears and stories.. As I said to folks today at the toast.. I was so sorry they had to be there.. and so glad at teh same time..

 

good night everyone…

 

good night sam..hope you felt the love today !

-me