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Bruce Anderson

Steve Keene

David:

Sir, I was married to a Sicilian (Denise Campisi), my father-in-law and his brother were Sicilian (Joe and Sam Campisi, two guys that were too broke to change the name of the Egyptian Lounge bar they bought and changed to a pizza restaurant because they would have to buy a new sign...for more information read the Warren Report), the Godfather of my children is Sicilian (Joey Barraco of Prego's Pasta House), my daughters are part Sicilian (their grandmother was Comanche Campisi, though she was Choctaw), my bookie is Sicilian (he shall remain unnamed but you can find him at First and Ten in Lakewood), my girls' and their mother's business partner was Sicilian (Tony Scalise, the Godfather of Greenville Avenue). but you, Sir, do not appear to be Sicilian.  Let me rephrase that, David Cordell, you may Siciilan but if so, you must be the white sheep in the family.

Steve Keene

CORRECTION: Tony Scalise was my iwfe's Godfather. Tony Todora was the business partner of my wife and kids.

Steve Keene

Too many Joeys, Tony's and Marie's in the Sicilian Families for an Irish Indian to keep up.

Lowell Tuttle

Steve...sleep, or better (not,) with both eyes open

Lowell Tuttle

Top Golf.  I went with some close friends and their wives...We ate. hit golf balls, and had fun, but...the fun was that we wagered.  There are some games you play with the Top Golf machine/game/video/shot-results...  You can play pairs, quads, etc...The golf is cheap...the food and drinks get up there...It might work for 8 or 10 but not sure it would work for 20 or 30...

Do a shamble, not a scramble...pair by ABCD  (everyone would be a D)  Give the $$ to First Presbyterian Dallas soup kitchen, or something else...

Steve Keene

I took an informal poll about David;s ancestry and the consensus is...... That he's a jolly "Good Fella" that nobody can deny.

Good Fellas and Little Big Man are two of my favorite screen gems.

Daryl Summers

My buddy leaves us this afternon at 4:45. He turned 15 on the 10th of this month. For the past 15 years he got me off the couch for 30-45 minute walks. I live two houses off the Preston Trail that runs along Meadering Way. Every morning we had to get up and check the messages other dogs left in front of our house. I made a cup of coffee and followed along. In the evening he covered his messages again I followed with a cocktail.

Kidney failure and his hind legs just stoped working. Last weekend we made a trip to the west coast we kenneled him with his Vet from Thursday pm to Tuesday am. They said he ate friday the just shut down on Saturday. I think he jus got tired of living and the stress of the kennel said,

"screw it I'm just going to laydown and die".

Took him back on Wednesday for blood work. Thursday results showed no temp so he had no infection in the kidney or blader but blood in is pee he was in kidney failure. Made the choice to put him down last night.

He has out lived all the other dogs on our block.

Thanks to all that have heard and sent thier support.

Daryl Summers

My wife posted on facebook a pic of Smokey and me coming home from a walk on my birthday this month (2/15}.

The Tennessee Three. Daryl born in Nashville 63 years ago today, Smokey, born in the Smokeys (Knoxville) 15 years ago this month. The Jack in the glass born 12 years ago in Lynchberg.

Nancy Anderson (Mandell)

Daryl

so very sorry! Losing a pet is a family member. Do you know about the rainbow bridge? 

Will be thinking of you and your family at 4:45. God bless and big hugs.  Nance

Sandra Spieker (Ringo)

Daryl,

I am so sorry.  I know how hard it is to lose a good friend, especially our furry friends.  They are so accepting, and giving of unconditional love.  It makes it very hard to let them go.  Your sweet Smokey lived a rich and full adventure with you, it is evident by your dedication to him.  May he rest in peace.

Sandra Spieker (Ringo)

There is a new feature that enhances the web site experience if you are a Facebook user.  To learn more though, please visit the User Forum.  There is a topic there called, Class Connection.  Class Connection is an app that allows you to update your profile on this web site, or recieve notifications of messages here, via Facebook.  You can also share your photos and video that you have there, here, and connect to friends in other classes too!    Go to this link to learn more!  http://www.rhs1969.net/class_forums_messages.cfm?mid=226769#226769  Enjoy! 

Karlan Fairchild

I'm so saddened to hear about Smoky, Daryl.  My condolences.  Perhaps all of us have lost some very special four-legged-furry-critters during our lives and it never gets any easier, does it?  I had a Siamese male blue-point named MingLi who lived to be 20 years old and, despite the fact that I had to have him euthanized more than 22 years ago, I still miss him.  And our dog, Snookie, was Mom's before we inherited her when Mom died 4 years ago, and you can imagine how special Snookie is to Linda and me.  Don't even want to think of her leaving any time soon.  However, consideing my vocation, I'm well aware that death is as much a part of life as birth.  I don't have any whiskey in a glass but I'll definitely raise a toast to you and Smoky this evening.

Blessings.
 

David Cordell

Very sorry about your loss, Daryl. We've had to put down two dogs, another died at home, and a fourth died at the vet. Both of our current dogs (more-or-less lab mixes) are over 10. We inherited one when our son Rob died. Rob named the dog Mijo--My Son. It was very difficult the first few months after Rob's death to walk the dogs with the painful irony of walking behind My Son. We will be very emotional when Mijo is called to the great dog park in the sky.

Don Chester

Daryl, sorry for your loss, I have had to put down a couple of dogs, it is very painful.

The pain will pass and maybe you can find a new buddy when you are ready.

Jerry May

Daryl,

I am very sorry about the loss of your family member. Our dear pets show us what true "unconditional" love is all about.

When my Golden Retriever "Chloe" was put down 2 summers ago it was tough. She was thirteen.

Even with blindness, loss of hearing and having seizures....she still tried to be the frisky.. playful dog she always was; just slower. 

I'll share something humorous. Several years before that I had a dream about her. I dreamed she was talking to me! Don't recall all of the dream (as is usually the case) but here is what I do remember:

She said, "Dad, you know....I think we need to have a talk. I think you and Mom could be doing a little more for me. For one thing, why do I need to go outside to go to the bathroom outside? Let me use the facilities here! (how this feat would have been accomplished...I don't know,  but I should have realized this was a dream..right then and there!) For another....the bed you have given me beside yours is "lumpy" and you should let me sleep with you and Mom. And...this food stinks! Either try something else or let me start eating what the rest of the family gets!"

Anyway, the next morning I woke up and found her in the kitchen...sitting there...with those intelligent eyes searching mine. I said, "Is there anything else princess?" (she did cock her head)

Yep.....no doubt they are family members.....and as others in here have stated....I know exactly how you feel.

Again, sorry for your loss Daryl~

Rusty McBride

Steve,

    It's great to know that you still have fond memories of those days when Scotty and I were really close. I remember him as a very generous, kind hearted person. It's also good that you still have a memory! My memories of Scotty range from an after school burger at Theo's, to dressing up as western banditos on Halloween and scaring your whole family away from the dinner table, to drinking beer and catching a movie on Sunday night instead of writing a term paper due the next morning. He loved to take his car down to Forest Lane and wager with some of the locals that he could beat them in a drag race, and usually did. There were many times when Rick Coleman, Scotty, Bubba Bostick, Glen Messmer, and the two Rusty's would find ourselves crashing (adult) Christmas parties at the old Adolphus Hotel or up on the roof of the Hilton at Mockingbird & Central swinging like dare devils from the neon sign with nothing below but the parking lot. For added entertainment, the other Rusty (Rusty Lanford) would usually manage to get into a fight with a total stranger twice his size and always got his butt kicked. We would watch and laugh.

   But, back to the night in question, when the moon was shining full. I believe the car contained David Simpson, Scotty Baxter, myself, and possibly a fourth, who remains nameless for now, but could be someone already addressing this forum. Simpson and I did spend the night in the gray rock hotel that night, but the trip was worth the education because neither of us ever went back. The scene of the crime was on Arapaho Road near the fire station at Waterview and it was no little old lady but a very young and attractive woman who just happened to be an undercover Richardson Police officer. Ironic, huh?  Well, hang on, it gets better. Some of my close friends know that I married the mother of my children about 4 years after high school while attending junior college. We met one summer while working between semesters, soon struck up a friendship, and the rest is history. While dating she used to say that I looked familiar, but the irony got really thick when she told me she had formerly worked as a police officer in Richardson.  Well, you can guess the rest, but getting undressed on our wedding night made me very nervous.

David Cordell

Thank you, Holly. That was very meaningful to me.

Marsha Brown (Johnson)

Dear David and anyone who has ever lost a family pet whether it's there's or a family member.  I know how it feels to take care of a loved ones pet who passed away. It hurts when you look at that beloved pet and then you know that you are in the right place where God wants you to take care of that beloved pet!!! My mom had Josephine, her beloved Yorkie, who was there for her when my daddy passed away. When my mom passed away, we had Josephine to add to our rescue Yorkie, Sampson.  She loved us and we loved her. It was so neat how God used her in my life when I first discovered I had breast cancer.I had just received "the news" of the discovery and was crying, praying, and just not with the program yet of accepting the news.  Humor me, you all, with this precious story about a sweet little dog. She was standing at our front door barking at 'the unseen enemy' and I told her I loved her, I'd protect her and I picked her up and loved on her. You will be okay Josephine. Then this unseen voice reminded me, "Marsha, what you are doing for Josephine right now is what I'm doing for you my daughter". I'm loving you, walking with you, holding you and you will be okay. It was a mind blowing experience for me and was a real eye opener!!!   Then years later, as she was diagnosed with rectal cancer, I was there again for her-holding her, loving her, and was with her all the way to the end. Two months before her loss, we lost our precious Sampson to liver failure, and then 2 months after that, our precious Granddogger-who wasn't even 5 yet had a massive stroke and had to be put down!!! Loss is loss but with His help, we can get through it. David, and everyone else who carry on-I love you and I'm praying for you!!!! You all are in my life for a reason!!!   Thank you for allowing me to be in YOUR lives!!!!

Nancy Anderson (Mandell)

Oh holly, thank you and to the unnamed fellow thank you! 

I have to go to Montana Tuesday and put my 88 year old mom in 

assisted living. She is seeing her deceased family members visiting her. Seeing spirits and talking to children that are not there. She's scared. Her neck is in her chest permanently due to bad arthritis and posture. Please pray for me to be strong.  My siblings predict once I get there she will die. She is waiting for me. I am the oldest, she refused to ever let anyone help her, it's a miracle I got her to go to this assisted living but I did. She was found Monday night in a blizzard in socks and robe in get apartment looking for kids she had believed she was taking care of. Her brain is gone pretty much she has had lots of mini strokes.

i am a big tmi sharer but I could not sleep so got online and saw that holly wrote.  

Much love to those who cared and heard

nance

ps I flunked high school typing otherwise would have had an a average think I got a b plus 

Marsha Brown (Johnson)

Dear Nancy, I'll be praying for you as you head to Montana. I'm so glad you are getting to be with your mom for awhile. You will enjoy being with her and making some memories also-even if it's a hard time. Try to take a "lightness" with you-try to laugh with her, and just enjoy being with her. You might want to journal your visit also so you'll have those memories written down. That's one thing I did with my mom because we lived with her so she could stay in her own home. We lived with her on several different occasions and sometimes it got hard-especially when we were with her almost 1 year. Hard to raise children in your mom's house!!! Let us know how the trip goes and just know prayers are with you!!!

Nancy Anderson (Mandell)

Thank you Marsha.  She refused to live with any of us. My youngest brother has autism. Got diagnosed in his 50,s. Did not talk till he was 12. Once I am there I will be ok. Gotta pack up her memories, photos, deal with the spirits. I kind of like methaphysical stuff that is not frightening to me seeing her in pain, IS. 

Just blessed to have had her for 87 years, 88 in June. She raised us and she is the most independent woman I know woukd not take a dime from anybody! Moved to Montana in 1994 to help her sister and fell in love with the 

mountains.   She lives on  social  security  only  and is a proud woman.  Hugs nance

Karin Ridenour (Anderson)

Nancy,

Your mom sounds a bit like my Mom, very independent, divorced since the 70s, but luckily mine is still in pretty good mental shape at 86.  A few years ago she fell off her bicycle and broke her pelvis in 2 places and managed to get herself out of rehab before the insurance days ran out so she wouldn't have to pay out of pocket, LOL.  She still goes to line dance and water aerobics and plays bridge several times a week in Richardson.

Maybe the best gift you  could give her now is to listen with your heart, to all she has to say, so she can process her fears.  Be sure to clear up any residual incompletes before she goes, for both your sakes and communicate your love to her.  She is trusting you to be a safe holding for her as she goes through this transition.  Being with my Dad when he died in 1987 was one of the most beautiful experiences of my life and taught me we have nothing to fear.

Karin

Nancy Anderson (Mandell)

Ron Knight

Daryl, Sorry about Smokey. I moved to the Smokeys in Asheville, NC. I definately know how he got the name. It is like losing a family member. I brought my 15 year old Chihuahua (Chico) with me from Richardson last January. He made it only two weeks out here. I guess he didn't want to leave Texas. May he RIP.