Aunt Heather

The heaviness of loss in her heart hadn’t eased, but there was room there for humour, too.  ~Nalo Hopkinson

Ryan E. Piper September 24, 1977 – October 23, 2001

It’s been 17-years since Ryan passed away.  In fact, it was a Tuesday all those years ago, like today.  The October weather was pleasant, the sun was shining, lighting up the blue skies and highlighting the white clouds, again, much like…

Happy Birthday Ryan! 41-Years Old

Don’t ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody.  ~J.D. Salinger

Chad and Ryan hanging out at Grams, c. 1990s

I know it’s been quite some time since I’ve last posted.  While, I didn’t miss Kyle’s actual birthday, I don’t think that’s possible, however I did miss posting on his birthday, not entirely by my choice.  (Side note.  I will rectify the lack of consistent…

Music is moonlight in the gloomy night of life.  ~Jean Paul Friedrich Richter

This past Thursday, mom received a text message from Kyle saying he had a music recital for symphonic band that evening.  While, Kyle never gives a ton of notice, at least he notifies.

Did I go?  Of course, I would never miss any activity of Kyle’s if I could help it.

Duncan & Kyle looking good at the Kiski Symphonic…

Be an encourager. Scatter sunshine. Who knows whose life you might touch with something as simple as a kind word.  ~Debbie Macomber

During this past Holiday season, The Hallmark Channel released a bunch of new Christmas themed movies.  I was always a fan of them in the general sense.  While channel surfing, if I’d stumble upon a movie that caught my fancy, then I’d leave it on, but I never sought…

Don’t Judge Me For Not Getting Sick, I Suffer Differently

I have consistently loved books that I’ve read when I’ve been sick in bed.  ~Tracy Chevalier

Tis the season to get sick, except for me.  Just about everyone I know, has had or is currently suffering with a viral illness.  It’s been years since I had the flu or any other alignment.  I want to venture to say four years or more, minimally three years.  Even being around Kyle and the germs that that…

To be a baby elephant must be wonderful. Surrounded by a loving family 24 hours a day…. I think it must be how it ought to be, in a perfect world.  ~Daphne Sheldrick

Boy, how quickly the present turns into the past.  Of course, tis the season of mad rushes, Holiday parties, and cheer in all forms.  After writing my post yesterday A Christmas Tree Adventure, it made me thing about this past…

The one thing we can never get enough of is love. And the one thing we never give enough of is love.  ~Henry Miller

My Pap at Christmas. c. 1970s

This past weekend was another family adventure.  Saturday was the last day of hunting, so I took off work Friday to join Dad both days.  I could tell that made the old man’s day.  He was happy to have me tag along.

Sometimes when Dad and I are sitting…

Honoring Ryan’s Death, Makes Me Appreciate Life

The truth is life is full of joy and full of great sorrow, but you can’t have one without the other.  ~Andre Dubus III

Ryan E. Piper, September 24, 1977 – October 23, 2001

I love this time of the year, always have and probably always will.   The crisp evenings, the bright foliage, the shorter days and the smell of winter around the corner make for a comforting time of year, mysterious and…

Happy Birthday Ryan – 40-Years Old!

I will drink life to the lees.  ~Alfred Tennyson

Today is a beautiful sunny day.  I mean gorgeous.  It’s a comfortable temperature in the 70s, light blue sky, bright sun and there’s a hint of autumn disguised as a few colorful leaves, almost perfect.  Even with all the glorious gifts of God, one thing is missing, or rather different.

Ryan would have been 40-years old today.  This momentous…

Respecting A Seemingly Wrong Decision

There are no wrong turnings. Only paths we had not known we were meant to walk.  ~Guy Gavriel Kay

Kyle before a Competition on a Wednesday. 9/21/2016

After Kyle’s birthday celebration I found out that he was quitting the marching band. What? Unfortunately, yes.  I was beyond devastated for many reasons. Fear he was going to sit at home and play more video games and not get any exercise, miss out…

The Open Roads With a Driving Permit

When you set sail for Ithaca, wish for the road to be long, full of adventures, full of knowledge.  ~Constantinos P. Cavafis

Kyle on his Home Depot car for his 1st birthday.  My cousin Heather in the background. 7/2002

It’s no secret I’ve been sneaking Kyle short drives here and there on back roads for a few months now.  Not to mention, over the years, I’d let him steer, shift and start the car. …

Never say ‘no’ to adventures. Always say ‘yes,’ otherwise you’ll lead a very dull life.  ~Ian Fleming

Me & Kyle … pre-zipline prep. Seven Springs. 8/2/2017

On Wednesday, I surprised Kyle with an adventure to the Laurel Mountains. What did we do?  We ziplined at Seven Springs!

I’ve never done it before but I always wanted to and I guessed Kyle concurred with this bucket list item.  While it wasn’t…

Happy Birthday Kyle! Sweet 16!

Each day means a new twenty-four hours. Each day means everything’s possible again. You live in the moment, you die in the moment, you take it all one day at a time.  ~Marie Lu

Kyle as a little man. Ryan harried him around in this seat everywhere. 8/12/01

Can you believe Kyle is 16 years old today?  Seems like these milestones are becoming more frequent and harder to accept.

Happily, I was there…

From February Till Now, A Summary of Kyle

Don’t ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody.  ~J.D. Salinger

I love my little man, who is now as tall as me! Planinsek Fishing Derby 5/13/2017

I can’t believe how long it’s been since I released a blog post.  The end of January.  Yikes!  I’ve thought about it, then got sidetracked or ran out of time.  Where have I been?  Bombarded with work, that’s where.  Marketing…

Stink Bugs Do Have A Natural Enemy!

When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.  ~John Muir

I’m no expert on stink bugs, but I’m certainly no stranger to them either.  The weather in western Pennsylvania has been fluctuating lately, from snowy cold days, which is normal for January, to sunny abnormally warm days reaching the 60s.  Sometimes this temperature range happens within 24-hours.

Kyle’s Christmas Scavenger Hunt

It’s true that adventures are good for people even when they are very young. Adventures can get in a person’s blood even if he doesn’t remember having them.  ~Eva Ibbotson

This year, I had grandiose plans for Kyle’s Christmas gift, but alas they fell through.  So I found myself scrambling for his gift.  Keep in mind, I was up against time constraints and a 15-year old who has way too much in…

Happy Birthday Dad! 66-Years!

The best teachers impart knowledge through sleight of hand, like a magician.  Kate Betts

Happy Birthday Dad! January 16, 1951

Dad, Uncle Sonny, Pap & Gram (plus a mystery person) at a mystery location during a mystery year.

Just to reiterate, Dad despises me talking about him online. (So don’t say anything)  I rarely do, at least he’s not the focus of most of my stories, except for today.

Dad’s…