I know that I have been quiet since Dad's passing and haven't posted here.  I've been dealing with Dad's passing in my own way - I've literally buried myself in my Facebook games (Cityville, SimCity Social, Chefville, and The Ville - should any of you wish to help feed my addiction and become my neighbor in those games lol) and have cut myself off from the rest of the world except for family.

It's painful - losing him the way that we did - and I've been beating myself up over the fact that I didn't go home more often, that I didn't call more often.  That hurts more than anything...thinking that perhaps if I had called and visited more that he might still be with us, that I might have been able to help him deal with things better than he had been.

Hindsight is 20/20 they always say though - but I'm taking the opportunity every chance I get to call my sister and talk with her.  I haven't been calling my brother simply because I don't know what his schedule is like - I know that he used to work crazy long hours - and I know his household has a strict schedule that they stick to, so I don't want to disturb that and annoy him - which I have a tendency to do I think LOL!  I keep in touch with Amy, his wife, via Facebook so hopefully she passes my messages along to him.

After Dad's funeral services on Monday, July 23rd, some of the family got together at Dad's favorite local restaurant - Johnz Restaurant & Catering.  It was nice to get together with everyone and get caught up with our cousins, whom I had not seen since my mother's funeral back in 1992.  My cousin, Judy Weiss, is the photographer.

From left to right - my cousin Linda's friend, Linda, Me, Jonathan and the Man Thing.

From left to right - Tre (my son) and Shane (Danielle's son) - impatiently waiting for their lunch

From the back of the room on the left and around the table - the Man Thing, Me, Linda, Linda's friend, Polly, Stan (my brother), Amy (his wife), Danielle (my sister) and Kenny.

Ken and Danielle, Amy and Stan, and my cousin, Polly

My sister Danielle and Ken

It was nice to reconnect with everyone and find out how everyone was doing. We all exchanged phone numbers and email addresses so we all have no excuse not to keep in touch with each other anymore!

As for me, I'm slowly coming around.  It's hard to think about, this feeling all alone in the world.  I always just imagined that I'd have mom and dad to take care of in their golden years, that the two of them would grow old together and spend their days sitting out on the front porch rocking in their chairs and watching the cars go up and down the valley.  In a perfect world, that's how it would be....but we don't live in a perfect world.

I know they are both in heaven looking down on us ... and that gives me comfort.  I'll be back to my usual self again soon I'm sure - and I thank each of you for patiently waiting for My Creative Muse to kick in again and for things to start rolling once again.