Giving her a simple gift, and watching her face light up, followed by her happy and excited “thank you.”

In my brother’s night table drawer, I found a book that my mother had bought for us when we went to see ‘How The West Was Won’. We saw this epic MGM Western with our parents when I was nine years old and Johnny was eight. A family saga covering several decades of westward expansion in the 19th Century, the movie ignited our lifelong love for westerns. Originally filmed in three-lens Cinerama, and projected onto enormous curved screens, the film was the grandparent of IMAX, and we were all absolutely amazed.

Johnny and I both thought the score was magic and I remember how we enjoyed Debbie Reynolds singing “A Home in the Meadow.” The song was set to the tune of Greensleeves, our father’s favorite melody, and since I took piano lessons, I kept playing the music for a long time afterwards. Johnny loved hearing it, and the adapted lyrics, too. I try to imagine Johnny in the world beyond this world and I hear the lyrics of the chorus:

Come, come
There’s a wondrous land
For the hopeful heart, for the willing hand

Come, come
There’s a wondrous land
Where I’ll build you a home
In the meadow

9/25/2022: our new granddaughter was born. Named after her great grandmother Rose. If Mike was still here everyone in town would know the name, date etc. etc. He was so excited to start to have grandchildren, and sadly, out of eight he only was able to meet three.

What a loss for these beautiful children not to ever know their grandfather and all he would have shared with them — like the Yankees and how to throw a baseball.

My husband Mike was big into hugs. Every day — it wouldn’t matter where we were. To Mike, an opportunity to hug was an opportunity not to be missed. He always had a warm hug for everyone … family, friends, male, female. It didn’t matter to Mike. You were guaranteed a hug!

At home, every time we would pass each other, he would stop me and give me another hug. I would say to him “Mike, you just hugged me a little while ago!” And he would always respond “I can never get enough hugs.”

He was so very right. I took it for granted that I would have his hugs for many years. I would give anything for one of his hugs again and to hear those words. I miss him so much.

I remember his voice like it was yesterday, the last time I heard it. I will never stop asking why … we had so many plans now that he was retiring. I moved close to him so we could see each other a lot more … I miss you dad, I need you more than anything in this world. I wish God could bring you back.