Passing of a friend

Drove to a funeral yesterday (January 27, 2014) for John L. Trombino who died January 15. It was a little more than 200 miles round trip from Hilton Head to Mt. Pleasant, SC, but there are friends who are worthy of the journey. John was one of them.

The Catholic service was held in the Rodenberg Chapel at Franke at Seaside, where I lived from February 2008 until my re-marriage in March 2013. John’s family from near and far was present. At the joyful reception in the active lifestyle dining room after the service, John's wife, Toni, and I shared a light moment with this anecdote: When I began playing nickel and dime poker with John, and some of the other men at Franke, John had a good day and took some of my money. He asked me at the end of game how I enjoyed the afternoon. I said I would like to have my money back. John’s reply was, “You can have it when I die.”

John was laid to rest in the Columbarium at Franke. It was both a sad occasion but also a happy moment to see many friends and former neighbors. All of us have gotten a bit older and our shapes and sizes have made appropriate adjustments. But, thankfully, life goes on and we look to each new day for the joys and surprises it may bring.

 

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The years ending in 4

A New York Times contributing op-ed writer, Mark Bittman, kicked in the year 2014 with "A Guide to Years Ending in 4." Bittman took a look back and summarized events that mostly were or went wrong, for example: Ike's foreign policy found the domino theory and the first American advisers went to Vietnam; Nelson Mandela went to prison for life in '64 (in '94 he was elected President of South Africa); in '74 Nixon resigned in disgrace and oil hit $10 a barrel (it is now about $98). You get the idea; the complete essay is available at the link above. All in all, however, this reader suspects Bittman's piece is somewhat tongue-in-cheek. The 4 years were not all that bad.
I got married in '54 and the marriage lasted 56 years; our first daughter (4th child) was born in '64;
in '74 I quit smoking; in '84 I was re-elected to S.C. House of Representatives; in '94 I went to China for six months with the lady I married in'54. So the years ending in 4 hold memorable thoughts for me. Other years, well, there are some I would like to do over, and I would let Bittman have fun with those. For the rest of us:

Happy New Year and may this ending-in-4-year be one of the best in your life.

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