Comings and Goings

Richard's Passing

I got a call from my mother at work telling me that my brother Richard was in the hospital.  The news was not encouraging so on Thursday night Chuck and I went for a visit.  Richard looked very ill but was in good spirits and lucid for much of our visit.  He joked around with us and we reminisced about some old times.  We had a good visit with his wife Lorinda and enjoyed catching up with all their family. At the end of the visit, I hugged my brother and told him I loved him.  He hugged me with surprising strength, figuring how sick he was, and told me he loved me too.   I got a call from my sister Kathy on Saturday morning that Richard had passed.   I made it to the hospital in time to see him before they called the funeral home.  Everyone was in as good of spirits as could be expected.  There was a strong feeling of peace in the room.  Richard had a quick wit and was always telling funny stories and jokes.  He loved easily and fully. He was a family man through and through and was well loved by his grandchildren.   He was only 54. He will be sorely missed.

Band Concert

Jared played in his first band concert of the year this week.  He played a solo on the temple blocks (tuned wood blocks) in one of his songs.   He also had another song where he was playing multiple instruments and performed a very impressive mallets-in-mouth-while-playing-symbols move. 

Jared got news a few weeks ago that he was the only percussionist in his school to make it into the District Honors Band and has already started practicing for that.  This is in addition to the Jordan Youth Symphony.


HEROIC

On the day of my brother's passing, I had a commitment with HEROIC to appear at a community event to hand out candy and take pictures with the kids.  I struggled with the decision to attend but in the end decided to still make the appearance. I figured that Richard would like that fact that I was going out to make the world a little bit happier place.  I was on the way to this engagement when I stopped at the hospital to see him after he passed.  I pulled on a long sleeve shirt and some track pants to cover the bat suit o be respectful.  I don't think anyone knew but I think Richard would have gotten a kick out of it.