Again......

Dave and I are 77 and live in a retirement community. This was a good decision for us and we do like living at Eastcastle. We've made new friends, gotten involved with new activities....all while trying to stay connected to our outside involvements.

I'm glad we are making new friends.....because frankly over the past few years we've had to say goodbye to so many "besties". I no longer have Phoebe in Delaware or Denise in Maryland. Claudia is gone from her Indiana farm. Janie lives in Alaska, Pat in North Carolina....others in Florida. And yesterday Dave's high school email account informed him that a boyhood friend, David Mosedale, died in January. My David grew up with triplets living two doors down....David, Ken and Robert. Now Ken remains....in New Hampshire.

We honestly did not stay in close contact with the guys, just an occasional visit or call. Can't remember the last time we saw David after our wedding because he moved to California after college and never came back.

But the last time I saw him is carved into my memory.....as Dave's best man on December 29, 1967.

Over the year I heard about many of their chidlhood/high school "activities" and I used to say it was amazing to me that my Dave lived through all of them to find me at Ripon.

So another "rest in peace" to someone who helped shape early memories. It seems to get more bitter-sweet with each of these phone calls. Inevitable.....but sad.