We lost our home in May of 2025 due to a house fire. The  house was destroyed, along with all our personal effects.

Long story made short, I am 77 years old, have a hear condition that requires me to have a heart device called a LVAD, so no work for me for the past 10 years.

We raised our two grandchildren in the house for more than thirty five years .

My wife past in 2005 from leukemia, so I continued to care for and raise my grand-daughter (38) who was disabled from birth, and my grandson who still lives with me.

I was finely able to pay the house off in 2023, but with that, the insurance covering the house stopped. 

The medical expenses from my wife illness, and then mine taxed our resources, so I am now living basically off of social security which I had to take early to help pay expenses.

09-11-2025

I know I left the story short, but as is life, things come  up that take your attention away from what you are doing, and require you to give them time and effort.

We were married 38 years, and yes, I still fill married to her because you take on a lifetime commitment when you love someone.

Hard to explain. Love is that filling that you have for someone where you want to be better for them, to take care of and provide for them. Let go of the hurt, and find happiness in each other.

Thirty eight years is not long enough. A lifetime is not enough.

We meet when we were in our late teens on a Christmas Eve blind date, both going through hard times, and just  felt like it was the right connection.

We got married, didn't have a lot of money, had to ask a probate court judge to marry us. She must have done a good job because it stuck.

I some time tell the story about that. Now this was back in the sixties.

We went to the court house, found the judges office. Brenda was shy, so she wanted to wait on the stairwell while I went to ask if the judge could/would marry us.

Talked to the judges secretary, she went to talk to the  judge, came back and said yes. So I went outside, got Brenda (she was very reluctant to come in, hell, I was scared myself).

So, anyway, we went in and faced the judge. At this time it felt more like a sentencing. You know, when you face the principle at school for being sent to his office, except this time it was more like facing God, for she had the power of damnation.

Judge Wise asked a few question, we handed over the marriage license, said our I do's, and she did the “I now pronounce you Husband and Wife”. 

Well that is most of the story, except for the last part. I asked the judge what we owed her. She said what ever we thought it was worth, so we looked in our pockets and the only thing we could find was a five dollar bill, so we handed it to her. She took a looked at Brenda, then me, turned to get her purse, reached in and gave us four fifty in change. 

Now this may sound like hokum, and it may be, or it may not be, but every now and then it gets a smile from somebody. 

So think about it, two late teen kids starting a new life together, really having no idea about the world awaiting them.

This was at two thirty in the afternoon, and I had to be at work at four o'clock, about thirty miles away. Short honeymoon to say the least. Oh well, that is life.

Matter of fact, pretty well has been our life the last fifty eight plus years. Been a ride for sure.

Must go now, life is knocking at the door again. Maybe latter I will try to update this.

Oh, may I be the first to wish you a Merry Christmas this year.