Category Archives: Family

A Blessed Life

While we face this historic economic change and jobs, literally by the millions, are leaving, I think its important to remember the positive. I admit I have been intrigued, concerned and fearful of our country’s situation and how it will affect me.

But this morning, in what is becoming a Saturday morning tradition, I got up at 6:30 and come downstairs while Desi sleeps. I have trouble staying up past midnight or 1:00 and she has become a professional night owl with her new night shift at the hospital. On these mornings I make coffee and catch up on a week’s worth of Jon Stewart’s Daily Show.

On my way for a second cup, I hear the laughter of my kids from downstairs. I hear Naomi’s chortle and hear her over appreciation on being included with the boys; Noah’s distinctive ‘ha-ha-ha’ which has changed this week with his new dental device to prepare him for braces and Nate’s lower and maturing hearty chuckle.

I look to the living room and see our the furniture has been switched back to the ‘non-Christmas’ arrangement, back to normal,  back to reality. And with it fear of what the future could hold, apprehension on the work that must be done and weariness that the road will be long.

I hear a scream – followed by laughter. “Hey!” I loudly whisper down the stairwell, “Mom’s still sleeping”

“Sorry” I hear back.

And I smile. THIS is good life. I know with this family I have no painful past, I feel their hopes and trust on me and while I fear for the future and I can feel their strength. This family – MY family – will not fail, no matter what the outcome is. When you are surrounded by love you grow cocky.

I hear their laughter grow louder. I go downstairs – to wake Mom up.

Hardrock, Coco and Joe

It’s hard to get the kids to understand how we watched TV. During the holidays we would rush home in time to watch Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer. For an hour we were hypnotized by the stop-go animation of Rankin and Bass. After it was over we would be shooed off to bed and spend the next few weeks discussing what we saw with our friends, not to be repeated until the next year.

Another sign of Christmas were the short holiday cartoons on our local Garfield Goose show. There were three magical cartoons – Frosty The Snowman, Suzi Snowflake and The Three Little Dwarfs or more commonly known as ‘Hardrock, Coco and Joe’; of which we would sing endless at recess to our teachers’ chagrin.

So, if you are old enough, feel free to see along – “Ol-die old lady o lady eye oh….”

[youtube]

Friday 13th at the Zilligen’s (updated with video)

OK, I don’t really buy that bad luck stuff but its catchy. Around 1:00am we heard a crash that woke Desi and I up. Running around the house we didn’t see anything until I went downstairs a saw a large branch had fallen onto the patio. Luckily, the power lines were spared but I was still trying to see how close the branch had come to the power lines to the house.

When I went to the basement and looked out the windows on the south side I saw the southern oak tree was snapped about 10 feet up the trunk. Going out the front door to the south side of our lot I had a clear view – the oak tree had toppled on to the roof spilling over to the patio. I could see the power lines to the house were sagging up the branches.

Note to Lindenhurst residents, we don’t have 311, so I called the police because the foot wide branches poised over the power lines. They sent a car with a couple officers and who saw the same thing I did – “That’s a good size tree” and “probably should stay away from those wires”. Then a fire truck pulled up and a fireman came out and said, “that’s a good size tree” and “I’d stay away from those wires if I were you.” Joking aside, everyone was actually pretty cool. The fire department said they would contact ComEd explaining ComEd tends to respond better to their calls then a regular residential call. According to the news we aren’t the only ones with problems and our power is still on. I don’t see how the tree can be removed without cutting the power but I’ll wait for the experts to arrive.

Here are some pictures now that its gotten light enough to see!

\On The RoofTree Against Morning SkyThe Crash

So ComEd came took the branches away off the power line (and they did it without turning off the power, those guys are good). But we were left with the rest of the tree on the roof. So we called Angry Beavers Tree Services (Josh & Phil’s new tree service company. Most of the tree wasn’t a big deal but the main part was very tricky. Check the video I put together on it:

[youtube]

A New Song

OK, I’ve been looking for a transition from my video for Jack but its hard to ‘step on’ something about someone’s death. I don’t know about you but I’ve always been conscience of stepping on ‘people’ in a graveyard.

Anyway, Lenny Kravitz has a new album out “It’s Time for a Love Revolution”. A few weekends ago I was running around doing some errands and I had just switched to this disc. Heading to the Post Office on Grand this song comes on and brought me back to Jack. (Forgive the beginning lyrics that don’t quite go…)

To Papa….

[display_podcast]

‘Man of The Hour’

We lost Uncle Jack Sunday, January, 20th. In his honor, I put together a video. It is done to a song called ‘Man of The Hour‘ by Pearl Jam. It closes the movie ‘Big Fish‘ by Tim Burton. When I first heard this song it reminded me of Jack. I must have listened to it 20 times that night. I’ve listened to it over a hundred times now. I took this out of the original ending of the video but I will leave it as an introduction to it now.

The gift you gave me most can appreciate
but only a few can truly understand

When I thought my heart could not be broken like this again
my loss of you is yet another lesson

my heart, my heart, oh where is my heart?
it is trying to repay the gift of life
you once gave a scared little boy

Until we meet again,

John Mike

[youtube]