My Dad became very sick starting on June 1st last year.  He Had shingles in his inner ear that caused Bells Palsy and Ramsey Hunt Syndrome. He looked like he had a stroke on the right side of his face. He lost hearing in his right ear, some vision, the ability to swallow, his balance was off and he kept fainting. It was very scary. There were many trips to the ER and he could barely do anything for thee months. With lots of prayers and time, my Dads face recovered completely.  He is better now with just pain around his ear, but it could take up to two years for all the nerve damage to heal.

We have a very close friend in California named Warren. He is a great guy and super funny. When he found out about my dad, he started sending cards. Now you might say~ oh that’s nice, but these cards were the BEST! Funniest things you ever read and not only were the cards hilarious, but Warren was very creative in addressing the envelopes. We usually throw out the envelopes, but these were so precious that we had to save them. Instead of my Dads name on the envelope, here are some of the ways they were addressed.

“To: Mr. Getting Better”   “To: So Not Joking – I am the Man of the House”,   “To: Yup! This one is for you!” and   “To: Mr. Big Daddy.”

He would also write funny notes on the cards, like ~ “Oh come on~ It is from me.” Some cards had instructions in them like a To-Do List.  These cards were so amazing and gave my Dad, Mom and me some great laughs and smiles in our hearts.  

  Each time a card came it really make our day. I think maybe Warren has another calling as a greeting card creator!  We feel grateful and blessed to have Warren as our friend. We are also thankful to all our other friends that visited, called, brought food, sent cards and were so kind and gave support to help my Dad though this very tough time. 

Recently my older brother passed away. His name was John. He was an Executive Chef. During the winters he worked in Florida and summers he worked at the SandBar, a restaurant on Martha’s Vineyard.  

In Florida he sometimes worked a food truck that he named Johnny Fives! He arrived early this year to renovate the kitchen and outdoor bar and eating area. He was a great cook and a really hard worker. I used to visit restaurants that John helped open. We would go to the taste testings. It was fun trying different foods and I was always excited to see him

He loved pets and owned a German Shepard named Zoe.  I always saw photos and videos of her on FaceBook. She looked so sweet and innocent. When we finally had a chance to meet her, she lunged at my Dad and bit his arm and ripped his jacket! She still looks sweet in her photos, but I’m standing back!

We went up to MV to view my brother. I was happy to be able to see him to say goodbye. The next weekend we went back up for the service. It was in a small church in Oak Bluffs and was so nice.

Afterwards we went over to the SandBar for a small reception. I was only sad that John wasn’t there to celebrate with us. I do believe he was there in spirit watching over us. On the way home we saw the most beautiful skies and a rainbow. I knew then everything was ok for John! I met all of his friends and co-workers and owners of the SandBar. Now I know why loved working there. I am keeping in contact with Mark and Mike ~ the owners. They are fun guys. I also had a chance to see John’s Mom again. She is a very nice person. We all like her very much. I also met four of John’s closest friends from Florida. They are like his family too.

I will miss my brother very much, but am glad that I can see his photos and videos and hear his voice. That brings me some comfort.