THE FINAL JOURNEY

We made the final journey to lay my dear Mother to rest this past weekend. We drove to Denver on Wednesday, had a service at Crown Hill on Thursday, drove to Center on Friday and had another service for her at the Center United Methodist Church on Saturday.

Even in this time of sadness there was joy. First, my Mom was where she wanted to be - united with her husband who passed away in 1985 and her daughter, Anne, who died in 1986. Her great granddaughter, Rachel, daughter of my son John Leslie and his wife Leslea, who was stillborn is also waiting for her, as well as her brother Web and her mother and father Ralph and Ella Allison. Another reunion will be with her precious dog and faithful companion, Lucy, her little white poodle. She had said repeatedly that when Lucy died she would want to leave this earth also. It wasn't too long after Lucy died that Mom's personality and attitude seemed to change some. She was tired and just wanted to go home. Those of us who are still here on earth will miss her greatly, but she has wanted this day to come for some time and there is a sense of joy that her wish has been fulfilled.

Another joy was the evidence of all the friends she had who so greatly admired and respected her. Both services were very well attended even though most of her friends have already passed away. But Mom touched the lives of many people, some many years younger than she was.

Yesterday would have been my Dad's birthday and the wedding anniversary of Mom and Dad - a fitting punctuation for the end of her life her on earth.

Among the many people who came to honor Mom and say goodbye were my cousin Jim who flew in on a private plane form Southern California, my cousin Dave who came in from Northern Illinois, my niece Dana and my niece AnnaLee and her family all from San Jose, and my own son John Leslie from Dallas. JL insisted on coming even though he is undergoing chemotherapy and treatment for cancer at this time. It was tough on him and I appreciate and respect him for coming. My Aunt, Virginia came down from Fort Collins and my cousin Myralee and her husband Mel came in from Grand Junction. There were many others and I apologize for leaving anyone out, There were many who couldn't be there for one reason or another but it was a joy to witness all the wonderful people she had a friendship with.

We drove up to Denver with my son Scott and his wife Sheri in their BMW X5. I have taken that trip many times as I commuted from Albuquerque to Cheyenne for five years. I know it takes roughly eight hours from Albuquerque to Denver after stopping for gas, to eat and just a rest stop or two. Scott kind of laughed at me when I said eight hours - or maybe it was more of a sneer, when he repeatedly told me it didn't take any eight hours - and then went on to prove it. As a back-seat driver, I quickly learned it was best to just close my eyes and snooze.

My niece, Piper and her husband Lance, had everyone over to their house in Denver and had a nice spread laid out for us to enjoy as we had a chance to visit with some family members and friends we hadn't seen for years in some cases. I had the pleasure of visiting with some great people, Glen and Jackie Edwards, who were class mates of mine back in the old days. Glen is a retired Professor at the Colorado School of Mines and was an outstanding athlete - Little All American in high school and a brilliant student. He was fullback on our football team and I played the position of tackle. When I went in for my surgery last year the doctors were puzzled by all the indentions in my back. I was supposed to block for Glen as he ran the ball. He was fast and I was slow. When I wasn't going fast enough or in the direction he wanted me to go - he would simply give me a shove and run right over me. The cleat marks from his shoes are forever in my back - like a tattoo. No wonder I have had a bad back my whole life. Jackie was a cheerleader, the Home Coming Queen, class President - and just a little Miss America in terms of high school life. They are great people and I appreciate their friendship so much.

Even though Glen is brilliant - he is getting a little older, which may affect his memory some. I say this because both Glen and Jackie came up with some stories about my behavior and activities as a high school student which couldn't possibly be true. However my son, Scott and his wife Sheri, were taking this all in like it was gospel truth. Scott has some memories of my being a little strict sometimes when he was going to school, and it was like an evidence gathering time for him. Anyway - it's too little too late to do him any good now.

Saturday we drove down to Center through the mountains and it was a journey I hadn't taken for some time, but it was absolutely beautiful. Again, there was some argument about how long this journey should take and once again Scott proved his point.

My cousin Sue has an absolutely beautiful house just a hundred yards or so from the banks of the Rio Grande river. This house could be in any upscale magazine about homes and she designed it pretty much herself. She had another spread for everyone and we enjoyed lots of visiting with family and some of the local people. This group included my cousin Dave from Illinois and his classmate Joe Replogle. Now where my friends Glen and Jackie Edwards might have had some lapse of memory, these people at Sue's house came up with some stories of my behavior which were downright lies. No one could have behaved that badly! Anyway Scott and Sheri were once again taking all of this in. I am thinking I might have to move as Scott and Sheri live right here in Albuquerque and I think they are trying to gather evidence to exercise some kind of revenge for my stern dictates when Scott was in high school and college. But it worked - he is a fine young man today - thanks to me!

We went to Center - my home town, on Saturday and had a lovely service at the United Methodist Church. The ladies at the Church prepared another spread of food for everyone and even offered to send food home with those traveling. Many people from town and the surrounding communities came to the service and we are all so grateful and pleased for that. This was mom's home and these are her people.

Before going to the Church for the service, we stopped at Skeff's Food Center which has been owned and run by the Skeff family for around eighty years I think. The Skeff family are on my very favorite people list and I think the world of all of them. Joe and Betty were there and later came to the Church service. Sadie was not in as she was with brother George in Denver, but Joe was talking to them on the phone when I walked in so I had a chance to at lest say "hello" to them. I had talked to Kelly who is a Professor at Stanford Medical School just a few days before, so the only one I missed was Raymond. They are a fantastic family as far as I am concerned and it was great to see them.

As I said, even sadness can bring joy and I personally felt very happy at the end of the trip.

One side note concerning the ongoing treatment we are having. JL is going through chemotherapy and then the following day he goes in for some kind of a shot that is supposed to build up the marrow in his bones. The bones are solid so as the marrow increases inside the bone it creates a tremendous amount of pressure and pain all over his body, especially in the joints. So, he has a real up and down feeling to deal with. He will get to the point he is feeling good and the next day he is hurting and miserable. He is having some problem with his stomach too which is totally unpredictable. I am still experiencing the same thing myself and know exactly how he feels and it isn't any fun. But with all of this he still insists on going to work and to all of the sporting activities of his children. I think he is planning on going to camp with Andrew, his youngest son, in the next week or two.

They put me on the steroid type medication to help me gain weight and it worked. I shot up from 152 to around 185 in no time at all. I am not sure how this works because while it caused me to eat it also made me sick at my stomach, but enough stuck around to cause me to gain weight. I got to the point where I didn't want to gain any more - 185 is about right for me and I don't want to get back up to 250 - so I quit taking the medication. Now I really have to watch my intake so I don't gain any more.

I came up with a unique diet program. I ate at a restaurant the other day (I wont mention any names) but the food was horrible. I ordered turkey with dressing. The turkey was dry as a bone - sort of like the sole of a shoe or a shingle from the roof, the dressing tasted like leftover leftovers and they gave me a dumpling which was like a glob of dough covered with some foul tasting gravy. Even the coffee was bad. I used to get mad at this kind of food service and vow never to come back. Now I am creating a list of restaurants - this one is at the top of the list, and I will only use this list to choose where I am going to eat. The thought is that if I only go to restaurants where the food is horrible I will automatically keep from gaining weight. I just won't eat the stuff. There is another place - a fast food restaruant - and I will mention the name because I really do like their food. They just can't get it right. I like Wendy's for hamburgers. I go in and order a burger with mustard, pickle, lettuce and tomato. It comes back and has ketchup, mayo and onions on it - all the stuff I didn't want. Even though it is printed plainly on the ticket what I want - they just don't get it. I decided I was being too tough on them, so I ordered on the basis of what I didn't want. Giver me a burger WITHOUT ketchup, mayo or onion. I stood there and watched the young man make my burger. First, a big slob of mayo, then onions, then ketchup. I will keep coming back here also. Another idea of genius from me! Sometimes I am amazed at some of the brilliant ideas I come up with.

Another thing about the fast food restaurants which has nothing to do with the food or a diet. The bill came to $6.37 - I gave the young lady a ten dollar bill and 37 cents in change. She just stared at me and said she didn't have any change in her register. She just couldn't figure out how much to give me back. So, I scratched around in my pocket and opened up my wallet and was lucky enough to come up with exactly $6.37. She opened up her cash register drawer and it was full of change - she just never passed 4th grade math.

Keep in touch - God Bless!!

Albuquerque Al!