My thoughts and observations of what is and what should be
April 28, 2016: A Dad And This Boy - A poem for my Dad and I. I thought that I was doing pretty well, then came along, this day Two weeks ago today, Dad you were called home, out of the fray Dad, I sat down at my laptop to start writing these thoughts I kept An alert blinked, so I clicked, a picture of us opened up, I wept I have said, I was blessed to do Continue Reading...
This morning is a little more quiet than mornings have been recently. See, the crowds are gone. The stash of food prepared for family and visitors has been split and donated. The checklist doesn't have any more boxes to check. There's no nursing home to visit. The hospital room is empty. The seat at the end of the couch is carefully prepped, but shadows only find refuge there this morning. The Continue Reading...
This morning I woke up for the very first time in 48 plus years, without a Dad. Well, without my Dad living here on this earth. My Dad, John R. Beal, passed away yesterday morning, April 14, 2016. I can honestly say that my initial thoughts and feelings of pain and finality, were followed quickly by the sense of relief that my Dad suffered here no more. Although the former thoughts and Continue Reading...
As the NHL Playoffs are about to get under way, I thought I would pass along some recent news regarding the Goffstown Grizzlies Hockey team. If you haven't picked up your copy of the current (April 7, 2016) edition of The Goffstown News, please do so. On pages 7 and 8 there is a GHS Hockey season summary article written by Ryan O'Connor. Pick it up. Check it out. Also, Continue Reading...
Recently the Manchester Flames sent a 16U Tier II hockey team to the 2016 Toyota-USA Hockey Youth Nationals in Wayne, NJ. The tournament ran from March 31 - April 4 in multiple arenas. The Flames went 4-0 in the Tier II State Playoffs back in November to earn their bid to Nationals. The team representing New Hampshire, and the Manchester Flames organization, is listed here in hopes of bringing Continue Reading...
Miramichi Beauty A favorite picture of mine. I took this picture in October 2013, one on of my favorite 'road-trip' days ever. Continue Reading...
A couple of days ago, I went in search of nearby winter weather. I found ice. Everywhere. Continue Reading...
I know I'm not the first, nor the last, to have a parent in a nursing home. Still, it's a first for me. Dad is in a nursing home. Since the surgical procedure to insert a shunt back in December, Dad has been home for just a fraction of time. There are a litany of health reasons why he is where he is. I share this because it has been tearing me up. Seeing him as he is has been tough. I want to Continue Reading...
In short, my Dad is in a nursing home. There's a litany of health reasons why he is where he is. I share this because it has been tearing me up. Tears stream down my face night after night. Why? Because it's my Dad. It's him sitting there. It's the guy I couldn't stand to be away from as a boy. Maybe I could walk, but still he'd carry me, because I was his boy, and there was love that parents Continue Reading...
Last week I picked a day when it was rainy, windy, and only 45°F outside to take a little hike. I wanted to see how I would do with making myself a little tarp shelter over my hammock. So, I did a nice short hike along the western shores of Kimball Pond, and on the way back, I looked a for a spot to set up. I found a little feeder stream running into the pond off of the hills to the west of the Continue Reading...
