Wordless Wednesday

Looks and Books

Over a month ago, The Colonel received a phone call from a representative of the local airport. She was tasked with getting some historical photos made for display on one of the airport's high-traffic hallway walls.

The chief planner of the city (The Colonel and I have worked with him before on designing and executing historical displays for the city) pointed her to The Colonel, saying he was the one to go to for historical photos and information.

The Colonel said of course he would help her out and he knew of a graphic artist who could help out too (read that as our daughter). He was informed that he had to get this done within a month...no worries...The Colonel works best under pressure.

The Colonel had some pictures of historical buildings and areas of the town and sent them to the airport rep to see which ones she liked best. She wanted to have six pictures to hang. After she chose her favorites, The Colonel passed them along to Yam for her to work on. She turned them around in record time.

Once Yam's graphics were approved, The Colonel had the pictures made via an online company he has worked with before.

The finished products were sent directly to the airport. One evening, the rep called The Colonel to say the pictures were on the wall. We had just finished dinner and decided that we would go to the airport for a quick look. We called Yam to see if she wanted to meet us there to see her and The Colonel's handiwork on the wall. She said she would love to.

The pictures looked great! They also looked huge on the wall.

I am very proud of the work The Colonel and Yam did to make the airport's project a reality. I know they are too. I like that thousands of people coming to and going from our local airport will gaze upon their work.

The airport representative was so impressed by the work that she has asked The Colonel if he would be available for similar projects in the future....of course he said yes (he will also use his favorite graphic artist).

While we were at the airport, we saw this just down the hallway from the pictures...

It is called the Flybrary. Passengers leaving or arriving, people waiting for the passengers or anyone at all can take, borrow or trade a book for free. There are no fees involved and you aren't obligated to return any book you take. Naturally, the books for children are on the lower shelves. The Flybrary is located near the baggage claim and is partnering with the county library system.

Flying can be the perfect time to start a book. I know I always have a book with me on the airplane (I like to read, plus it may keep a "Chatty Kathy" in the next seat, at bay).

The Flybrary was developed based on the Little Free Library concept. It was creatively modified to have the aviation theme, be indoors and be large enough to accommodate the growing numbers of passengers to the airport.

The idea came from one of our local library supervisors. Reading material will be replenished by the library with paperback books, hardback books and magazines, using its excess inventory or donations from the Friends of the Library.

A Flybrary sticker will be added to the back of each book on the shelves. So, no matter where the books travel, their readers will be reminded of the local airport and area.

I picked up a few books while at the Flybrary. I will take them back once I have read them.

I love the idea of the Flybrary...heck, I even love the name Flybrary!

Wordless Wednesday

Fare Thee Well My Favorite-Father-In-Law

My heart is suffused with sorrow. My Favorite Father-In-Law died on the evening of Friday, January 18, 2019.

He died from complications of a heart attack. His heart was strong and he did not suffer from heart disease. The doctors believe a blood clot had formed and stopped his heart.

On Monday, January 14th, My Favorite Mother-In-Law found him on the living room floor around 10 p.m., unresponsive and not breathing. She called Yam (she tried to call us but our phone did not ring...one of the reasons we finally got new phones). Yam told her to call 911, called us and then ran across the street to assist and be there when the emergency vehicles arrived. We arrived shortly after my Favorite Father-In-Law was loaded into the ambulance and was on his way to the hospital.

Yam told us that the emergency technicians were able to restart her grandpa's heart but he did not regain consciousness. He never regained consciousness before he died. The neurologist said he suffered brain damage due to being without oxygen too long after his heart attack.

Yam stayed with her grandma as The Colonel and I went to the hospital to be with his dad. We stayed in the trauma room until a bed could be found at the hospital's heart unit. We finally left the hospital at 4 a.m.

The Colonel and I made daily visits to the hospital to be with his dad and then we would go to his mother's house to be with her and tell her what was happening with her beloved husband. It was a long four days. The Colonel and I would sit bedside and hold My Favorite Father-In-Law's hands. Yam was able to come to the hospital for a visit too. My-Favorite-Mother-In-Law did not wish to see her husband this way and chose not to go to the hospital.

I am very blessed to have had My-Favorite-Father-In-Law in my life for about 35 years. He was a very loving, thoughtful, funny, fun-loving, creative, resourceful, smart, adventurous, friendly, positive, strong, dependable, sweet man. I have known only one other man like him...The Colonel.

My-Favorite-Father-In-Law was the epitome of  father, grandfather and husband (he and my Favorite-Mother-In-Law were married for 60 years...it would have been 61 in March). He whole-heartedly loved his wife, children and grandchildren. He loved me as one of his own. A few months before his death, he began calling me his sunshine.

He was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma (cancer of the plasma cells) in 2016 and underwent chemo infusions on a weekly basis until his death. Sometimes his infusions would last for several hours and he would not feel well the next day or two. He never complained about any of it. He still walked and worked out in his yard, once he felt more like his old self after the infusions.

The last family get together was at Christmas last year. He was feeling a bit tired. We did not know (nor did he) that he had pneumonia at the time. He joined in on a few Wii games despite feeling tired and a bit winded. This is a photo of him at taken at Christmas. 

I said he was creative and liked to work in his yard. He combined the two when he made his pieces of art from yard waste materials. His preferred material was anything from a palm tree. He made totems out of palm stumps. 

He also made many fish and sea creatures from the pods of palm trees.

One of his garage walls became his "aquarium".

He loved dressing up for Halloween and walking around town to pass out candy to the kids. He was dressed as a cannibal in the 2014 photo below.

I think the only thing My-Favorite-Father-In-Law did not do that he wanted to do was skydive. Had he lived longer and felt better, I am sure he would have done it.

We buried his cremains on Thursday, February 21st around 10 a.m. Yam was able to get a bereavement day from work as did Spud. He drove 6 hrs. from Jacksonville, leaving there at 2 a.m. to arrive at our house in time to join us for the one hour trip to the cemetery.

When I say we buried him...I mean it literally. The Colonel wanted to help bury his father. Before the burial, I stood to say a few words about My-Favorite-Father-In-Law.

I sat back down and we had a few minutes of quiet contemplation.

When we were ready, we let the cemetery workers know and Spud pulled out of his pocket the pouch of Mail Pouch chewing tobacco (we found it in My-Favorite-Father-In-Law's car) and a small packet of coffee. We wanted to place these in the grave. They were two favorites of My-Favorite-Father-In-Law.

The cemetery worker placed the items in the grave, atop the box of cremains and then sealed the cement vault.

The Colonel began shoveling dirt in the grave. I placed three shovelfuls myself and then Yam and Spud followed after me. The Colonel took over the shoveling again until the grave was filled.

My-Favorite-Mother-In-Law chose not to help bury her husband. I asked if she would like to toss a handful of soil into the grave but she demurred.

Since My-Favorite-Father-In-Law was a veteran of the U.S. Navy, he will receive his name plaque for free. We will have to wait for that to arrive. For the interim, The Colonel made the vase and stand for the flowers that adorn his grave.

It is so painful to lose someone, especially when that person was so loved and loved you so.

I know that I was blessed the day I met My-Favorite-Father-In-Law and especially blessed the day I became his Favorite-Daughter-In-Law by marrying The Colonel. I will always be grateful and pleased that our life journeys intertwined for a while.

When we remember our loved ones in our minds, hearts and voice, they are with us again.