Sophia, Sophia, Sophia...

I'm saddened to hear that Estelle Getty, who played Sophia on the hit series Golden Girls, passed away today. Estelle made us believe in Sophia. I know I would have loved to have had a grandmother just like her. Sophia was a women full of life and I'm sure that was only because Estelle Getty was also full of that same life. Estelle may be gone but I can guarantee you she will never be gone from this household. We watch the Golden Girls at least once a day to bring a little laughter into our daily world. There is nothing better than laughter and the Golden Girls knew how to make people laugh and they did it with the wisdom of a little old lady from Sicily.

Picture it Sicily 1933...

One year passes in the blink of an eye

It is surprising how fast a year can pass. Seems like only yesterday that my mum called and told me my dad had passed away. It is one year ago today that I lost my father and there hasn't been a day since that I have not thought about him. My dad was not my biological father. My biological father passed away 20+ years ago. I called the man that passed away last year "dad" because that is what he was to me. He was the man that raised me. I had lived with that man and my mother since my parents divorced when I was ten. He was the man that gave me the values that I carry with me on a daily basis. He is that man that believed in me. He was the man that struggled with my coming out, but over time became one of my biggest supporters, if not the biggest. That man was proud to call me his son and I will forever be proud to call him dad.

I love you dad and I miss you but I know that you would want me to keep living my life to the fullest because it's the right thing to do and that's what I try to do not only for myself but now even more so I do it a little bit just for you.

A tribute to my father....

This morning I received an email from my niece (Melyssa) and that in itself is not ground breaking, but what was in the email was something of a different matter. My niece is a lovely girl who has always done the right thing. She has always been very close to her grandparents (my mum and dad). Melyssa was at my mum's house pretty much twenty four seven after my dad passed away last September. She has always been very special to me and I don't say that enough. So just what is it that she has said, well it's not what she said it's what she has done. Melyssa has gotten a tattoo on her back in memory of my dad. The tattoo contains my father's initials, date born/passed, and the wings plus start indicative of the US Air Force in which my father served. As Melyssa puts it, "this way grandpa will always have my back" and in some small way he will always look after her. I think this is a beautiful tribute to my father and to my niece I say... Thank You! and I Love You!