The End of a Great Journey

Hearts were heavy at our house today. A special and dear friend quietly died in his sleep last night. We are sad for our loss but at 95 and in poor health, he was tired and ready. Quite alive and alert until a few days ago. His passing leaves a huge void our lives.

His life was amazingly full. Full of friends, loved ones, life, experiences, memories... Always an adventurer, he took up scuba diving at age 70. He slowed down not long ago - by going to the office only 6 days a week instead of 7. Successful in business, successful in life. Finding true love twice only to loose them both.

My husband's best friend and father figure. Together the three of us traveled and socialized. We ate together at least 4 nights a week. He told friends we were more a family to him than his own. Wonderful company, we talked about everything. I cooked his favorite pork chops with gravy & biscuits or hubby grilled burgers - he sent us on lovely vacations. He thought that made us even. To him it was.

"His" empty chair in our living room will be a constant reminder of our loss, but the memories and love we shared will live forever in our hearts and minds.

Just how dumb do they think I am?

It's a miracle! He confessed to EVERYTHING!

OK, he left out where he hid the weapons of mass distruction. Give them a few more years and he'll fess up!

Do you think this was the before or after picture? I'm betting even my mother isn't buying this one.

This falls under the heading of Give Me a Break!

Florida does it again...

You've probably heard about it... it was in Newsweek for crying out loud...the City Manager of Largo, Steven Stanton, is loosing his 14 year job. Why you say? Taking kick backs? Stealing from the city? Poor reviews or doing an incompetent job? Oral sex with an aid? No. He's having a sex change operation and the town's powers that be can't handle it. The City Counsel voted 3-2 to terminate him when he disclosed his intentions.

There were some supporters, Largo Mayor Pat Gerard said she supports Stanton.

"He's a dedicated city manager and puts his job first," she said. "I don't believe he should have to go away and hide out and have to re-emerge. The fact that we do that as a society is pitiful."

In the end, apparently Pastor Ron Sanders of Largo's Lighthouse Baptist Church said it best:
"If Jesus was here tonight, I can guarantee you he'd want him terminated. Make no mistake about it.''

Jesus wasn't there but there were enough of his followers to make sure they voted in favor of "god's will. There is more to the story naturally but the reason for the firing remains that he's a transsexual. That's it... great job for 14 years until THIS. It's his own fault. ""I do not feel he has the integrity, nor the trust, nor the respect, nor the confidence to continue as the city manager of the city of Largo,'' said Commissioner Mary Gray Black, who introduced a resolution to fire Stanton.

The whole thing makes me sick. I keep checking the calendar to see if it really reads 2007. Somehow, with the exception of a few gadgets, it seems more like 1907.
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Sunday update... the St. Petersburg Times ran this article about Steve today.

His Second Self

BTW, just got off the phone with my mother. She's not unhappy he's been fired.... not because of his sexual preferences however. They were former neighbors and apparently he was the pain in the ass of the neighborhood. :)
http://www.sptimes.com/2007/03/11/Northpinellas/His_second_self.shtml