Posts from — June 2010

Last night was a picture perfect night in our small town – something we very rarely see and they did a concert in the town’s ampitheater. They call the program Arts On The Allegheny.  It was great fun as they had a couple of bands and all the local town folks come. People are course are selling food as this is what us local folks do best is eat and spend time being with one another.  There were close to 150 boats on the river on this perfect night.

A beautiful night on the Allegheny

My friend Gary and his 2 daughters

This is my story for now and I am sticking to it.

When I was in Las Vegas last week my dear friend Jeff Lund sent me a copy of Bicycle Dreams. It is a story about bikers that ride their bikes across country. Not the motor but pedaling.  Over 3000 miles in….12 days. Many of them do it in 10.  Words have no meaning in what kind of shape you need to be in to accomplish this – your mental shape is just as important as your physical shape.  Most of the riders aren’t even from this country.  But yet it has as much meaning as if they were from the US? Why – I  think it is about sense of accomplishment and walking away knowing that you can. As I watched I began to think what if I went to England and did this race – where I don’t know their equivelent to states would this have as much meaning as opposed to doing it in my home base country?  Over the course of these  days thes folks will sleep for most 1 to 2 hours a day and that is tops. So they continue to ride in such exhaustion.  The movie is very powerful and I recommend it to everyone who feels the need to find inner strengh to pedal to all of our individual finish lines.

This is my story for now and I am sticking to it.

A couple of weeks ago my sister and I were in the basement of my father’s home doing what we do best…packing.  We were definitely narrowing in on it with one room and there was a brand new dehumidifier. I told her I needed to find a home for that but for now I probably would hold onto it because they are expensive and somewhere down the road we might need it.  She said yup dad and I bought that together some years ago and I am surprised that he never used it.  Fast forward to today. My oldest and best friend’s son came over Andrew who just graduated high school. He bought his BFF and together we packed a “dump truck” of all the things that needed to go down to storage.  Most of it will probably end up at Goodwill but for now I just need it out of the house.  The boys were great and hard working. Matter of fact I wanted to do anything I can to help these young men as they are venturing out into the world. Andrew is going to a local college and his friend is going to play hockey for a farm team in Philly.  Oddly enough my fathers shoes fit them so they each took a new pair of shoes, picked out some ties and were both beyond thrilled.  As a sidenote which was totally kool is my friends son is a bit on the “retro” side.  My dad being an eye doctor of course had a tie with eyeglasses printed all over it. I haven’t seen it in years but Andrew picked right up on it.  He didn’t pick it out right away but kept talking about what a kool tie. He finally said I have to have it. I all the sudden got a little hesitant thinking “no” I want to keep that in the family. But Andrew really seemed to like the tie so I decided to let it go..in the end I am glad I did. I told him just promise me that you will always keep the tie and if he wants to give it away then make sure it circles back to me.  He said no he really loved the tie and he can promise me he will never get rid of it and you know what. Andrew said it with such a full heart – I do believe him and am really glad he has the tie. 

Once the truck was packed up we stop at the library to donate the books and onto our storage space that Brenda’s husband so graciously lent to us.  Another woman Jane was down there working and watching us diligently unpack and haul everything downstairs for storage. Jane comes up to tell me that I should go get a dehumidifier because I the downstairs space gets moldy. Andrew luckily was standing there and told her we had one.  She then says well you are going to need to empty it everyday as it will fill up. As I start to get panicked Andrew says not to worry they will hook a hose up to it.  I laugh to myself so thankful I never gave the darn thing away as it was ME who ended up needing it.  While Andrew and Alex was looking for a hose to hook up to it I sat there and looked at it still in the box thinking there truly is a place for everything.  Sometimes it just takes awhile to figure it out where that perfect spot is located. 

In an odd way it made me realize maybe there is hope for me  too.

 In the end Andrew was good to his word and he with Alex hooked it up the dehumidifier and it is running as we speak keeping our things dry.  Andrew and Alex I am grateful to the both of you today for your lovely personalities and willingness to do what it takes to get the job done.

This is my story for now and I am sticking to it.

Claire

Today is the first father’s day with Uge and Iam glad it is almost done. I started the day off by going to the cemetary to check on him. I also bought some cleaning supplies to clean of the headstone. It is important to him that we go out and check on him periodically. I think mom doesn’t care but in death my dad does. I told Bruce that I went to see Uge and – Bruce asked how he was doing? I said still pissed that he is gone. Dad wasn’t ready to go. Bruce laughed an heartily agreed.

The weather in Western Pa was a lovely day. I went on the boat with my friends Len and Pam.  To give you an idea of how small out town is enjoy the pictures.

This is "the cove" on the Allegheny river

They store 2 barge in the cove.

Len relaxing in the sun

Needs no explanation

A day in paradise

Pam in Len

This is my story for now and I am sticking to it.

My newphew Benny age 10

I am sitting at the airport in Pittsburgh waiting to hop a flight to LA and LAS.  I am looking over pictures taken Labor Day weekend at my brothers pool.

Olivia

My father sold his optometary practice back in the early 90’s to a young graduate named Jim Meehan.  Jim actually grew up in the community next to ours. Jim’s father told me it was a huge surprise to him when Jim decided to stay in the area.  My father took Jim on with the understanding that Uge would teach Jim everything he knew and then Jim would eventually buy the practice.  Which he did.  The year is now 2010 and Jim has been successfully running what is his optometery practice for over 18 years. What is so endearing about this is Jim never took down the sign that had my father’s and his name on it.  At first I thought it was a smart marketing move on Jim’s behalf, then as  years go by a little bit of laziness and now 18 years later as my father has passed he definitely needed to  change. 

Through the years I have become friends with Jim and he was always so respectful to my father. Dad always had a key to the office. Dad continued to get his optometric mail there.  Jim welcomed him to come  and examine  his friends eyes and basically allowed my father to stay engaged at any level he wanted …why you ask? I don’t know – I guess out of respect for my father. Maybe it was the integrity of being raised to respect those who respect you.

I went in to see Jim after dad passed because I needed my annual exam with my lasik.  Jim and I were both a bit teary eyed about  the enourmity of it all. I asked Jim if he could do me one last favor. I wanted to give Jim my father’s mug from when he was president of the optometric honor society(1955) to put in a corner of the office so dad’s spirit would always be there.  Jim not knowing what I wanted looked at me with tears in his huge baby blue eyes and very exasperated said Claire – I have been more than gracious with your father through the years I can’t possibly do anything more.  What did you have in mind? And by the way I have to get the sign with his name changed.  He continued very defensively telling me that he should have done it years ago and couldn’t bring himself to do it but  needs to now. I looked at him and said “of course you do”.  Jim then asked me what was the favor I wanted and when I told him about the mug he said no problem.  I think he felt bad because he thought I was wanting something huge when in actuality it was something rather small.

Well here it is 6 months later and I never got the mug down to Jim but something better occured. I went down to his office about 2 months ago to see Kay.  My father hired Kay as his receptionist when she was 18 years old and fresh out of high school. Kay is now celebrating working there 52 years.   Jim came back to say hello and I teasingly asked him about the sign.  He said that he spoke to Penny who is the amazing resident artist – unbelievably talented and that she is doing a new sign for him. I looked at Jim and said that in honor of the new sign that I insist on paying for it. The sign for some reason has become hard on everyone because it is an action of finality that dad is gone.  Plus my father would want me to pay for the  new sign as a token of Uge’s appreciation for Jim being so good to him through the years.   Jim said he couldn’t possibly do that but Kay also chimed in and say no he was to let me. Dr. Gould would want that very much.  It felt like the right thing to do combined with  a mix of poetic justice that my father would pay for Jim’s new sign outside of his old  practice.  It was a way for my father to let Jim know – it is ok to move on after all these years of loyalty.  

Deep down I was very fine with Jim putting his new shingle  but a touch sadden that their joint shingle was coming down.  Just part of the life process. Well the date is June 2nd and I go to the office and the new sign is up.  I sat visiting with Kay and Nancy and asked where is the old sign? I wanted to take a picture of for nostalga purposes.  Kay said good question I don’t know.  Penny came and put it up over the holiday weekend you will have to ask Penny.  I called Penny because I had to discuss dad’s memorial stone with her  and asked the question where is the old sign?  She laughed and said it’s still hanging up. Penny had known my father since 1975 and couldn’t bear the thought of taking it down.  So what did Penny do? She drilled the new sign right over top of the old one so dad’s name is technically still on the building. We both laughed and was thrilled that everyone walked away a winner.

Penny next to the new sign with the old one underneath.

The above is my story for now and I will be sticking to it.

Claire

THANK YOU! Atlanta Association of Catering Executives for the amazing carnival night that you folks did for those in attendance. It was truly amazing and I am so glad that I went. They had a huge array of carnival games for smaller children and lots of fun food.

Me going down the wave slide

Centerpieces

More colors