Memories:!!! Our Courtship:
When I was sixteen and Rosemary was sixeen, we met at a dance sponsored by
Cardinal Stritch High School where we both attended. She graduated from Stritch High,
but I only spent part of my third year there. The school dance was called
The Turkey Strut
and it was held in the gym at St. James Catholic Church located
at 2418 North Mango Ave. in Chicago on Nov. 25, 1953. We were both sixteen years old at
the time. After we met we dated, going to movies and dances, for only two months. In January
we went downtown to the
Oriental Theatre
to see Snows of Kilimanjaro with another couple. After the movie at the Oriental Theatre,
the four of us took the bus near the other couple’s home. We all got off
the bus and just played in the snow like teens will do, laughing and just having fun outside and forgetting
about the time. When Rosemary and I came home to her house, grandma and grandpa were furious
that the hour was so late. I was told to leave and never call Rosemary again. The rest of
the school year I didn’t talk to Rosemary.
I worked during the summer with my brother Bob building garages. One day in early July I was
sent to a lumber yard by Bob to pick up some materials. As I was driving back to the job I
passed a coffee shop, (It is now the vaccuum cleaner store)
Three Sisters,
near the school that we attended. I stopped the truck and went in for
a cup of coffee, hoping to meet anyone from the school, hopefully Rosemary. As I sat drinking my coffee,
Rosemary
and her best friend Shirley Glowacki came in. I walked over to their booth and began to talk
to Rosemary. There was music playing on the juke box , so I asked Rose to dance with me. I remember
we were dancing to the song "Why Don't You Believe Me", sung by Joni James. It is still a favorite song of mine.
While we were dancing, I asked her for a date. She told me to call her and we would talk about
it, which I did the next day.
We soon began to date again. Most Saturdays we went to
the Gateway
Theatre to the movies. Many evenings I would meet Rosemary
at Bankers Life Ins. at Lawrence ave. and Pulaski Ave.,where she worked part time. She worked until
nine in the evening and we would go to her home.
Grandma and Grandpa
didn’t like me at the time and always tried to talk
Rose into going out with college friends of Mickey Snow and Jerry Snow. They just couldn’t get
rid of me; I guess I was like a “bad penny”.
Anyway, everything was going fine and the last week
of August my sister Rita and her husband Bob Greenwood came to visit from Oklahoma. They always
stayed at our home whenever the visited, which was always one week in the summer. One evening
Bob decided to come with me when I met Rosemary. As we were driving we noticed a carnival near
where Rose worked and after Rose got in the car Bob said, ”Let’s go to the carnival for a little
while.” I knew this was a bad idea, but Rosemary called home a couple times to get permission
to stay out a little later. There was no answer at home and Rose finally decided to go with us
to the carnival. We returned home possibly two hours later and Grandma and Grandpa were furious again.
Bob tried to talk to them with no success. Again I was told to leave and not to come back..... On well.
I graduated from St. Patrick High in May and was working with my brother Bob building homes for
a company called “Utility Homer Builders”. Some homes were two bedroom homes and some were three
bedroom ranch houses. We set the steel beam, roughed the house, installed the drywall, laid the
hardwood floors, shingled the roofs
and trimmed the homes. During the summer I was spending much of my evening traveling with my two
cousins, Dave Gilmore and Bill Naylor, and sometimes Betsy Brand. One evening we were talking and
I mentioned Rosemary and the three kept telling me I should call her, which I did. It wasn’t long
after that we were dating again. We went to dinner, dancing and movies. She even came fishing with
me a few times.
During these years, there was a draft and all men had to serve two years in the service.
Well, Bill, Dave and I decided to join the army rather than wait for the draft to call us which
could be three to five years later. We thought we would do our time now before we got married.
Before I entered the army Rose and I got engaged. Grandma and Grandpa were furious because they
thought for sure they could find a more suitable partner for Rosemary while I was gone. Anyway,
I was stationed in
Germany and
everything was going fine for about a year until I got tipsy one
night and I dictated a letter to a friend who wrote it. Then I sent it to Rose. My friend told
me it was a bad idea and was he right. Soon after that we broke our engagement, and quit
writing each other.
Dec. 20th I was discharged from the army at Fort Sheridan. A buddy drove me to Addison and
Western Ave. There I boarded an
Addison Street bus
and rode it west to
Melvina.
It was about
one in the morning when I got off the bus. Snow covered the ground and a bright moon was
overhead. The whole area seemed bright even though it was late. It was very quiet except
for the sound of the bus as it drove away. I remember, I just stood there for a while after
the bus left and looked around at all the familiar buildings. I threw my duffle bag on my
shoulders and began to walk the short city block home. Even though I had walked here many
hundreds of times before it seemed extremely strange to be walking here now. When I arrived
home everyone was asleep so I let myself in, and lied down on the living room couch and slept
until morning.
After Christmas I called Rosemary and asked her to return my rings that I gave her. She said
she would, but they were being cleaned and wouldn’t be finished for a week or two. About
two weeks later I called her again and Rose told me the rings were at her house. I drove there
and she returned them to me. During our conversation I asked if I called her some day, maybe
we could go to dinner or a movie. She agreed and said that could be arranged, but I decided not
to call her. It was probably the end of Feb. or the beginning of March and I was hanging with
some troublesome friends, and once in a while
my Mom
would say, “Why don’t you call that Irish
girl Rosemary. She is a nice girl.” I always answered no. I figured I had enough trouble with
her, but one day I said, “I think I might call her. I told her I’d give her a call someday and
I’m going to call her tonight.” Which I did.
I called the operator and gave her Rosemary’s number and soon after, Rose answered. We talked for
a while but I haven’t a clue what we talked about. Then I asked if she would want to go to dinner
this Saturday, just for old time sake. She said she had an engagement this Saturday and we talked
a few minutes more. Then I said, “Good-by”, and hung up the phone. Well I thought, “That was a dumb
idea anyway. Why would she go with me again? Every time we get together something happens to break
us up. The hell with it, I have other friends.”
I walked into the living room and Mom asked if I
was going with that Irish girl and I said, “No, she is busy and I think she really doesn’t want to
get involved with me.” I no sooner said that when the phone rang and Mom answered it. She said it
was for me and didn’t know who it was. I walked to the hall, picked up the phone, and was shocked
to hear Rosemary’s voice. She talked for a few minutes and then said she decided to cancel her
appointment and would be available to go to dinner with me,” for old time sake.”
We did go to
dinner that Saturday at a German resturant where we ate dinner before. We had a great time. As a
matter of fact we ordered our dinner and
a bottle of wine. We were finally asked to leave because the staff wanted to go home. I walked her
to her door and she asked me in. I decided not to because I knew
her folks despised me, but I told her I would call her again. A few days later I called her again
and soon afterwards we were going to the
Gateway Theatre and
Aragon Ballroom again.
This time we were not going to break up and finally
we married Sept. 29, 1957.
After we married, I can’t remember one day that Grandma or Grandpa ever had a serious argument
with me. We had plenty of discussions and disagreements, but never and insulting type argument.
They were the greatest mother in law and father in law a person could have.
Our Homes
Houses and Apartments:
Rosemary's home was located at 4512 N. Kildare in Chicago.
My Home was located at 6139 Eddy Street in Chicago.
The houses and apartments we lived in since we are married.
Our first apartment was at
the corner of Milwaukee Ave. and Roscoe Ave. in Chicago. It was an efficiency apartment,
with a living room, a kitchen and a bathroom. We slept on a Murphy bed in the living room.
A year later we moved to an apartment at the corner of Cullom Ave. and
Kedzie Ave. in Chicago.
It was a one bedroom apartment with a host of cockroaches. Our third was a duplex we rented
in Riviera Beach, Florida. We lived here for about a year. We bought a three bedroom ranch house here at 122
West 11th St.,Village of Palm Springs, Fl., but never moved into it.
I got laid off and couldn’t find a job anywhere.
We lost the house so we decided to return to Chicago where we thought I could find a job.
Our forth apartment was near Kimbal Ave. and Drake St.. It was a one bedroom apartment,
and soon after we bought our second house. It was at
2140 N. Monitor St. in Chicago.
Three or four years later we bought a house at
4918 N. Prospect Ave. in
Norridge. We lived here about four or five years then moved to our present house
25975 Midlothian Rd., in Mundelein. We
have been here over forty-eight years.
Memories: !!Regrets.
Regrets? Regrets!!! I sometimes have many regrets.
I ask myself, why didn’t I help Rose more? I think I could have done so much more
for her. My biggest regret is why I didn’t give Rosemary one of my nitro tablets when
she woke me March 15. She didn’t have any angina, no chest pains, she didn’t have an upset
stomach, all which are and have been my symptoms of heart attack. When Rose woke me and
told me she was having difficulty breathing, my first thought was to call 911.
After I called for help, I talked to her, asking what the difficulty was. She just said she
couldn’t breathe. I wondered if it was her heart and I was going to give her a nitro
tablet, then I worried if I did, could it complicate whatever else might be wrong.
A few minutes later the help arrived and they began treating Rose.
I wonder every single day,
if I had given her a nitro, would that have saved her life? Even though the doctors
at the hospital said she needed help weeks or months earlier, I still think, just maybe,
It might have saved her. Why, oh why didn’t I follow my hunch and give her a nitro.
Until Rosemary and I are together again, I will make sure everything she treasured will be
kept in perfect condition. She kept every gift that was given to her. She never needed things that cost
much money, and most things she has are of no real monetary value, but to her they are things of beauty and
things she would have liked to have when she was young. Many thing were either broken or didn’t work, and she
would ask me to repair them, which I did. I want all her things to remain as they were. Many of her clothes,
and also my clothes I gave to the veteran’s organization. I kept all her beautiful dresses and some
of her clothes that bring memories whenever I look at them.
Memories: !! radios:
As you know, for over twenty five years Rosemary and I bought, repaired and refinished old antique
radios. When Russell was still in grammar school; he, Rosemary and I went to flea markets in search
of old radio and, any radio related objects. I think about all the days that Rosemary and I bought,repaired
and restored these antique radios.
When I worked on the radios in the basement, Rose always
brought coffee and cookies down to me. She would say, "Ralph, it is break time. Stop and have
coffee with me and relax. You work to hard." We would talk about the radios, how the restoration was
progressing and what we would be doing after this specific radio was finished. She absolutely
loved every single radio and any apparatus related to old radios. She would be so excited when
we finally finished a radio and would keep it upstairs until the next radio was finished. Then
it would be replaced with the newer radio. Not only was this great fun for the two of us, but
we received a tremendous amount of satisfaction knowing the result of our work was a beautiful
working radio.
Memories: !! yard and computer room:
As I walk outside in the yard, I see the picnic table and the swing that Rosemary and I spent
many hours at while we were talking and enjoying each other’s company. It is impossible to tell
you how much Rosemary loved this home and our small plot of ground. She loved watching the chickens,
goats, ducks, calves, pigeons, horses
and ponies. She especially loved just sitting on the swing next
to the large pond, relaxing and just gazing out at our small field, possibly seeing
a deer
or
coyote quietly crossing to Pete’s or
Frank’s field for cover. Or seeing a large fish jump
out of the water chasing a smaller fish for dinner. Rose would get angry whenever a hawk
flew over, knowing well that it was looking for a free dinner of either chicken or pigeon,
whichever was easier to capture. She would say, “Ralph, get the gun, quick”.
Another of the million memories that I experience is walking into her computer room and
seeing her sitting in front of her computer. She always had the computer on and usually Rose was
playing solitaire. Other times she would be terribly frustrated because she
couldn’t figure how to
run a certain program. We would work together until we finally solved the problem. I miss that so much.
The memories never stop. I always heard they would make a person happy; however it’s just the
opposite. Every memory brings sorrow, knowing I’ll never be with her again until we meet again
in the next world. The wonderful feeling, being with Rosemary and sharing conversation and
enjoying every morning, evey afternoon and every evening with her, is gone for
now.
Memories: !! jewel and dollar store:
Every time I pass the Jewel;
I remember when I would have to go to Menards for something that
I needed for a repair job at home. I would tell Rosemary, “I am going to Menards, I’ll be
home shortly.” Many times she would reply, “I need something from the Jewel. Will you drop me
off there and pick me up when you are finished?” I would answer, “Sure, let me know when you are
ready and then we’ll go.” When I picked her up at the Jewel we would head for home. After we turned
west on route 60, Rose almost always would say, “can you stop at
the dollar store? I need
a couple of things.” Every time I pass these two stores I can see her outside the store, waiting for me. I miss
this experience so, so much. This memory is as vivid as the sunrise on a warm summer morning.
How I miss these days.
Memories: !! dockside :
For sixteen years Rosemary and I towed a boat to the lake and went fishing. When we took
the boat out of the lake, I would park the boat next to the Dockside Deli and secure it to the trailer.
While I did this, Rose always went across the street to the Dockside Icecream shop and bought me an icecream
cone. Then we would drive home.
Then we bought the larger boat and we kept this boat at the harbor in a slip we rented. We spent many days and evenings
here during Spring and Summer.
Many of these days and evenings , we would stop at the Dockside Dog stand and buy a hot dog or a brat.
Then Rose would go next door to the ice cream shop and buy a root beer float. She only drank half and
always gave me the last half. She repeated this many times in the evenings when we hung out at the lake.
She liked a root beer float very much and she always wanted to share it with me. She was like that; always
wanting to share her favorite drink, food or experience with me. I don't know how many million people
populate the earth, but I’m sure there isn’t one single person who is
as understanding, helpful, loving with no strings attached, unselfish or truly simpatico as Rosemary.
No!, God only created one!!
Memories: !! Rose fishing:
It’s amazing that whenever I talk to people, they always ask me if I’ve been fishing lately,
and have I been to the lake lately. The odd part is, I really like being at the lake. I love
the water and I like the people at the lake. Do I like fishing? Yes, but not like Rosemary liked
fishing. I enjoy catching fish once in a while; however, the greatest fishing experience for me was
to watch
Rosemary catching a fish. I liked it
when a fish hit. I liked to see Rose grab the pole and set the hook. Then
Then it was fun to watch Rose reel in the fish. That was great fun for her, and
also was great for me to watch her fight the fish.
When Rosemary fished our pond, I always baited
the hook and removed the fish from her line after she caught one. I really enjoyed watching her
because she was so happy and relaxed. It seemed as if she would forget all her problems while
fishing. So, you see, I like the lake, but I don’t think fishing is very exciting.
I decided one winter that I was going to take a lot of pictures of Rose in the act of
catching fish. I decided I would put the boat in neutral and climb on the hull and get
a few great pictures of her fighting the fish. Unfortunately, this idea came too late. That Spring Rose
passed away, and I only have that one picture of her catching a fish.
Memories: !!Florida trip:
I was just watching an old movie on the TV. A couple was driving an old 1929 car which turned
my thoughts to my first and second year of marriage; about the time when Grant was just a baby.
Rosemary and I bought a
1926 Dodge Bros car. It had two spare tires
mounted on the front fenders. It had running boards and a luggage rack mounted behind the trunk. Rosemary
and I had it painted black and I shined the chrome wheels. It was a beauty, and we drove it everywhere. When I went
to work, I carried my tool box in the luggage rack. We had a great time when we owned it; however
we decided to move to Florida. We knew we couldn’t take it with us, so we sold it and bought a 1950
Buick super.
The trip to Florida was a disaster. We bought a
4 x 6 trailer. I built
four foot high sides and a top for it, and
we loaded all our belongings inside. We began our trip, and before we exited Indiana the transmission
lost first gear. We were young so this didn’t seem too bad for us, and we continued our trip. As we
traveled through the Tennessee Mountains the old car kept heating up on us, and we had to pull to the
side of the road a few times to let the engine cool. Rosemary watched so I didn't pull too far off the highway.
We finally made it to the Florida state line when the Buick transmission's second gear gave out.
Our destination was Riviera Beach; this was another twelve
hour drive from here, so we began to time the lights so we could make every green light. This way I didn’t
have to start from a stand sill, in third gear. After twelve or more hours, we finally arrived at our
destination. Grant was a year old and Rosemary was pregnant with Scott at this time. Even though Rosemary and
Grant were very nervous, neither ever became visually upset. All three of us made the best out of a
scary situation. I guess we all knew this was a serious problem, and we were relived when we finally entered
Riviera Beach. I do remember Rosemary and me yelling hooray and being excited, when we finally
crossed the Riviera city line.
We rented a duplex and the owners lived on the other side of the duplex. They were an elderly Italian couple.
They were first generation from Italy. We liked them and they seemed to like us. The wife would come to our
door with a bowl of spigetti or raviole or chicken and tell Rosemary, "You gotta eat all of the food.
You are too skinny. You know, you are feeding a baby too. I go home now, but you gotta eat all the food or
you gunna get sick".
Those were probably the only good meals Rose and I ate while we lived in Florida.
I think people can only do that when they are very young. We only
lived in Florida for about a year. Rosemary and I were very lonesome for our families and the familiarity of
Chicago. Also, the last few months I couldn’t find a job and we were
finally broke.
2008: Memories! drive to the lake:
Every time Rosemary and I went to the lake, we followed our routine. When we went to the lake
with our old boat; I would stop at the corner of
Midlothian Rd. and Rt. 176 to get gas for the
boat. While I put gas in the gas-can, Rosemary always went inside the store and bought coffee
and donuts. We followed this routine religiously. Sixteen years later, Rosemary bought a larger
boat that was destroyed. Rosemary said, “I know you can fix it. I’ll help. It will be a nice
boat when we’re finished.” We worked on it for four months and when it was finished we began
using it at the lake. Rose was right, the boat is
a very nice boat. Now we rent a slip
and we don’t need to drive the old truck to pull the boat anymore. So, our routine changes. Rosemary
drives to the lake and I drive home without pulling a boat. Also, we stop at the old White Hen,
which is called
"The Pantry" now, located at
Midlothian Rd. and Rt. 176. Here Rosemary buys coffee and a couple donuts while I wait in the
car. When she returns to the car, she drives us to the lake. This routines we followed
religiously for four more years .
Memories!! Keene Reunion:
This weekend is the Keene Keenan Reunion.
This is the first reunion without Rosemary. It was a very busy week for Rosemary. She would
clean the house from bow to stern. She would buy eggs for the egg throwing contest, balloons for
the water balloon catching contest. I would be asked to make sure the tables were ok, and cut the grass,
clean the yard, wash the kitchen, bathrooms and living room floors. During this time we would
always stop for coffee almost every couple hours. It would be time to talk about everything from
repairs to who was expected to come to the gathering.
She checked to make sure the outhouse was
to be delivered on time. She enlisted everyone to bring something to the picnic. Rose always
knew exactly what was needed and how much, and what items certain people were supposed to bring.
This was also verified by many, many telephone calls to
Ruth, who was the other main organizer of
the picnic. Rosemary always wanted her family reunion to be a lot of fun for everyone attending,
and it always turned out to be just that way. It was a fun week for Rose. She was never nervous,
only excited about the party.
Now that she is gone I am trying to follow in her footsteps. I will
do my best to have her place looking decent and hospitable for everyone attending the reunion.
The only problem is that she is not going to be here for me to talk to before, during and after the
reunion as we did years ago. I’m sure everyone will miss her Saturday, but
it will be a terribly lonely week for me.
Memories:!! The Day After the Keene reunion:
The Keenan reunion is over, everyone has gone home, and Kurt and Sharon stayed until 10:30pm and
left a while ago. It is now 2:00am and I can’t seem to fall asleep. I’m extremely lonely and
crave the impossible companionship of Rosemary. Rosemary, Cindy (Grant), and Ruth always
organized the picnic until last year.
This year I tried to help Ruth and Cindy. Everything
seemed to run smoothly. Even the weather was nice. It wasn’t too hot and the rain that was
falling most of the morning, has stopped, allowing us to enjoy the complete afternoon and evening.
In the past, after everyone has gone home, Rosemary and I would move inside to the living room.
We would discuss everything that happened. We talked about everyone that came to the picnic and
wondered why others didn’t. We would re-live the complete afternoon and evening, trying not to
forget any details, some serious and others extremely ridicules and funny. We always mentioned
how happy most of our family and friends are.
We were so happy and excited that we never felt
tired. Almost like the evenings when we were sixteen and we didn’t want the evenings
to end. The evenings after these reunions were a great treasure to Rosemary and me, and usually we
didn’t retire to the bedroom until early in the following morning, only to awake to the smell of
coffee brewing in the kitchen which Rosemary always set the night before. I always knew how
lucky I was, and I still know I was the luckiest man alive to have Rosemary for my wife for forty- nine
years and six months. What a nightmarish loss.
Memories: !! lets Go Fishing:
Today I awoke at 5:30 am. I dressed and left the house for my walk. The weather is beautiful.
It is cool, in the 70s. There is very little wind. When I came home I walked into the empty
kitchen and stood inside the door.
Years past when I came home from my walk on a morning like
this, Rosemary would have our small lunch packed. She would have the coffee thermos filled, and
be waiting for me to arrive home. Then say, “the weather’s perfect, let’s go to the lake; unless
you have other things to do.” In a matter of minutes we would be driving down RT 137 east towards
the lake. It is unbelievable how much she loved being at the lake. This script was replayed many
mornings during spring, summer and fall.
Memories: !! Arizona Vacations:
I am listening to a music tape. “The Rockin R Wranglers”. When Rosemary and I were in
Arizona visiting Mitch, Danny took us to a dinner and show. It was in a huge barn with at least
one hundred large picnic tables. The dinner was a chuck wagon dinner. It consisted of beef,
beans, potatoes and coffee. I’m sure there was a vegetable, however I don’t remember. After
dinner, the cowboys that served the food played music, sang Western songs, and gave a great
performance for the crowd. They also sold tapes consisting of a few songs that they
played that evening. One of the songs
was “Mariah”.
I remember, Rosemary and I bought a pony two weeks before Christmas, and brought it to
Gene Nettleton’s ranch with the intentions of giving this to the children as a
Christmas gift.
The day we gave them the present was forty-three years ago. It was Dec. 26, 1965. The family
drove to Gene’s ranch and we brought the pony out of the barn. It was a cold and overcast day,
but no snow was on the ground. The pony was saddled and bridled and ready to ride.
After a few hours of excitement we discovered we needed a name for our new friend. Everyone began calling
out names. There was Blackie, Sweetie (Cindy’s idea), Diablo, Horse, Friend and many others.
None seemed to fit; then Rosemary said, “How about calling her Mariah?” Everyone hollered, “Yes,
she is Mariah. I’ll bet she can run as fast as the wind.” We were fortunate enough to have
Mariah for many enjoyable years. She proved to be our favorite and most
cherished pet and is buried in the back of our property.
That Man Talks to Himself!!
Aug 11, 2008__There were many times when I passed a person who was talking to himself.
I would wonder if the person was mentally unstable or if they were just old and senile. Well
this morning I took my one hour walk. The trees are deep green and the grass absolutely beautiful.
Many birds are chirping and a few locusts are singing, and then I noticed a person talking to
himself almost all the time I was walking. He is a small old man, all alone, wearing a dirty maroon
cap. He had a short sleeve shirt and dirty levies pants and is walking at a pretty good pace,
and looking around as if he is looking for someone. He looks so weird walking and constantly talking to
himself. Sooner or later someone is going to see him and have him committed to a mental institution.
Then I noticed, that person was me. I never realized it before, but yes, now I
do understand why people talk to themselves. We have no one, and I am so used to talking with my wife
that I just continue talking as if my Rosemary is next to me while I’m walking. I know it sounds strange,
but that is what happens. Believe it or not, I can almost hear her answer me. We, or I, talk
about everything that has happened the day before or during the week, just as we talked
before. I am careful, looking around to make sure no one hears me or sees me talking to myself, but
now I know why so many people talk to themselves. We are really talking to our loved
one that we miss so terribly. We are not talking to ourselves.
Memories! Skips Auto:
2008 Sunday, I went to the fairgrounds to meet Russell and Jim. Skip’s auto show was there. As
I got out of the car and walked to the cashier to purchase a ticket, I almost turned and left.
Rosemary and I went to dozens and dozens of skips shows since the early seventies. We went to many electronic
shows here and naturally the fair every year. The memories were overwhelming. We had so many enjoyable hours
here it is impossible to explain to others. I knew I would miss her and I haven’t even walked
inside yet. Her absence is absolutely horrible; especially when I am
alone, with only our fond memories.
Years Pass:
Already, two St. Patrick’s Days,
two Easters, a second 4th of July, my birthday
and Rosemary’s birthday, our anniversarys, Thanksgivings, Christmases, and two New Years
Day have all passed since Rosemary has gone to a better world. The only two days that
mean anything to me now are Rosemary’s birthday and our anniversary.
I don’t know how
I have survived for so long, considering the fact that I really want to join Rose more
than anything. Minutes, hours, days, weeks, months and now years pass so slowly with a
sorrow that is almost impossible to accept. Tears never end, even though I try to accept
the fact that she is gone, I really can't. It’s impossible!! We loved being together every
day and especially during these holidays.
When we were together we enjoyed every minute of every
day. Rose spent days preparing for holidays and Easter and Christmas I would wash and wax the living
room floors, kitchen floors and both bathroom floors for her. She always hated it because it took us from
early morning until evening to finish. It was a long day, but I didn’t care. We were
together, and we took many enjoyable breaks.
I still talk to Rose every minute of every day. I know she can hear me, but I also know that she
can't answer me here in this world. I long for the day that I can join her and we can continue our new
lives together. My spirit and hers will be one again. I pray to God, please end this
life and let me be with Rose again. I also pray for a speedy death. I know it is human
nature for a person to fight death at the end, and I hope and pray that when my time comes,
I will willingly walk to join her in the other world.
While I am waiting for Rosemary and my reunion in the new world, I spend my days cleaning
the house, including the basement. I am taking care of all Rosemary’s treasures, because they
meant so much to her. I work outside on the grass, the nasty gardens and small fish ponds.
Also, the large pond takes a lot of work. I still work on my cars, and Kurt and Russ keep
me busy with their tractors and other projects.
Spring, summer and fall I try to visit
the lake as much as possible. Lake Michigan was heaven on earth for Rosemary and me. When
I’m at the lake, it’s as if Rose and I are there together again. I talk to her, play the
guitar for her and remember every single moment we spent together there. Once in a while
I take the boat out on the lake and fish, usually only for a short time. Without her I’m
not really interested in fishing, but it is nice to remember how
Rose loved fishing and how
she enjoyed being out on the water with me.
