Believe it or not, I was actually going to try to make it to Tulsa
this year, even told the remodeling contractor NOT to make plans on
being here next weekend. Then my baby sister in North Texas found out
that she has terminal lung cancer and it's already spread into her
lymph system. She started chemo and radiation this past week, hoping
to extend her chances to make it past the year they're telling her she
has left.
Damn...you hear about it happening to other people all the time but
you never really expect it ot happen to YOU or your loved ones! I've
had lots of health issues the past couple of years...it's really
slowed me down, changed me in more ways than I can count and it's made
me realize that family and friends are the most important things.
I love these old cars....but nothing in this hobby has ever given me
the joy that holding one of my new grandbabies does and I treasure
each and ever hug and ever single kiss that ol' Grandpa can snitch
from them! I have a new respect for each of my children, too. They've
turned into ADULTS and they all understand the REAL meaning of life
and love, now that they have children of their own.
There is just no greater joy than knowing that I helped guide them and
tried to teach them what's important...and it has nothing to do with
money, fame, or old cars. Sure, I wished for years that my son had an
interest in Studes or any other old car, just so we'd have one more
reason to spend time together...but I guess we did alright in spite of
his lack of the 'mechanic gene' in his DNA.
He now understands that love extends further that he had ever imagined
before he had his son. And he's moving up in his professional
career,too. That makes me proud, too...but it pales in comparison to
my pride in him as a Father, as a husband as a brother to his two
sisters...and as a son!
I realize how lucky I've actually been these past few years, despite
all my health problems. I'm still limited in what I can do and I have
to take a handful of pills every day and yada-yada-yada...but despite
all that, I've found a woman that loves me for who and what I am; I
have three "grown-ups" for children now; two healthy, happy
grandchildren here and another that will arrive in mid-June and I
realized that even though I may never win the Lotto and be a
millionairre, I'm already a rich man!!!!!
I have a great family and a few good friends to share my thoughts with
and brag to about how lucky I am...and even though I haven't seen most
of them in quite some time, I know you're there and that y'all may
judge my choice of engines for my cars, you never judge ME because of
it.
I started this rambling just to share my reason for not attending yet
another meet...but I'm sure you all understand that while my presence
may be slightly missed by a few of you, it's for a good reason. I'll
be close, since my sister lives on Lake Texoma (right on the Texas-
Oklahoma border), it's much more important to me to spend time with
her and to re-establish some of the tight family bonding that we've
let slip away over the past 10 years or so.
We always think we have plenty of time to make up for a few missed
birthdays or family reunions that we just didn't have time to attend
(sometimes year-after-year-after-year)...until something like this
jumps up and slaps us in the face with a cold hard dose of reality
and profound sadness. It's terrible to lose a loved one suddenly; but
it's absolutely heart-wrenching to know that someone you love has only
12-18 months left of their life...and she's only 46 years old.
Damn, it saddens me so to think of her leaving us at such an early
age. I've come to realize that life isn't 'fair' or 'unfair'...it's
just life playing out the way it does.
You hear about something like this and you hope they've taken
advantage of each and every chance they had at happiness through the
years they've been here...and more importantly, you hope they take
full advantage of each and every moment they have left. And if there
is anything I can do to make her remaining time more enjoyable or
easier, then I'm going to make the extra effort to do it!
Sorry to unload all my sorrow and rambling on you guys...but in a way,
you've all been part of my 'family' for many years and I've been
remiss lots of times in expressing how much y'all have meant to me
over the years. Lots of you I've only met once or twice, some of you
I've never met in person...but there are a select few on here that I
count as true friends and I want to let you know that I truly
appreciate the good times we've spent together and the encouragement
I've received these past few years while I've been out of action.
You know who you are...and you know that I miss the hours spent
sitting in the parking lots, talking late into the night and the smell
of burning rubber as we did burn-outs and cut donuts in the motel
parking lots...even if one of us just did it with one tire!
Okay...enough of my morose attitude. I hope you all have a great time
in Tulsa..and I truly wish I could be there to enjoy seeing you all
again. Hopefully things will work out later on this year and I can get
back into the old groove just a little.
In the meantime, y'all add my sister to your prayer-list if you have
one. Some folks don't believe in that power; some believe in it but
don't practice it; others take great comfort in it....and at times
like these, what does it hurt to try one more time to ask for some
help from whatever Higher Power you do believe in?
Y'all take care of yourselves and enjoy life whenever you get the
chance. And if you don't get the chance...maybe you need to step back,
re-evaluate what's important to you and establish some new priorities,
like I've been doing. I may not be having the high-times and partying
like I used to...but I've sure been enjoying my life the best way I
can lately.
Bob (living and loving it in Austin, Texas)
On Apr 19, 6:23 pm, "Dave's Place
www.davesplaceinc.com"
<s....RemoveThis@provalue.net> wrote:
> > Our 35th Annual Zone meet will be held on April 28th. The meet will be held
> > at the Holiday Inn Select, at the SouthEast corner of the intersection of
> > I-44 and Yale Ave.
>
> I plan to be there. I heard from young Mr. Tosie last night, he is
> hoping to attend. (He may not be so young anymore, eh?)
> How 'bout all you other Texicans that used to go to Stude meets? Any
> of you gonna make it?
>
> Dave Lester >> Stay informed about: Spring Zone Meet in Tulsa 
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