01/26/2022
So, after typing more than half of my post 4 different times I had to do it in word and then just copy and paste. As you will read in this, I am a bit fragile now but have it very easy and I’m blessed to have great people around me!!
Each time I come into Facebook it askes me “What’s on your mind, John?” And for those who know me well that answer most of the time will be very little and if there is something I do not post it on Facebook for the world to see at least not most of the time. I apologize for the length of this post, but I think most will find it an enjoyable read and if not sorry.
So here we go I sit here typing this message / story from my brother and sister in laws beautiful home in Nevada. See this upcoming weekend is the guy’s trip to Vegas it started out as a very small group of 2 or 3 and now has grown in to quite a production (Thank you again to my brother who does most of the heavy lifting in making this an event that people hear about and just want to be part of). We are now up to more than 20. We have had some come never to return and don’t you worry we have a waiting list now LOL. We have also lost some along the way and now they sit in the Skyboxes and laugh their asses off at our long weekend hijinks and are surely missed!! Now some have sons and sons in laws that have join the dark side for an amazing weekend of Golf on Thursday, Golf on Friday act like goofballs on Saturday and Football on Sunday, last but not least most struggle to make it home on Monday morning.
This year is a little different for me I came out on Tuesday just to clear my head, ya see I moved out of my home of the last 40 years on Sunday (Had it until the 31st) Just could not do it any longer and stayed in a hotel for two nights and called my brother and asked if it would be ok for me to come out a couple days earlier just to get my head straight and back in the 14 MPG zone it belongs in. My wife and youngest daughter and her family all left back on the 7th I stayed as I was going to be making this boys trip anyway and thought all would be good. Wow was I wrong I was home in a house for the past two weeks that has never been without someone else in it, and lot of memories too. To be honest I had not slept in the past 4 days until last night when I got to Ed & Lisa had an adult beverage and amazing dinner and a little something extra to help me sleep.
The number of emotions that started pouring through my body was crazy and not to manly to admit I shed a few tears. I moved into this house when we moved from New York and come to California so that is been the place I have met most of my adult friends. At one point we had 5 guys living there and had a keg-a-rator (your mind can do the rest with a pool and whirlpool bath). Don’t think there were many years in those first 6 or 7 that something was not going on there shooting pool, playing darts, or just relating and hanging out, we had other childhood friends from New York move out and come live with us too, lets just say the local sheriff knew my first name on Friday & Saturday nights the noise ordonnance kicks in at 10 they were there at 9:45 like clockwork. Then in 1988 I met my wife and two beautiful daughters and a year later married them all, all three got rings. And the boys club was over for the most part except on Superbowl weekend (That is when we would all still get together and go to Vegas). I now sit here typing as if I were drinking a fine wine 5:00 AM not happening, not any more The girls called all of my friends Uncle as that is what they were to them starting with Uncle Ed, Uncle Ray, Uncle Mike, Uncle Terry you get the point there are too may to mention. These uncles and there are many more would still be at our house on any given weekend for a party of some kind.
At this point I would guess most of you are seeing why I wanted out of the house but the best is yet to come, about 7 years ago my youngest daughter Amanda Ralls & her husband Nathan came to live with us from Virginia where they were both working they met at Western Kentucky University. This next part is public knowledge and my daughter had even had her story published in a couple of magazines and is always there to answer anyone’s questions, see Amanda & Nathan have 4 miracle babies of modern science (IVF) Anderson John now 4 Penelope Jane 3 and twin boys Finely & Foster just short of 18 months so the house has been full and full of love. Oh, and I almost forgot GG, Tammy’s mom has been living with us too. During this time my wife who is the core of our family has also been helping with our oldest daughters’ Robyn’s kids Addyson soon to be 12, Abbygail just turned 10, and Annybelle who is 9 days older than Amanda’s twin boys and all of Amanda’s kids. I think she is crazy but crazy happy to be able to do it and the kids appreciated it, the pay of hugs and kisses is enough for Tammy, she loves it.
So back to why I am in Vegas on Tuesday and writing this, this morning this is a stop on my journey to our next chapter in live in Bowling Green, KY where my Wife and Amanda headed back on the 7th and Robyn & Scott will be coming that way after school is over as that is also where my Mom and Dad have also settled near my sister.
So my wife looked at a house on Sunday that she liked and we made an offer yesterday (I have not seen it personally but pictures) it is in the same area of town as my daughter and if we get it I will post photos of that too.
So on to partying like old rock stars in Vegas until Monday and then back to doing 14 MPH as I tow a trailer across country to be back with most of my family, thank goodness for Facetime!!! Thank you for listening all positive comments excepted if they are not positive put them in you pipe and smoke them
8Linda Feitz Sanderson, Megan Sanders and 6 others
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