I have been light on my writing, due to some serious events here.

The first was fairly mundane, I started my new job last Monday, and I have frankly been too preoccupied with learning the processes to spend a lot of time writing.

But much more serious, was hearing my uncle had died of emphysema the 15th, 2 days before I started that job.

As a matter of background, my father's family is very large. He is second eldest of 13 children. The children arrived from around 1932 to 1953, and all 13 lived and grew into adulthood, despite 3 of them serving in the Marine Corps in Korea (my dad included); despite a much high mortality rate from childhood diseases; and despite having 11 rowdy boys, a feat that I consider to be somewhat blessed all on it's own.

My grandmother is, or should be, a certified saint, having raised these 11 boys and 2 girls. (don't pity the heavily outnumbered girls, they are today two of the most amazing and strong women I know) Grandmother was named Mother of the Year in San Jose California in the mid 50s, a title she earned many times over.. She was also on her own from the mid 60s or so when my grandfather died. I hardly knew him really, but she remains a firm memory.

Allen, my departed uncle was the 4th oldest, age 69. He had been a smoker since high school, apparently, and it caught up with him. I wont repeat his obituary, but suffice to say he marched to his own drummer. For example, he loved motorcycles, and after leaving the Marine Corps he rode for a while with the Hells Angels in LA. Allen never did anything in a conventional fashion. He later became a tax assessor, the only family member I know of to serve in a public office. Consider the extreme changes from Marine, to biker to politician. This was the complex man Allen was.

He eventually married, raised three great kids and upon his death had several wonderful grandkids.