Entry 7

Nice casual Christmas picture. It looks like you guys did a great job on our tree. Notice Brittany getting ready to pounce on wrapping paper.

When Zach was born we were renting a house in Inverness, Florida. The road by our house was made of loosely packed dirt. The town would make Groveland seem like a metropolis. It definitely was rural South y'all. I was working as a Psychologist/Therapist at a satellite clinic in Lecanto, Florida population 3 cows, 4 horses, and a few dozen rednecks. It was a stopover town between Inverness and tourist friendly Crystal River. I worked with all ages of clients. There was a lot of funding for mental health in those years so I got to go to conferences all over Florida. Your Mom and I settled in as first time parents. I was terrified at first that I'd break Zach. When your Mom went shopping I'd sit in our rocking chair cradling him and not get up till she returned. Gradually I developed skills so by the time Jem and Jules arrived I was a diapering wiz. Its 1980 and we bought our first new car, Honda station wagon. It had air conditioning a must for the Florida heat. I think you remember that I hit a deer with it a few months later while responding to a midnight emergency call. The deer kept swerving into my headlights even though I braked, steered away, and finally shut off my lights. The collision spun the car in the opposite direction. The deer, a big male with at least a six point rack, jumped into a barbed wire fence. I got out of the car and pulled his hind legs free of the wire. He kicked out and missed my head by a butterfly's breath. NEVER EVER DO THIS KIDS. The car was still drivable but the front end was a mess.

I realize that I have given you facts about my life which don't really explain who someone is in it. Time and circumstances color my perceptions of who I was at 30, 40, 50. At 30 you would probably recognize my humor and calmness. I still had not experienced any major traumas so in some respects my character was unformed. One of the ironies of life is that the severest tests provide us with the best possible lessons. My life has taught me persistence, humor in the face of adversity, and the transforming power of Faith. I believe that God gives us all the tools to have a wonderful life if we will use them wisely for ourselves and others. I also believe that love is the only real goal worthy of living. When we love each other, despite all our imperfections, we touch the Divine. In your lives kids people may try to separate you from Faith. They can never succeed as long as you remember God always forgives and loves you. Also remember I will always be there for each of you. Even in death I know my soul will cherish and support you. Ah death the specter that has become an unwelcome companion to me. Its not so much fearsome but bothersome. I have so many things I want to do with you all and Mom. Trips, parties, baby showers hint..hint..., and conversations. Today is a healthy day which I celebrate. I will live it with gusto! Our years in Florida featured some travel, lots of company from northern relatives (I can't count the number of times we went to DisneyWorld), and watching Zach grow/develop. I started riding horses at a friend of ours, Jodie's, farm. Over the next ten years I'd take about one hundred riding lessons. Rebecca really was not the first Weiner cowboy. I eventually was good enough to hack around, casual riding, on the Myopia Hunt Club trails in Hamilton, MA.. Horseback riding was gradually replaced with downhill skiing after we moved back to MA.. They both offer freedom, speed, and the opportunity to learn how to fall real good. There is nothing quite like galloping a horse on the beach. Its exhilarating to loosen your hold on the reigns and feel the horse surge underneath you. I considered buying a horse more then once but the hours of necessary daily care helped me decide not to become an owner. The next time we are at Uncle Ed's ranch ask him or Aunt Suzanne how much time Bec spends at the barn. The hour is late, actually way too early, and we are preparing for Easter tomorrow. Happy Easter, Kids! Love, Dad