Just Being Happy Cause we're friends

I'm kinda of straying from my usual but this still reminded me of Pat, at least the way he was with me.

Mom gave me the book "The Shack" to read and she was given the book by Sally, Tim's wife (Pat's daughter-in-law). This was just one page that I had to read over a few times cause it seemed such a perfect thing to remember.

Mom and Pat never expected us to do anything. We didn't have to call, we didn't have to visit but when we did there was always joy in their voices or a big hug waiting for you if you did call or visit. No requirements really. Oh, and to hang out was the best, no need to really plan anything, just hanging together was where it was at, laughing and talking, to just be friends. Not everyone's like that, are they?

Here's how it reads

Papa says: from “The Shack” page 206

I will take a verb over a noun any day.

Huh? (Mack says)

Papa says:

I am a verb. I am that I am. I will be who I will be. I am a verb! I am alive, dynamic, ever active, and moving. I am a being verb. And as my very essence is a verb, I am more attuned to verbs than nouns. Verbs such as confessing, repenting, living, loving, responding, growing, reaping, changing, sowing, running, dancing, singing and on and on.

Humans, on the other hand, have a knack for taking a verb that is alive and full of grace and turning it into a dead noun or principle that reeks of rules – then something growing and alive dies. Nouns exist because there is a created universe and physical reality, but if the universe is only a mass of nouns, it is dead. Unless “I am”, there are no verbs and verbs are what makes the universe alive.

Let’s use the example of friendship and how removing the element of life from a noun can drastically alter a relationship. If you and I are friends, there is an expectancy that exists within our relationship. When we see each other or are apart, there is an expectancy of being together, of laughing and talking. That expectancy has no concrete definition; it is alive and dynamic and everything that emerges from our being together is a unique gift shared by no one else. But what happens if I change that expectancy to an expectation – spoken or unspoken? Suddenly, law has entered into our relationship. You are now expected to perform in a way that meets my expectations. Our living friendship rapidly deteriorates into a dead thing with rules and requirements. It is no longer about you and me, but about what friends are supposed to do, or the responsibilities of a good friend.

Makes me think. I am.

The rest of the book is great too. :)

So are you a verb or a noun?

Love,

Xochi

Another Birthday Note for Pat

Funny, I had this in my memories of our family.    It is the bill from the hospital in Beckley, West Virginia from Pat's birth.   

Check out the final total.   $ 123.30 !   

Oh, those were the days, eh?    And they were in the hospital for 12 days.   

Anyhoo, thought this was fun to see.

Love,

Xochi

Happy Birthday Pat - May 20th

On May 20th, In 1938 Patrick Ross Blymyer was born in Beckley, West Virginia...yep, that's when it all started...

Today would have been Pat's 71st birthday but I have to say, I think he packed quite a lot into his first 70 1/2, don't you?   I'll bet as a kid in West Virginia, he may have imagined traveling around the world but perhaps not realizing that it was all going to happen and in the end, the adventures of his lifetime were more than most people could even imagine, much less make a reality.

Quietly celebrating today, do something Pat would have done.   If you're working, change your shoes at lunchtime.   If you're able to take a walk and enjoy what's going on around you, do that.   Say hello to everyone you cross paths with...or "Hola".  If you can have a great big chopped salad or fruit salad that would be cool.   Give someone a compliment just because and really mean it.    Amazing how that works.   Amazing how simple these things are but Pat did it with such grace and style.   He always wanted you to be able to be the best you can be and would help you if you wanted him to help.  He could make your day in just seconds of time in his presence.   

So drink your water, listen to some classical or jazz..whistle, sing enough to make you happy.

And sing a Happy Birthday to Pat, Duutz, Zirt, Danforth III...

Love to you Pat where ever you are.   Miss you.   Miss you a lot but not forgetting you at all.

Los Angeles Tribute to Patrick R. Blymyer

Upon mentioning Pat's name to his brother, Tom LaBonge, Council Member, and telling his brother a bit about Pat and what he meant to him, Mark LaBonge then received this document from Tom.    To have all the members of the Los Angeles Council stand in tribute and reverence as they adjourned at their meeting was quite something.     

Pretty cool I'd say for a very cool guy, Pat.     Thanks so much.   I sure hope Pat's checking his email.    :)  

Advice from Gramps (Pat Blymyer)

Just returned from Boston and was reminiscing the grandson's experiences with Gramps.  

Now 15 and 18, they remember coming up to New Hampshire and spending weeks with us during the summer.  Gramps taught them many things. He let them work in his garage and build what ever they wanted, he let them eat ice cream when they wanted, he loved to spoiled them and send them back home for their parents to deal with.  :)

What made us laugh so much was Pat's advice about toilet paper folding.  We had a septic system and the boys tended to use so much toilet paper that it would clog the system.  I remember him sitting the boys down and giving them advice.  He pulled a few sheets of toilet paper off the roll and began to fold it in squares.  Carefully he instructed them how to do that.  It works much better and won't clog the toilet.  I laughed and laughed at the seriousness of his instructions.  They always remember that.  One of Gramps useful hints.  They still remember and laugh about that time.
I always wanted to have a place where the kids could come and chill out and just enjoy in the summer.  It gave us a connection to them that is still strong and so important. 

Gramma/Mom/Ginger

Pat & Ron (Tickle) Fraternity Brother Duties

Here's a fun memory for you:

 I had a great talk with Tickle, lots of memories. 

My favorite was about when the fraternity had to decorate for the cannibals ball.

Pat and Tickle had to do the table decorations. They also had to dress in costume.  
So Pat and Tickle went down to the local slaughter house and talked the guy into giving them some big bones. They were dirty and the guy suggested going to the museum but they just washed the bones down and placed one on each table as decoration.  I think that was pretty smart.  Tickle wore black pants and painted his upper body black.  Pat was very inovative and went to a rummage sale place and bought an old fur coat for a dollar and cut it up. He made a thong, wrist bands and a furry cape. Looked quite good until he was dancing and the thong slipped.  What a character. 

 Love Mom (Ginger)

PS Wish I had a picture of that!  :)  Xochi

Pat & His Mom (Mammy)

Just thinking of Mother's Day and a previous post of the changing of the guard...

I love these pictures of Pat and his mom, Mammy.   

Pat loved his mom, called her every day if only for a minute...she wasn't much for talking on the telephone.   When he could, he'd see her and visit or take her to the set or to lunch or just sit and play cards.   Mammy was a card shark as Pat was too...rummy, dummy.   

Pat the "Make it Work with What you Have" Man

So, notice, between Pat and I, the "cane" Mom is holding...

Well, here's the story.   

On the first trip down to Ajijic, Mexico, we all discovered that all the sidewalks and roads are cobblestone.   Because Mom being a bit unsteady on her feet with the uneven walking terrain, we searched around town for a cane or walking stick...but no go...

So, first the broom was found that you could screw off the brush part, then the neighbor in the hotel happened to have a cane rubber tip (not sure how he had that) but the cane tip was too big...Pat thought for a few minutes, went to his room and TaDa...he put one of his athletic socks on the end to hold the rubber tip...course the sock was  a bit droopy so we added one of my hair rubber bands to keep the sock up.   

It worked!  Perfectly.    Once again, Pat made it work with what he had and we all had some great laughs (and some unusual looks on the street) that week.    

:)

X