Today would have been my father-in-law Jim's birthday. He would have been 85 today. He died in 2006, the first of our parents to pass. We miss him; I know Dennis misses him. He lived nearby and Dennis went every weekend to go help him. Dennis would bring the dreadful can Jennyfur to the nursing home to visit his mother who was very debilitated. He would also take out the garbage, clean the catbox, lay out the pills for the next week. Maybe take Jim shopping or whatever else needed to be done.
Dennis did this every weekend and never complained, just had to be done.
The last time he came over, Jim and I watched the super bowl and I'm sure I made dinner. I did every Sunday. Jim appreciated Dennis and liked being around all of his grandchildren. He had gone to softball and soccer games when he was able. He bought one of every flavor when Ilana or Naomi sold girl scout cookies.
He resisted moving from his condo. He did the drop dead thing. A blessing was that he never had to do those things that he didn't want to do. He stayed in his own place and drove his car until the end.
So we all miss him.
I'm using a picture I've already used twice on this blog but not for almost five years. The iconic picture of Jim and Lanaya probably soon after their marriage.
Don't they look sharp? They eloped at age nineteen. Jim's mom put her on the bus to San Francisco where Jim was stationed.
No doubt about it, Lanaya was a looker big time. I've always loved this picture; it just has so much optismism and energy. These two young folks were going to take the world by storm.
Happy Birthday James Antony Barnes (1926-2006)
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