We say goodbye to Ron Edwards, a graduate of Coupeville High School (1965?). I knew him from school (an upper classman). He also played drums in the band the Sceptre's in 1968. Later, he was a Deputy Sheriff then a Detective, then moved to California. He got cancer last year and was told in June that he had 6 months to live. In December he wrote a note to my brother on the Caring Bridge Site:

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2007 09:50 AM, CST
Dear Mike, I heard about your site from Pam Young. I am so sorry to hear of your illness. One thing you must do is stay positive and believe that you will get well. It is a real struggle , to say the least. I know somewhat of what hell has been placed in your path but from experience I can tell you, "Don't give up!" not for a moment. The chemo is an awful stuff but it can and does help. Keep eating and keep up your strength. Obviously many people love you and care and that is such a solace to anyone. Always remember that you will beat this, it does not have you.

I remember you as a young man and you don't seem the type to let this thing get the best of you. I have had numerous speed bumps placed in my path over the years but like you my life has been placed in others hands. Six months ago I went to the hospital with what I thought was phnemonia. turned out to be a large tumor in my left lung and cancer of the bones, liver and all. I was much more fortunate than you when it came to them getting me on chemo. When the Doctor told me I had six months I asked that we get started right away and he started that day. That was on June 13th of this year. I am past my six months and I am still here writing this note to you. Anything is possible Mike, this is the voice of experience. Hold your head up, be positve and believe in yourself. You can do it. Once you get over the initial illness of the chemo it will get better. I have found my peace in the fact that so many of the people I knew in my past are back in my life, supporting me and now you are finding the same. God bless you my friend and continue on, and no matter what, NEVER QUIT.

Ron Edwards


He fought to the end and that came today at 12:18 Pacific time.
Goodbye Ron. I'll see you on the other side!!

Elliott enjoying a sunbeam on the couch.
Tomorrow I head to Leavenworth. (The town, not the prison).
It is in the Cascade Mountains just East of Stevens Pass. The State Transit systems get together once a year to have a conference on issues dealing with person's with disabilities.
Leavenworth is a Bavarian looking village and is sort of centrally located so all the systems have a chance to get there. Last weekend it would have been hard to get to with all the snow we were having. Today it is 70 degrees and sunny! I will be glad to get off the Island and do something different from the every day stuff here.

My brother is doing better on his new chemo. I don't know if it is shrinking the tumors any, but he is tolerating it much better! Before, he was acting weird and not in focus. Now he is back to being my brother. Sherry and I were talking a few weeks ago and she mentioned that she missed Mike. I asked what she meant, and she said he just isn't the same. He acts doped up (which he is) on the medications. We prayed together and I asked the Lord for healing, but if he won't heal, we'd like to have my brother back, we'd like to have Sherry remember his last days with warmth. Well since he started the new chemo he is actually acting like his old self. Sherry and I hugged each other and said "Thank you Lord". He listens.

Today I am grateful for my brother.

I am leaving after Church tomorrow and will return on Tuesday night. You won't miss me, because I seem to only post once a week or two. But y'all have a good week!!

Lookie here folks, we have SNOW!! It is APRIL fercrissakes!
I was driving home from my AA meeting tonight and it was hailing, then snowing, then lightening, and 1" of slush on the road. It is 33 degrees now and they are forecasting heavy snow this weekend! WHAAAAAA????? Ok, I'll admit it, I love it. I like anything out of the ordinary. I am a weather freak and always look for extremes. At least we aren't getting tornadoes or earthquakes!
Anyone else getting weird weather?

Sorry I have been absent, I have writers block....actually I have trouble talking too. It seems I can't keep my concentration focused. I was sharing at the AA meeting last week and changed subjects in the middle of a sentence then I heard myself and lost my train of thought. I realized I just interrupted myself so I shared that and shut up. My friend Jane thought that was the funniest thing she has ever heard!! I guess it is kind of funny.

G'nite.

I see I haven't posted in almost two weeks!
I was busy, then had a few days off and got the crud that is going around. I seem to be greedy and get every germ that passes by me!! I thought it was allergies, but nope! Any way, I am better. I went to the doctor today and he gave me an inhaler to use and told me to rest (yeah, right). So I went back to work and cleaned my office! Yikes, I actually threw away alot of old crap I was saving just because. Well I have no room for that, and all it does is collect dust to irritate my airways, so out they went! Now my boss will come in and ask if I had a certain document or folder or whatever. Please don't be reading this Martha!! {:-)
My brother started his new chemo treatment Monday and seems to sleep alot. It is so hard watching him go downhill. So hard. I posted my feelings on the Caring Bridge site, then Sherry posted her thoughts too. Go visit here: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/mikebrett If you don't want to sign up just use my email address, phyllisbrett1@comcast.net then the password booboo00 the last two 00 are zeros not letters.
So that is where I have been lately. Busy then depressed, but hanging in there. Life goes on, and it is a beautiful Spring day today after the snow around us the past few days!!
And Baseball Season is upon us!! GO MARINERS!!

I had a busy week, and of course my weekend will be just as busy.
Today I cleaned off my desk and actually finished off a bunch of "things to do" that had piled up for the past few months while I was busy training new drivers.
I met a friend for dinner and then went to my AA meeting to help Doreen celebrate 25 years of sobriety!! She was 19 years old when she decided to turn her life around and enter alcoholics anonymous. She is only 44 years old and looks 30! She calls me her sponsor and calls me at least twice a week. That is how you "work the program". You get a sponsor, don't drink, go to meetings and help others that want to get sober. Period. It is that simple. Life has its struggles, and yes you might have suicidal thoughts at times, but do not put alcohol as an option to make things better. Period. We had chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting (YUM) at half time.
I got home at 10:00pm and called a friend from Church and we sat here and watched "The Passion of The Christ". Of course we sat here in total silence with tears rolling down our faces. He died for our sins, folks! As I watched the nails being pounded into his flesh, I felt it! I remembered too many of my sins. I pray and asked forgiveness knowing he died for my sins and I will be accepted in Heaven. That is one thing I am so thankful for with my brother. He is suffering in his Cancer but he has eternal hope! He will die here, but will live on in eternity.
Thank you dear God, Thank you!
Tomorrow I am teaching a First Aid/CPR/AED class for about 30 people at work.

My friend that watched The Passion with me and I are going up to Sunnyside Cemetery Sunday morning at 6:30 to watch the sunrise service put on by the Methodist Church, then have breakfast, then on to our normal 10:00 service at our Church. It sounds weird having a service at the Cemetery but it is on a slope and looks East. Jesus died on a hill so it is actually quite appropriate. If we have an earthquake at that time I will crap my pants!
I will more than likely have a nap after that then on to my brother's house for a late afternoon Easter Dinner. My sister is going to Bellingham to visit with her son that day.
Monday I have off to catch up on some MUCH NEEDED REST!!

I pray you all will have a great Easter weekend!

God Bless.

Wow, tonight we set our clocks ahead (why? who the heck knows?!!) Easter is in two weeks. And the Country is still in the middle of Wintery weather!! If there is snow, then the Easter eggs will be much easier to find.
I was driving home today from a luncheon and we saw a yard with clothes out drying on the clothes line. Now that is a rare sight to see. That brought on a conversation of laundry day. I remember using a wringer washer, wringing the clothes into the rinse tub, then wringing them into yet another rinse tub. Then out to the clothes line using wooden clothes pins to keep them on the line. If it started to rain we would run out and grab them really quick or else just leave them out on the line until it clears up and dries them.
After we brought the dry clothes in we would sprinkle the ones to iron using an old pop bottle with a special top on it for sprinkling. After sprinkling the clothes we would roll them up and put them in the basket to iron.
There were no steam irons then, or spray starch. Electric dryers came later as did the fancy washers. Maybe they were already invented, but we sure didn't know about them!! We had white scratchy sheets that were stiff from the lines. (Maybe that is why I spend ALOT of money for my special sheets now). I guess I have turned into a sheet snob. Well heck, I spend 1/3 of my life in bed, why not sleep in comfort and style?
Laundry day now is on Saturdays, and the biggest chore is putting them away. Not anything like we had forty years ago!! Thank the Lord!!
I am keeping up on my Fitness Center! I actually look forward to it now. I try to go at least three times a week, preferably four times a week. I spend at least an hour each time. I use the recumbent bike for 10 minutes then the treadmill for 15 minutes, then upstairs for the 7 different weight machines. I do about 30 revolutions each with 50 pounds. I feel my back building up strength and muscles. Whoopeeee!! I have only needed to use my pain pills once this week!!
This will be a long journey, but well worth it. I hope to keep a steady schedule of this. After the gym, then I really watch what I am eating, knowing how many calories I burned on the machines.
Hope every one has a great week ahead!!