Letters to Mom

with very heavy heart I need to honor a very dear friend and part of the family for over 2 decades. Stewart Cramer passed away late Sept. His daughter found my Yule card and called. He could no longer walk and gave up. Please remember him a t the fires this year, raise a goblet, a glass, a drinking horn or a cup (filled with his favorite coffee). He was amazing. Every time we'd see him we'd learn something new - which saying a lot since we saw him practically every other month. Hope you got to hear how he killed a Studebaker car with a pair of paratrooper boots, had to pay for the car, got demoted and transferred to Japan. He never drank again. The pictures are from a campout in 2006. He's wearing a Viking over tunic that Mom made for him and on his beret is a beadwork piece that I did. Hail Stewart!

Mom and Mama Marie; We miss you both so much. It's not the same without you. I haven't even watched the Grinch once this season. I had pinto beans and northern beans for dinner tonight.  I know that would make you smile, Mom.  I remember that first Christmas after Harley almost killed you and you threw him out. We hadn't lost the house yet but things were rough.  The only food we had were beans and potatoes and my gifting was the encyclopedias that you and Harley had bought on time months before.  We were headed to Uncle George and Aunt Rose's place in LA the next day. You made that dinner special, Mom.  You lit candles and we opened presents (I think Grandma "helped" with your gifts).  There have been a lot of holiday meals since then, Mom, but that one stays in the forefront of the memories. We miss you

The holidays are hard without you, Mom.  We've been thinking of you a lot (which is something considering I miss you every day).  The holidays are low key again this year.  We don't even remember last year, things were so horrible.  We each got a couple of things for each other but didn't decorate other than putting out my nutcrackers.  We didn't make a Thanksgiving dinner but we did go out at Lynn's insistence and had a nice dinner at Golden Corral - first time we had steak in a long time. We're not cooking for Christmas day.  We're going to attempt a turkey breast today.  Neither of us feel like eating so we'll see how this works out.

Miss you, Mama; It's been so hard at times.  It feels like it was yesterday and we can't believe you're gone.  We're trying to keep going with things.  Losing you and many of the "kids" has been devastating.  Love you, Mama