Scattering the Ashes

When my wife of 34 years passed away in October she had some very explicit instructions for me. One particular wish concerned her remains. Long ago we had both agreed we preferred to be cremated. But we’d never really discussed what to do with the ashes. Jackie was not interested in an urn or burial or any other type of internment.

One afternoon, just days before her demise, she told me, “Don’t put them all in one place.” Instead she wanted to be a part of places we loved to visit. Places her running group would often frequent. Special places.

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Lighter Than Air

I’ve always been fascinated with dirigibles. This week, watching the Goodyear blimp floating above Tulsa covering the PGA, reminded me of the day I got a ride on the iconic airship.

My memory is fuzzy on the exact year, but it was early Seventies, so I was 10 or 12 years old. Dad, like a lot of Tulsa dads, worked for American Airlines. In the Seventies he was an inspector in the Gear & Brake Shop, which dealt with a lot of Goodyear products. As I understood it, the Goodyear rep offered him two tickets to ride the blimp during it’s upcoming visit to Tulsa.

The Columbia was a true blimp, unlike the current generation of Goodyear airships.
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COVID Cruise

Living in this strange new world of COVID-19 has changed the daily routine. Telecommuting and #WFH (working from home) were mere concepts to most Americans just two weeks ago. Today we’re exchanging tips for using tools like Zoom and Skype. Grammarians cringe as “slack” becomes a verb. Work may never be the same again, let alone the workplace.

We’re also looking for ways to spend our time after hours. How can we get out of the house while avoiding interactions or large gatherings? Socializing without socializing. So yesterday we did something we hadn’t done in years—we went for a drive in the country.

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