Warm Thanksgiving greetings to all, dear friends. What a GREAT community we live in!
I've not done a great deal of posting or writing lately. Back in the day, I wrote something like 200 "Pulse of the City" columns for the Lakewood Observer, and posted many photos too in the interest of cultivating an interest in photojournalism.
As the sole caregiver for my folks, after Mom passed, I had another 10 years caring for Dad, and those were great ones, but as his difficulties, as well as a few of my own, increased, I had to pull away from writing and too...pull away from controversial matters that were upsetting to me. There was enough of that sort of thing going on out there without my help. When Dad and I saw what was happening to the hospital, we did what we could to raise awareness by writing in the Observer, and talking to our friends, but we all know how that story ended. Shortly after expressing our concerns, Dad passed away, and the fight went out of me for awhile.
Still, it was Dad's opinion and mine as well that we still had a great community that was well worth supporting. This I have tried to do with as much laughter and love as I could offer. At times, I've been irritated by those who want to keep the upsetting stuff alive here on the 'Deck, but at the same time, they have a right to express what they feel to be genuine and relevant concerns that relate to the future of Lakewood. I've always been concerned with how others view our community, and what turmoil and "bad news" however defined, could do to the always fragile eco-system of our community, but I am nonetheless very thankful that the Observation Deck Forum exists for these sorts of interchanges.
I know that Jim O'Bryan has taken a great deal of heat for many reasons, but to me, his allowing all of us to come forward under our own names and voice our community concerns and praises in this forum has provided a unique and precious cameo reflecting the hearts and minds of this city, and for that, I am also thankful.
I am thankful for all of you too, whether I've agreed with you or not. Long ago on this 'Deck, I decided to play the role of the peacemaking banjo player who drops in at the end of a conversation, attempting to bring everyone back to that mythical community campfire for a happy ending to whatever controversy was brewing at the time. Sometimes that worked, and sometimes not, but I've never stopped trying, because at the end of the day, all of us have to continue to live together symbiotically in this little rectangle by the lake.
Here are a couple of smiles for you. Last year, Jim and I collaborated with Rozi's to present "The Thanksgiving Hymn" with the iconic Lakewood Observer banjo and a turkey baster. Click on the link and enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkEP-w2G5Jgys
Finally, here's a shot of me with my buddies- Baby, BB, and Hans, all of whom are exceedingly glad that they are not turkeys today!
Gotta go now to prepare Thanksgiving dinner for them!
Back to the banjo...