Sunny and bright, not always.

Today was a beautiful bright and sunny day in Santa Rosa, California. At least that was somewhat positive.

Memorial services are at least better than funerals.
More positive things are said at memorial services then at funerals.

I really don't care for funeral services, and don't really get real wound up on memorial services either. I've always found them to be too depressing and sometimes I get emotional. Not a good thing....

Our employee of 10 years sadly died a few days ago, he was 29. He had come to work for our company right out of high school. I saw him grow up, live, party, get married,plan for the future and fortunately I didn't see him die. That was in a hospital far away from home.

There were a lot of nice things said about him today , that said it still didn't make me feel real happy.

There was a lot of people there, probably a lot more than there will be for mine.

In the 10+ years that I knew him, he never had anything negative to say about anyone. I kind of wondered about that. Lot's of times the guys in the department would get together after hours for a brewski, things would be said, about lots of stuff, teasing of other employees and people, he never seems to participate in that part of the camaraderie.

If I had my life to live over again, I would have like to live it with his attitude and outlook on life

I admired him for his way with people, he touched a lot of people in all walks of life. He was excellent at teaching other employees the trade, some of are now befitting from his wisdom.
I found out somethings I didn't know about him, like his religious beliefs and that made a lot of things become a tad more clear.

I met his family that also came to Santa Rosa from afar for this sad day.

It is true that memorials are for the families not for for the dead.

In the middle of winter in California, things are a little bleak so to say, only nice thing was that it wasn't raining.

All the leaves are off all the trees, lots of businesses are no longer thriving, more so than I remember seeing things in the last real big slow down of the early 80's.
Quite a few empty stores and lots of for sale and for rent signs, both commercial and residential.

Several once thriving car dealerships easy to see from the freeways, where no longer there.
Empty lots stood where once bushels of cars promenaded all of which were on flooring plans.
If you think car dealers make a ton of money, just think about what it cost them every month for the interest and flooring charges for unsold cars.
I'm glad I never got into that business. Even though a lot of people told me I reminded them of a used car salesman.............

I am thrilled that pine trees don't become bare in any season, otherwise our trees in Patzcuaro would look pretty grim.

But you need leafless trees in order to have new beautiful ones emerge the next season. Probably the same reason you need death so that new beginnings will come to pass.

It's just sad that people that die young get shortchange living, but hearing the readings from the Bible today makes one understand that the departed person is on another journey to discovery.
That's not entirely bad.......if one believes in new journeys.......

The persimmon trees is full of fruit that if I don't pick will plop down to the ground and really make a big mess. My renters at the house don't seem to care for the fruit nor the mess .

Anyone want free persimmons?
They have seeds, which you could plant for a new beginning.