Originally published at The Poetic Exodus. Please leave any comments there.

I went to Missouri this week for my Grandfather’s funeral. It was very difficult - physically and emotionally draining - but something I needed to do.

The visitation and services were beautiful. There was such an outpouring of love from so many people. His casket was pecan ( Read more... )

Originally published at The Poetic Exodus. Please leave any comments there.

My grandfather’s obituary

SIKESTON - Jess David “J.D.” Schaffer, 75, died at 9:03 a.m. Nov. 4, 2006, in the emergency room at Missouri Delta Medical Center.

Born April 9, 1931, in Kewanee, son of the late James Clifford and Mary Magaline Roberts Schaffer, he was a member of ( Read more... )

Originally published at The Poetic Exodus. Please leave any comments there.

I say this almost every entry, but I really need to get better about blogging. Almost every day something happens and I think, “I need to blog this,” and then time is short and I don’t. Lots and lots going on.

• I started my new job on Sept 28th. I really enjoy it so far. I’m ( Read more... )

Originally published at The Poetic Exodus. Please leave any comments there.

I’m listening to my Zen and thinking about my grandfather. It’s striking to me how so many of my memories of us together center on music. My grandfather introduced me so possibly my favorite musicians of all time, Simon and Garfunkel. He helped me discover Spike Jones, Ray ( Read more... )

Originally published at The Poetic Exodus. Please leave any comments there.

My grandfather could really use everyone’s prayers. He was hospitalized yesterday with really bad swelling in his legs and feet, and unable to breathe. Apparently there is quite a bit of fluid around his heart. They put him on a heart monitor, and it’s skipping beats. He’s ( Read more... )

Originally published at The Poetic Exodus. Please leave any comments there.


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Originally published at The Poetic Exodus. Please leave any comments there.

I think I do this every year. I always have these grandiose intentions of writing a whimsical recap of the previous year, complemented with goals for the new. I don’t know that I’ve ever accomplished it. Last year I had a brief bullet point recap. I just went back and looked ( Read more... )

Originally published at The Poetic Exodus. Please leave any comments there.

Mike and I are in Missouri. We got here on Friday morning. Everything’s been great so far. Lots of time with family and friends. We’ll be back in Florida on Thursday evening.

Originally published at The Poetic Exodus. Please leave any comments there.

The holiday weekend went well. Thanksgiving Day we slept in and then I cooked all afternoon. I made Kerri’s AMAZING macaroni and cheese, as well as broccoli rice casserole, hash brown casserole and green bean casserole. We went over to Mike’s mom and dad’s around 6:00 PM for ( Read more... )

Originally published at The Poetic Exodus. Please leave any comments there.

So, I have this cousin, Abraham, who has always been a little um… “off.” He is about four years younger than I am, and is my biological father’s sister’s son. At any rate, when we were younger, none of us wanted to play with him because he was obnoxious, immature, “slow,” ( Read more... )