We'll Miss You Pappaw...

Well Henry and I are here in Minnesota while Laura and Fletcher are in Pennsylvania with the Family... unfortunately they are gathered for a less than happy reason. Laura's grandfather Robert Sandusky passed away on Wednesday night after a long illness. I'm glad that he was able to meet Fletcher. (credit for the picture above goes to Bri...)

Bob was quite a guy. He was born in Western Pennsylvania during the heyday of the coal, coke and steel era... a heyday that came to a screeching halt during the great depression. I remember Bob telling me stories about working even as a kid to help his family. When the United States entered WWII he joined the Army Air Corps and flew B-25 Mitchell bombers across the Atlantic to supply the Allied Armies in North Africa. I remember his description of the uncertainty of every flight... of the crewmembers refilling the fuel tanks while over the middle of the atlantic from five-gallon jerry cans, and of always wondering if the navigator was on track... When the war ended he returned to Connellsville and started a family with 'mommy' - a family that is his greatest legacy. Bob was father to four, grandfather to ten, great-grandfather to four(so far) and was loved and respected by all of his kin by marriage.

I could go on and on, but I'll simply say that he will be missed.

This one's for you Papaw.

October, November, December...

...January, February, March!

Okay! it's DEFINITELY time to post again.

So, what's happened since September 22nd... let's see.

um, well let's see. Canadian Thanksgiving, American Thanksgiving, Advent, Christmas, New Years, Alan & Dan came to Nashville and worked their butts off, Valentine's day, Canada won hockey gold at the Olympics... oh yeah...Drew finished his PhD and started a new job in Minneapolis. Laura retired from her job in Columbia, we sold our house in Nashville, moved Laura, Fletch and Henry to Minneapolis to a NEW house...

And here we are.

Anyway, 'They Call Me Fletch' is supposed to be about Fletch, so here goes.

Fletcher is almost 11 months old. He is pulling up on pretty much anything, and cruising from one location to the next by hanging onto the coffee tables, end tables, couches, Henry, Drew's pants, you name it.

Leaving Nashville was tough on all of us. I think that this was because of a number of different things, but the biggest part had to be leaving the friends that we'd become so close with over the past few years. It really does seem like they were sad to see us go too, hard as it may be to believe! Kim and Craig had a party for us and invited the whole neighborhood. Kingsley & Jessica, Nicole & Jim (and Caramante), Patrick & Melissa, Chris & Leigh... the whole fam-damily really. What a great send off. We miss them all! Same thing with our work friends and students at Vandy and the MTHAC crew- it's still kind of weird not to see all of you everyday.

On the upside, the transition to Minneapolis has been relatively smooth. The house is SOOO roomy compared to our old house, and actually having storage is awesome. Walk in closets in each bedroom (2 in the master), a finished basement, a pantry, built in book cases and china cabinet... if not for the work that i have to do to take this place to Laura Standard S3.22 R2 (sorry - scientist joke) I'd be ecstatic... but I guess that once I start working, I'll be ecstatic anyway, because let's face it, I like getting dirty.

Anyway, Laura is an administrator now, so no more excuses. What could she possible be doing all day while I'm at work? Hmm? :)

More to come...

D & L