It has been awhile since I wrote last. Not because I don't think of Mom and Dad every day.

This past week I went to see Elton John and Billy Joel in concert. I was thinking about all the years I "made" Mom and Dad listen to Elton and Billy--esp. Elton. They were so patient with me! I listened to music A LOT--and not at a very low volume! Once in a while Mom would have enough, and ask me to turn it down. She did this by flipping the hall light on and off--so I could see it from my room. I knew if that light went on and off, she'd had enough! :-) Dad actually kind of liked Elton. If he saw him on TV, he'd come and get me to watch. He even cut stuff out of the paper about Elton if he saw something and put it up on the refrigerator so I'd see it! One of the last things I remember like this was when Elton was in AARP magazine. Dad made sure I saw it and gave me his copy. Over the years, I have seen Elton over 20 times. This was the first time I saw him since Mom and Dad died and the first time I could not come home and tell them all about it. There's still these "first time" things happening. The first time I bought a new car since they died; the first time I saw Elton, etc.

In 1989, I went to see Elton with my brother, John, and I got his autograph. We got home pretty late, but I remember Mom and Dad getting up and talking about it and me showing them the autograph. They thought it was neat--esp. Dad.

Another thing I was thinking about was how Dad would always ask me how we were getting to the concert. Then he'd get out the map and find the venue and plot out the best route--even if I'd been there before or had my Google maps all printed out. We still had to spread the map out on the table and figure it out. I can still see Dad sitting there at the kitchen table with the Indianapolis map, his glasses off (because he couldn't' see close up with them on--something I experience myself)--talking about the trip.

Today is Memorial Day. Susan put Dad's flag out on the front porch. I like seeing it there. It reminds me of him.

Love you Mom and Dad.

Susie