What has been the best part of Summer 2011?

NOTE:  This article was written before my Father passed away.  My Dad, Dick (Howie) Schnarr, passed away 8/18/2011.  This article was published online but not in print by the Journal and Courier.

 As I write this, I gotta tell ya that I wish I could rewind the clock and skip this summer.  Skip right over it.  As human beings, we all are forced to deal with mortality, both our own, and that of the ones we love.  We can plan for it, even expect it, but when confronted with the death of someone dear to us, we still feel pain, feel sorrow, know loss. 
      I suppose it is no secret that we write these essays a few days in advance.  As of this moment, the moment I write this essay, I am in an ICU waiting room.  I am in the Intensive Care waiting room because my hero , my best role model in this life, my Dad, is clinging to life. Dad taught me so many things about life, love, and living, I can't express or understand it all, but I try. Prognosis for Dad is not great at this second, but there is still hope, so hope will have to be enough.
     This summer, our family lost our beloved Matriarch, "Grandma" Laura Moore, at the age of 99. She was such a source of inspiration, of strength, of wisdom, of love, to literally hundreds of us that words can't adequately express the extent to which she will be missed. Grandma could always be counted on to impart wisdom upon us with one of a never ending supply of stories from the last 99 years. 
       Bummer of a summer, but such is the cycle of life.  Our family will heal.  I will eventually embrace the lives and lessons of those whom I admire the most on this earth.  Eventually.  For now, I just want to step back to Spring.  This Spring, my Grandson Tanner played in little league baseball for the first time.  He was on a team with my Nephew Matt's boys, Braden and Cole. Watching these li'l fellas learn to play Baseball, and watching Matt coach the boys the same way my Dad taught us to play (and love) baseball will always be a fond memory in my mind.  I plan on focusing on that for a few years to come.  Let's call that Summer, and ignore the bad stuff for a few minutes at a time, OK?   This is where I would usually tell ya "Works for me"....so....here's hoping it does, at least till we heal a bit.