HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CALVIN..!!

Today is my brother's birthday.  He'll be 72 years old. Time flies when you're having fun, eh? Well, the truth is -- time flies even when you're NOT having fun.

Two years ago, Cal went into the hospital for a heart surgery. It went badly. He had a stroke...and was in intensive care for over 50 days.

Here's thing. His life will never be the same. But he has accepted his "new normal" in a very brave and gallant way. He and his wife Jeanne live just up the road from us -- and when John was having so many issues -- Cal always came in a hurry. He had my back every single day, and I don't know what I would have done without his help.

Cal and Jeanne moved into our neighborhood about 20 years ago. So we've been neighbors for a long time -- but the only time we really visited with them was Calvin's birthday. August 5th. Every year, on that day, I'd invite them down for a steak dinner.

My favorite picture of us. Maybe from 2013?

Ross was living here at the time (so we had somebody to take this picture)

But, at this point, we see Cal every single week. THANK GOD.

He often comes down to check on us, to help John with a project (last week, they fixed the clothes lines in my basement)...or just to visit over a cup of coffee.

One Saturday, he dropped in just in time for breakfast on the porch.

Lilly took this picture of us.

And, today, at 5:00, I'll be on the porch with my brother -- and he'll be enjoying a giant Porterhouse steak dinner.

We'll be eating our first sweetcorn of the season!!

Here's what I want to say on this day. I am most pleased that Cal's birthday dinner became a "tradition". It wasn't a conscious decision on my part -- it just happened. But that's the way it goes. With traditions, I mean...

It's the history that make them important.  The fact that you do that one thing with somebody or for somebody....over and over again...year after year...it's what tells people you really care about them.  It's like a body of work, y'know??

You can't go BACK and make a memory that didn't happen...

I'm not saying this very well...but I think you know what I mean...