My friend Kathy...

One of my oldest friends is Kathy Keefer. We met WAY BACK in 1973, when John and I moved from Washington, D.C. to Pennsylvania. We bought a cape cod house outside of Pine Grove. It had a small acreage, a beautiful little pond, and the best neighbors in the world -- Kathy and Denny Keefer.

This is a picture of Denny and Kathy -- on their porch. We spent countless hours on their porch...visiting, laughing, playing cards.  THEY are the reason we have a porch on our house!

Kathy deserved a great kitchen because she is the BEST COOK I KNOW -- and she is famous for her shoo-fly pies!!

About ten years ago -- Ross got a job in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. It was a big move across the country, he didn't have very much money, and he didn't know anybody. I suggested he stay with Kathy and Denny while he looked for a place. Their house would be a 45-minute drive to his job. He said, "Mom, I don't know them that well."

But, at the end of the day, he had no place to park his U-Haul, and Kathy insisted...so he agreed to "stay with them" for a few days while he tried to figure things out. Ross pulled into their driveway, Kathy and Denny welcomed him with open arms -- Ross started his new job, and on the second day, Denny and his boys unpacked Ross's U-Haul (when he was at work) -- and told him to take his time to find an apartment...

For the next two years, KATHY KEEFER made Ross's birthday cake -- chocolate cake with peanut butter icing...

Ross loved the Keefers. Just like I knew he would.  Kathy took great care of him. Just like I knew she would. He adored the Keefer boys and during his time in Pennsylvania, he ate every holiday meal with them. They tease her by saying she quit cooking when Ross moved away.

When Ross was with the Keefer's, their grandson Filbert (Dennis Keefer III) was a sweet 12 year old boy. He hung out at his Grandma's house every single day...Filbert loved to play cards and tell jokes...and he laughed at all of Ross's stories...

Filbert...standing by the restored pick-up truck the Keefer boys were giving to Grandpa Den...

Last weekend, 22 year old Filbert was killed in a snowmobile accident.

Normally -- I never write sad things on this blog....

But I thought you should know why I am not writing my blog. For now.

Maybe for awhile.

It just doesn't seem important...

At this moment, everything feels wrong.

My heart is breaking for my friend....