Pointing

Retired couples always delight in pointing things out to one another. At least, in retirement photos they do. Personally, if I'm looking at the same exact thing Robert's looking at, I don't need him pointing it out to me. But I guess it makes a good photo.

Here we are at Hollywood Beach this afternoon re-creating a "pointing" photo.

And here's the original photo, from the website of a British retirement and investment planning company. The website has a lot of information about financial planning, but it neglects to tell us the one thing we want to know most. Hmm...what do you think he's pointing at?

The blanket that has sleeves!

I know, I know. Seeing my Snuggie in its box was exciting, but what everyone really wants to see is the Snuggie in action. Well, here you go!

Here I am re-creating a photo from the side of the Snuggie box. I'm really enjoying my birthday gift from Julian.

And here's the picture on the box. What can I say? The comfort! The warmth! The convenience! It's the blanket that has sleeves!

A re-creation with Bernice

Today Robert and I went down to Miami to see Bernice. It's a hard time for all of us, but especially for Bernice, who is now alone. And on top of everything, Bernice has to deal with trying to get the all the paperwork straightened out for the will and various agencies. It's a lot to deal with.

So, to cheer her up, we did a re-creation. Here I am with Bernice, re-creating a photo from a website about senior health plans.

And here's the original photo. Don't we look just like them? Amazing! I hope you'll keep Bernice in your thoughts - as we're doing - as we go through this difficult and sad time.

Another retirement tip

Today's photo comes from a ReMax website describing the charms of Wilton, Connecticut - which include playing lots of tennis.

Here we are re-creating the photo - with one big difference. I just couldn't bring myself to ask Robert to wear shorts like the gentleman in Wilton. Why, you ask? Take a look...

Oh dear. Now, I certainly don't consider myself to be a fashion maven, but I'm going to go out on a limb here and say shorts like these have been out of style for at least 20 years. I guess it's possible they could make a comeback, but until then, here's my retirement tip: Avoid short shorts. Thank you.

A Snuggie!

January 19th is a special day in our family. Not only is it my birthday, it's also my beautiful daughter-in-law Maren's birthday. I'm usually excited when January 19th rolls around, but this year is different. This will be my first birthday without my father and it just seems especially sad. But a few days ago, a big box came in the mail and look what was in it...

A Snuggie! It's from my son Julian, and it's just what I need! I'm waiting to open it till my actual birthday, but I'm sure I'll love it. Here we are re-creating a photo with it this afternoon.

And here's the original photo. The lady in this photo might be getting a diamond ring, but wouldn't you rather have a Snuggie? I would! What a thoughtful son I have!

A very special tennis racket

My father was an avid tennis player, so he was especially happy to see my blog post about tennis last September. The next time I visited him, I noticed he had some tennis rackets leaning against the wall, so I picked one up and demonstrated my amazing swings and serves for him (luckily not hitting any furniture). When I told him what a nice tennis racket it was, he offered to get it re-strung and give it to me. And that's just what he did. When I saw him on Thanksgiving, he proudly presented me with the tennis racket.

So here I am, using my beautiful new tennis racket for the first time. It means so much to me to have it.

Here's the original photo. Every day I'm reminded of how much I miss my dad. I know he'd be happy that I'm using the tennis racket. I only wish he was here to see it.

Joey's new trick

Joey has always loved having us throw tennis balls for him to retrieve. And why not? He's a Golden Retriever! There's just one thing. Once he's brought the ball back, he's always hated to actually relinquish it - until now. The other day, Robert was walking across the back yard carrying a cardboard box for recycling. He stopped to throw a tennis ball for Joey, expecting the usual tug-of-war to get it back. But when Joey saw the box, he couldn't resist - he dropped the tennis ball in the box! Now Joey keeps begging Robert to go out and throw tennis balls for him so he can drop them in the box. It's his favorite new game.

I couldn't find any photos of Golden Retrievers dropping tennis balls in boxes, but Joey was happy to sit for this re-creation instead. (Did I ever mention that Joey loves to pose?)

Here's the original photo. After we took the picture, Joey talked Robert into playing another round of "put the ball in the box." So you see, it's not true that you can't teach an old dog new tricks. Robert learned this one right away!

Hollywood Beach

Going on after a death in the family is hard. You cry, you get angry at life, you cry some more, you look at pictures, you read sympathy cards, you try to go on and do what needs to be done, but you realize that everything is harder and everything has changed and you can only do what you can do...and then, just when you think you've got it under control, you cry.

This morning Robert and I went to Hollywood Beach and did this photo re-creation. The ocean was beautiful.

Here's the original photo. Robert and I would like to wish all the readers of the chicken blog a Happy New Year. Thank you so much for all your love and support. Life goes on, and so will the chicken blog.

Remembering my dad, Robert Sandler, 1923-2010

Sorry I haven't blogged in so long. First, I had dental complications that sidelined me for a couple of months. Then, on December 10th, my father had a stroke. He died peacefully on December 18th at age 87. I was able to visit him in the hospital and hold his hand and talk to him almost every day during that last week, which I'm so glad I got to do. But now we're all just wandering around with a hole in our hearts. It's hard. But the other day I read Amber's blog and she said she hoped I'd start blogging again soon. So here goes.

I'm going to start with the only re-creation I got to do with my father. I had several more "father and daughter" re-creations planned and I know he would have done them with me if I asked, but it wasn't to be.

Robert took this picture last August on a sunny afternoon just outside Dad and Bernice's home in Kendall. To see the original blog post about it, click here.

Now I'm going to break the rules and just show some pictures as a tribute to my father. There are a lot of pictures, but hey, 87 years is a long time!

1940 - Here's my father in June 1940 at age 16. Look at all that hair!

1944 - Here he is in WWII in Mezieres, France.

1949 - Here's my father getting his bachelor's degree at Ohio University.

1954 - Here's a picture of my father with me and my brother Jeff in Boston, Massachusetts.

1958 - Here's a picture of my father with Jeff and me in Coral Gables.

1964 - Here's another one with Jeff and me taken a few years later in Westchester.

1974 - Here's my father and my mother Toby with me, Eric, and Julian shortly before their divorce.

1976 - Here's a picture of my father celebrating his 53rd birthday with us in November at our house in Hollywood.

1978 - Here he is with Amber at her second birthday party. In November that year, we moved to Seattle.

1979 - Here's my father celebrating Thanksgiving with us in 1979 in Seattle. That's our dog Honey Boo helping him warm up his cold Florida toes at our fireplace. My father was always great with our family dogs.

1983 - Here's a picture of my father, me, Bernice, and Amber at Mt. Rainier.

1986 - Here's my father and Bernice's wedding picture, June 21, 1986.

1988 - This picture was taken during my father and Bernice's visit to Seattle for Julian's high school graduation.

1989 - They came up again a year later for Eric's high school graduation.

1989 - And here's...wait a minute...that's still Eric's graduation.

1992 - Here's Dad celebrating his 69th birthday with us at our Lake Desire home in Renton, Washington.

1992 - And here's a group picture from that same trip. That's Amber, Bernice, me, my father, and our sweet pooch Hilly.

1995 - This is from Dad and Bernice's trip to Seattle for Amber's high school graduation and Maren's college graduation. That's Maren, Julian, Dad, Bernice, me and Amber.

1996 - In January, Robert and I visited Florida and Dad took us to the MetroZoo.

1996 - In September, our first grandchild - my father's first great-grandchild - was born. Here's Amber, me, Robert, Julian, Bernice, and Dad with Preston.

1997 - On July 12, 1997, Amber and Chuck got married. Naturally, my father and Bernice came up for the occasion. Here they are with and Chuck and Amber at the reception.

1999 - Here we are during a trip Robert and I took to Florida. I wanted to move back, but it would be another several years before we could.

2000 - Here's a group picture from another trip Dad and Bernice took to Seattle. That's cute little Hansen peeking out in the middle, who was born in January.

2000 - Here's a great picture of Dad and Preston taken during that same visit. A copy of it hangs on his office wall in his house in Kendall.

2003 - This is the year Amber and I took a trip to Florida together. Here we are with my father in his driveway.

2004 - Here's a picture of Dad, me, and Bernice at the Deli Den in Hollywood in March. That's the year Robert and I moved back to Florida.

2005 - Here's my father celebrating his 82nd birthday with Lynda Anapol, Bernice's daughter-in-law, whose birthday, like my father's, falls right around Thanksgiving. For several years, we celebrated Thanksgiving and the two birthdays together at Howard and Lynda's house in Miami.

2005 - Here's Dad, me, and Robert from that same day.

2006 - Here's a picture of Dad and Bernice at Robert's 60th birthday party in March at our house in Hollywood.

2006 - Here's Dad with Freddie, our sweet German Shepherd. This picture was taken in July and is the very last picture ever taken of Freddie, who died a few months later.

2007 - In early November, Julian came down for a visit. My father cried when it was time to say goodbye to Julian. I think he knew he'd never see him again.

2007 - Celebrating Dad's 84th birthday and Thanksgiving at the Anapol's.

2008 - In June, Dad and Bernice came up to meet Joey, our Golden Retriever. Aw...

2008 - Here's a picture of Dad with Aurora, his fourth great-grandchild, who was born in April that year. Amber and Aurora visited from Austin in September.

2008 - Celebrating Dad's 85th birthday in November.

2009 - Amber, Chuck, and Aurora all visited in the fall. Here's Robert, Chuck, Aurora, and Dad.

2010 - This picture was taken on May 7th at Temple Beth Am, where my father was honored with the Talmud Torah Award. Afterwards he told me, "You were the first one to come up and give me a kiss."

2010 - I love this picture of my father and Joey. It was taken in May when my father stayed with us for a few days while Bernice was recovering from shoulder surgery. Joey adored Grandpa Sandler, and the feeling was mutual.

2010 - Here's a nice picture of my father and Bernice taken last June on their 24th wedding anniversary.

2010 - This picture was taken last September when Amber, Chuck, and Aurora visited. Naturally we all went down to visit Grandpa and Bernice.

Finally, I want to end with a picture I took at Hollywood Beach during my father's visit with us last May. I'm so glad I brought my camera that day.

As I said at the funeral, my father was a man of many accomplishments. He was a college professor, a writer, a tennis player, and much more. But to me, he was simply my father, the rock of my life. I couldn't have asked for a better father. I loved him very much. I sure will miss him.