Just when you think you have a handle on things ...

Life slaps you in the face with reality.

I had this .. witty, cute, rhetorical post all prepared in my brain on Saturday morning .. all about family gatherings, and the stresses of the Holidays, making sure you visit each family as you are supposed to, and delegating time with loved ones ... and then ... I get a phone call that stops me in my tracks.

You know the kind?  They take your breath away, without so much as a hesitation .. it's gone .. and you're left wondering - did I hear what I think I heard?  But you don't want it to be repeated, you want to think you're mind is playing an awful trick on you.  You want to believe everything is as it should be, and question your own sanity, for just a brief moment.

Yep.  One of those Phone Calls.  (they deserve capital letters, since my life will never be the same.)  Sounds dramatic, but .. I haven't slept well since I got That Phone Call.  That one call.  3 minutes, and life is different.

Let me paint the scene ... Saturday started like any other Saturday, we got up, got dressed, and headed to J&J's for breakfast.  We ate, joked around with the kids that work there (yeah, they're mostly my age, but they're still kids) stopped in to see Mike's grandparents up the road a bit, and headed to Portsmouth to get some clothes for Emily (who is growing like a weed, mind you) at Old Navy for their "Gobblepalooza Sale" .. on our way home, we stopped at Lowes got the stuff we needed to finish the outlet near the front porch, and got the rest of the "Christmas" (which is just decorations ... but to Emily, it's ALLLLLL Christmas) ..

I talked to my mom a bit and then Mike, Emi and I got lunch and headed home.

A couple hours later, I got "the Call" from my sister - she asked if I had spoken to mom, I replied I had - she asked when.   I told her about an hour or so ago - which it was - and that we were going to check the generator at their house, and Mom said not to worry about it - Katie stopped me and said, I just got off the phone with her, she and dad passed Ft. Jackson and sent me a photo of it ... I called to thank them, and Mom was crying.

: Enter Breath Taking Moment :

"Howie died today"

With those three words, my world stopped .. I can't imagine what those three words did to Kim, or Molly, or Adam, or any of his friends, or other family members .. but they stopped my world, cold.

See, Howie - was one of my dads best friends.  Howie was the owner of Granite Steak and Grill .. and Windjammers restaurants in Rochester .. Howie, was amazing.  One of the MOST genuine, honest, loyal, hard working, lovable guys I've ever had the pleasure of knowing.

I will never forget the times I was blessed to share with him, I will never forget his smile, his laugh, his voice ... But most of all, I will never forget the simple things he taught me - without even trying.

Rest in Peace Howie.
May your smile shine down on us when we need it,
and your hand lay upon our shoulders to guide us.
.. Loved by all who knew you ..
I am honored to be among the many.

Howard "Howie" Seckendorf

http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091130/GJNEWS_01/711309886

(a really nice article about Howie and his accomplishments)