Life at the Lazy L

[LazyLJack]

January 25, 2007

Hi everyone,

I realize it has been a little while since I've been in touch. Life has been busy. Ennis and I did make the trip to Massachusetts to meet Christian. We were lucky...no bad weather and it wasn't even too cold! We did make the drive to Dallas and then flew to Bradley International Airport (Hartford). David, we looked for you but didn't see you. It must have been your day off!

Christian (or Chris, as they are already calling him) is a wonderful baby. He has blond hair and blue eyes, which sort of amazed Ennis and me! Jenny has her father's features, including the brown eyes, while Kelly has dark hair and blue eyes (sort of like you-know-who). A baby with the combination of the two...we never expected it, but there he is! And as cute as he possibly can be.

Chris is a good baby and eats and sleeps well, but it is still exhausting, and both Jenny and Kelly looked bushed. We spent a lot of our time doing things with Evan, to get him out of the house, and give the girls some time alone...which they used to catch up on their sleep, they said. One day we went to the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass. Evan was a little young for it and Ennis and I aren't real basketball fans, but it was still fun. There was a place to shoot hoops and we let Evan burn up some of his excess energy.

Chris was one month old yesterday! It was fun to be there for that first milestone.

Now we are back and settling in. Things will be quiet here for a few weeks. We put the "Christmas wagon" away and have finished with those rides for the season. We have lessons to attend to and trail riding picks up again in a few weeks...usually mid-March.

Hugs to all,

Jack

[LazyLJack]

February 24, 2007

Dear Friends,

I just wanted to post an update...many of you may be aware but KE died on February 20. He was at home at his sister Cecelia's house, with his Cecelia and two sons at his side. KE had hospice coming to the house since August, so his pain and other symptoms were well controlled. Cecelia told me he was in a coma at the end, and passed quietly.

While Ennis knew this was coming, it has hit him hard. The past 8 months have been sort of remarkable, beginning with their working things out during our July 4th party. Ennis got a letter in August and after that, they started talking on the phone, sometimes two times a week. It was sort of like they needed to pack 25 years of missed brotherhood into 8 months. I think they succeeded.

I think I mentioned in another post that we went to Wyoming in November. KE did give Ennis the family watch, as he had promised. It is very beautiful, with engraving and the date "1868." Apparently, Silas Del Mar (Ennis's great-great-great grandpa) bought it for himself before he left Illinois, to commemorate his trip west. With all the Del Mars have been through over the years, it is amazing this little keepsake is still around. We are working to create some sort of a display case for it but haven't come up with the right solution, yet.

KE's obituary was published in the Casper Star-Tribune and the Quanah Bulletin. I will post a copy of it here for those who are interested.

Thanks to all of you who keep us in your thoughts and prayers. It means a great deal to us.

Hugs,

Jack

[LazyLJack]

Published simultaneously in the Casper Star-Tribune and the Quanah Bulletin, February 23, 2007.

Keith Edward Del Mar, Jr.

CASPER—Keith Edward (KE) Del Mar, Jr., 65, died at home on February 20, 2007, after a year long battle against lung cancer. His sister and children were at his side.

Mr. Del Mar was born in Sage on April 22, 1941, son of Keith Edward and Eleanor (Truitt) Del Mar, Sr. He attended Sage schools and began working as a rancher at the age of 16. He married Laurie Gillette in 1963 and had two sons, Rory and Michael. They divorced in 1982.

Mr. Del Mar was proud of his Wyoming roots which went back to 1868 when his great-great-great grandfather, Silas Del Mar, moved from Illinois to settle in the west. Ranching was a family tradition and Mr. Del Mar made his living working on ranches in Sage, Worland, and most recently, Casper. He was active in 4-H, a member of the Wyoming Farm Bureau, loved horses and livestock, and enjoyed being outdoors. Mr. Del Mar was an avid hunter and liked to fish.

He is survived by his sister, Cecelia and husband Lewis Underwood, of Casper; his brother Ennis and husband Jack Twist, of Quanah, Texas; son Rory and wife Lisa, of Sheridan; son Michael, of Rafter J Ranch; two grandchildren; and an extended family of nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents who died in 1957.

A memorial service is planned for the spring with a private burial at the Sage Community Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, Mr. Del Mar requested that donations be made to Casper Hospice; Hospice of Hardeman County in Quanah, TX; or the American Cancer Society.

[ranchgal]

Thank you Jack for sharing the obit with us.  Sort of makes me tear up to think of how Ennis must be dealing with it, glad he has you there to share with.
Nice of you to update all of us.

[LazyLJack]

Thanks, Ranchgal...I appreciate your words.

They've decided to have a memorial service for KE sometime in the spring. Maybe around his birthday (April 22) or early in May. The burial will be then, too. Not to be too blunt about it, but you can't bury people in Wyoming in February...the ground is frozen. They just stack em all up and wait til the spring...

We're doing okay. Thanks, everyone, for thinking about us. I actually wrote a drabble. It's on the other thread.

Hugs,

Jack

[JT]

Published simultaneously in the Casper Star-Tribune and the Quanah Bulletin, February 23, 2007.

Keith Edward Del Mar, Jr.

CASPER—Keith Edward (KE) Del Mar, Jr., 65, died at home on February 20, 2007, after a year long battle against lung cancer. His sister and children were at his side.

Mr. Del Mar was born in Sage on April 22, 1941, son of Keith Edward and Eleanor (Truitt) Del Mar, Sr. He attended Sage schools and began working as a rancher at the age of 16. He married Laurie Gillette in 1963 and had two sons, Rory and Michael. They divorced in 1982.

Mr. Del Mar was proud of his Wyoming roots which went back to 1868 when his great-great-great grandfather, Silas Del Mar, moved from Illinois to settle in the west. Ranching was a family tradition and Mr. Del Mar made his living working on ranches in Sage, Worland, and most recently, Casper. He was active in 4-H, a member of the Wyoming Farm Bureau, loved horses and livestock, and enjoyed being outdoors. Mr. Del Mar was an avid hunter and liked to fish.

He is survived by his sister, Cecelia and husband Lewis Underwood, of Casper; his brother Ennis and husband Jack Twist, of Quanah, Texas; son Rory and wife Lisa, of Sheridan; son Michael, of Rafter J Ranch; two grandchildren; and an extended family of nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents who died in 1957.

A memorial service is planned for the spring with a private burial at the Sage Community Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, Mr. Del Mar requested that donations be made to Casper Hospice; Hospice of Hardeman County in Quanah, TX; or the American Cancer Society.

I haven't visit lately and I'm sorry about Ennis' brother's passing!  I'm glad you were there with Ennis in one of his hard times.  Good luck always, Jack.

PS.  I'm glad they recognized your wonderful relationship with Ennis.

[LazyLJack]

Hi everyone,

I realize it's been a long time since I dropped in here at Bettermost. I just wanted to give y'all a quick update.

As I am sure you all realize, Ennis and I celebrated our 31st anniversary on July 4th. Thirty-one years! Where does the time go? This year was much quieter than last. Bobby and his family came over for the day and we had a cookout (hamburgers and hotdogs, no chili this year). Late in the day, Scott and Billy dropped in for a visit and coffee. They are still together and seem very happy. Scott finishes graduate school in a few months--he is looking for a job so they will probably be leaving Lubbock--but they both want to stay close to Texas and family.

We did have a memorial for KE in May, so Ennis and I traveled to Wyoming for that. It was a lovely day. Alma Jr. drove up from Laramie which I thought was very kind of her, considering she barely knew her uncle. He did make a difference in everyone's lives, at the end. That is what counts, right?

Ennis and I are off to New England in a few weeks for our annual vacation. First we'll visit Jenny and Kelly, then up to Moosehead Lake in Maine. Ennis has some fool idea about climbing Mt. Katahdin and I told him, "Boy, I am done with mountains for this lifetime. I just want to sit and relax." Maybe if he really sweet talks me I'll get in a rowboat with a fishing line, but that's about it! 

We both send all our friends here at Bettermost our very best wishes ...

Hugs,

Jack

[mariez]

Thanks for stopping by with the update, Jack!  Great to hear from you. Sounds like a wonderful anniversary, spent with loved ones, and what could be better than that? 

Glad to hear about Scott and Billy - sounds like they are off to a great start on a wonderful life together.

Yes, it was very kind of Junior to attend K.E.'s memorial - and yes, K.E. did make a difference in everyone's life and that sure is what counts.  You bet.

Have fun in Maine - hope the fish are bitin'! (and say Hi to my friend Leslie if you spot her up there! ) 

Love to Ennis!
Marie

[haunted_by_bbm]

Thanks for the update, Jack.     

So good to see you.  I was thinking of you guys just a few days ago, hoping you had a nice anniversary.      In fact, your anniversary was a nice topic of conversation on another forum just this week.  So nice to hear the details.   

Much love to you and Ennis.  (You best let him go on his hike...the stubborn man will just scowl at you if you fuss.)      Take care, Jack. 

Cristine      

[southendmd]

Happy Birthday, Jack! 

Hope all is well at the Lazy L!