November 29, 2003 2PM Kansas Time

Dolores Bieberle Westbrook and Lt. Col. James Wesley Westbrook, Sept. 1988 at Cheryl Hoffman's wedding. I love this photo.
Thank you Dolores for all you gave us and am so glad you are going strong! Hopefully a walk around the lake next year!!

8 years ago right about now I watched my father Lt. James Wesley Westbrook take his last breath. I was on the phone with my brother Randy Westbrook and the nurses were with me in the VA Hospital in Wichita, KS. No offense Dad, but I never figured I'd miss you this much..but...you taught me what it really means to love someone, warts and all. Think of you often and you are always present in some way, shape or form. Thank you for the give of life and all that you taught me. Miss ya!

Chita and Bye Bye Birdie

Ok, Broadway buffs...today at the Shetler Rehearsal studios near Studio 54, we were rehearsaing for our holiday show..a take off on BYE BYE BIRDIE. Well, Chita Rivera was in the orignal production. Steve and I noticed that THE VISIT was rehearsaing in the big room next to us...an Actor's Fund Benefit..but when we got there they were on a lunch break. Well, we were rehearsing THE TELEPHONE HOUR and Steve joked wouldn't it be funny if Chita poked her head in...well...SHE DID!!! She opened the door and peeked in...all smiles and looking great..she said something like "hey I know that song"! Everyone was all a twitter..especially Armando. She wished us well and we thanked her. It'd be like if you were playing a pick up baseball game and Joe DiMaggio or Mickey Mantle came over. A true NY moment! When she wished us well she looked over and caught my eye and I said Thank you! A sweet and fun and wonderful Broadway lady!!

Angels From Claflin

I took this on my way over to David's. This is on Broadway across from the Winter Garden Theatre where MAMMA MIA is playing.
I had a nice hello from my Claflin Angels.
I went over to my friend David's apt. for a group gathering. About 20 people there, most I knew, a few new faces.
Lots of food and lots of desserts. Everyone enjoyed themselves. I got to talk to a few people. Nick, who is a comedian, grew up in Kansas City. I told him about my Kansas connection and had even worn my Dad's Jayhawk jacket over. Nick also lived in LA so we had things in common to compare.
Also ended up talking to Shawn. He had told me before that he knew of Claflin because his school played football against them and he had played on their football field. I played around that field many times in summer visits to my Grandma Hammer's. Never on it as they always had it closed.
Well, Shawn and I were talking and then David said he wanted all of us around the room to saw what we were thankful for. All of a sudden, I looked over at Shawn standing next to me...and I realized...he knew Claflin...he'd been there and seen it and seen that place I call "home", my Bountiful. On my way over to David's I looked up to the skies and said hello to all my Claflin angels..missing them.
Then...it dawned on me...I like to believe...that standing next to Shawn...it was like all of my Claflin angels saying hello to me. They heard me! My heart got so full!! Shawn is my new Claflin connection. Who woulda thunk in a city of millions of people...that I'd end up right next to him!! When I said what I was thankful for...I mentioned this.
I'd give anything to be sitting in "God's little acre" with all of my Claflin folk...but for a few minutes...I felt like I was.
Thank you God!! I really needed that today!

Happy Thanksgiving

I am thankful and grateful today for so many things!
I am going over to David's for a big group gathering. Beau will be there, doggie Beau.
I am grateful for God, Love, my church, my life, my health, my talents, my abilities, my job, my home, my roommate, my co workers, my boss, my family, my friends, my apartment, my sobriety, my groups, Facebook and all my friends, my President, my country.
I miss those who are no longer here in person, but are always in my heart:
James Wesley Westbrook
Yvonne Eileen Hammer Westbrook
Dorthy and Norman Tritsch
Kevin McCann
Cary Brown
Dee Tucker Petree
Mary Kerbs Hammer
Lucian B. Hammer
Lorraine Carpenter Hammer
Keith Beiberle
Emma Cain
Aunt Mid and Uncle Park
Evelyn and Paul Gibler
Mary Ann Hickle Frenzl and Brian Frenzl
Terry Brenneis
Bennie Russell
Irma and Hap Moser
Peggy and Schafter Frye
Louise Beck
Lottie Schlick
George and Viola Gemeinhardt
Thai Von Bimbo
Bear
Blackie
Keith Douglas
Chuck Hummer
John Nevins
Phil Wilson
Brian O'Sullivan
Alan Parker
Vince
Kevin my fellow Clumpette
All my fellow Hawks who have passed

So graterful for the part they all played in making me a better person.

Thank you God..guide me to do your will.

You all raise me up!!

Aunt Lorraine Hammer

Left to Right, Gary, Lou, Grace, Nathan, Jacob and Julie Hammer

My Uncle Lou sent me these photos. Burying the ashes of my Aunt Lorraine Hammer. She fought the battle so long and so valiantly. She was a good woman!!

Family Photos.

Christmas in Claflin. Grandma Mary Hammer, cousin Gary Hammer and Aunt Lorraine "Rainey" Hammer, Dec. 1962. And Velia, Mom's dachshund.

Below is my sister Sonya Ann Westbrook probably March or April 1962

Heaven is Pink

David Tucker and his sister Dee Tucker Petree last year celebrating a wedding at Tybee Island.
*************
Below, taken from the Estee Lauder website.

Very sad weekend. Mrs. Evelyn Lauder, the wife of Leonard Lauder, died Saturday afternoon after a long batter with cancer.
Then Sunday morning I found out my friend Dee Tucker Petree, class of '79, died Saturday as well. She had beaten her cancer, but the chemo had caused blood clots which caused multiple problems and her kidneys shut down.
So sad. One woman, 75 the other 49.
Both lost too soon.
Mrs. Lauder had battled her cancer for years and had created the BCRF and the Pink Ribbons for Breast Cancer Awareness.
Dee befriended me in high school when I had very few friends and even wrote me letters at college my first year there.
Sad...the cycles of life, but still sad.

9/11 Memorial - David Laychak

I went to the 9/11 Memorial again last night to get some photos of the name of a high school classmate who died at the Pentagon. David Laychak was a year behind me, but through Facebook I have gotten to know about him from his close friends. Once again the memorial is moving, touching, sad, hopeful and just breathtaking. I got there just as the sun was setting so I got some different shots. Well done everyone involved!! Thank you for honoring our friends!!

Happy Birthday San Francisco Joe

Today is my friend Joseph Osuna's birthday. Sending good birthday wishes out to San Francisco, from Brady Bunch Tony!!

The 9/11 Memorial

Instead of "celebrating" Halloween, my friend Vito and I went to the 9/11 Memorial. I had reserved the tickets last month when it first opened and this was the first day that I could find a time that was open. We went after work.
The Memorial is everything it should be. All of the planning and delays paid off because it is one of the most moving sites I have ever been to. Finally, a place for the focus of grief, love, honoring loved ones, hope and courage. Everything, in my opinion, is perfect!
They have included all of the names of all of the people who died that day, in NY, PA and DC. Everyone that could be accounted for, is accounted for.
Hopefully all of the souls that needed a place to find comfort, can find it here.
A classmate from Hayfield, David Laychek, was killed at the Pentagon. His name is here as well. I found it on one of the kiosks that helps people find names to visit.
May this type of tragedy never happen again. So sad, so senseless.
Rest in Peace all, rest in Peace.
A place of calm in the midst of activity.

No Day but Today