Wow! I hadn't realized it had been nearly 2 weeks since I posted last! I guess the Christmas shopping season is taking more of my time than I thought. I have a love/hate relationship with Christmas, but I'll talk about that another day.Today I want to talk about my brother Richard.

Even saying 'Richard' sounds funny to me. My brother is and always has been Dickie to me. I suppose I sometimes call him Dick in front of other people, but he's 'Dickie". Dick was born September 10, 1943 - 18 months after Bill. (See, I'm trying to act grown up and take the 'ie' off both brother's names.)

Dick was the kind of kid who always brought home the stray dogs. I remember Ginger best of all. Dang she was a good and smart dog! As happened with many of our animals, she got hit by a car on Victoria Ave. It was a sad day for all of us.

I think Dick and I are the most alike temperamentally. We are both pragmatic. We can usually see both sides of an argument. We are generally non-reactive in many situations, preferring to consider all our options. We probably would have both been good counselors or psychologists.

Dick is also a protector of family, friends, and extended family. He's the kind of guy who will take on the practical task of paying bills or fighting with insurance companies on behalf of someone else when they are ill. He's the guy you call with a tax question or in many cases to do your taxes. He has been with Bill every step of his illness and recovery, taking over and acting as an advocate for Bill - pushing the envelope with doctors and health care workers to get the best possible response for his brother. Now THAT is love.

Dick married Kathryn Louise Beaver on August 9, 1962. He was 18, almost 19. She was 16. They have two children, Tammy and Rick. Dick worked for the State of California as a land surveyor and also at our parents liquor store to help make ends meet. They bought a house after a few years of marriage and still live in it to this day.

Dick developed a significant drinking problem during the early years of his marriage that colors a lot of the memories of those times. After a health scare nearly 20 years ago, he quit drinking entirely. As I mentioned we are very alike in temperament and both have "addictive" persona lites (try and take my diet coke and lose a hand!) His current 'addiction' is spending time at the Indian Casino. He enjoys it very much and so does Kathy. Thankfully, the only health concern with the casino is second hand smoke, which most of the time you can avoid.

Since our parents died, Dick's home has become my 'home base' in California. Partly because its nearest to where we grew up, but also because of the hospitality he and Kathy have offered me and my family.

I'm proud of my brother for the challenges he overcame, it wasn't easy. I look up to him with love, respect and admiration.

-more later.