Deep Thoughts and More Football with Markymoose

what is the meaning of life? 

what is deep in your heart? 

the answer lies within each of us

some people would say
it’s all about family

some people would say
it’s all about happiness

I say happiness is fleeting

there are moments of pure joy

I still have some of those 

especially at Howie’s football games

I would still say
it’s all about family

a healthy family and friends

our friends have always been family to us

we are very fortunate
to have this extended family

in our case, it reaches far and wide

our customers, vendors, employees 

I can’t believe how many good friends 

we have made through the store

when I say healthy
I am speaking relatively
we all have our own stuff

that brings us up or down

*

the Big Horns won their game 

this past Friday night

we drove to Absarokee

it sleeted it snowed it rained

there was no score until 

Howie caught a touchdown pass 

late in the third quarter

then Absarokee ran the kickoff 

back for a touchdown

we were up 8 to 6 

until Howie caught
another touchdown pass

The final score was 21 to 6

Our record is 6-2 

we went with our friends 

visiting us from France 

it was their first American football game

a couple days later we all went to Jackson Hole

we drove through Yellowstone 

and Grand Teton National Parks

the weather was spectacular

on the return, we spent four hours
at a picnic area on the rocky shore of Jackson Lake 

with an amazing view of the Tetons

it was so nice to have Isabelle and Didier here

we are very blessed with people

they came over every morning

Didier would say okay Mark 

Isabelle would give me a kiss on the cheek
we face-timed with their daughter, Sarah
I kept cryng because I was upset
that nothing will be easy again
I will never go to Europe again
but our friends visit us
and it is all about the people


*

the Big Horns played their
last home game of the regular season
against Ennis on Wednesday
it was senior night
we were destroyed 50-7
Howie scored our lone touchdown
keeping his streak of at least
one touchdown in every game alive

Big Horn-Ennis Newsreel:
"who else but Howie Robin. . . "
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtuJMODNq8E

Yom Kippur 2017: Reflections and Touchdowns

September 25

my father died a year ago today
we were on our way to Colorado
to tell Micah about my diagnosis

he was a great man
the last time I saw him
I was visiting at Highgate
he was so happy to see me
he gave me such a big smile
I almost cried
the Mets won 17-1
on the day he died

I want to tell a story about him
when Stan was starting to date Pearl
he called her and she wasn't home
my aunt rose, my mother's younger sister
wouldn't take a message
'cause girls don't call boys

somehow they still got together
they met on the beach in Florida
Stan's pickup line was
to ask Pearl for a cigarette

September 27

I used to write
a reflection for the year
I have a lot to reflect on
it was the first anniversary
of my dad's death
looking at the yahrzeit candles
side by side set the tears rolling
mom and dad reunited

a lot has changed in the past year
I had my best night's sleep
in a long time after Kol Nidre services
I really enjoyed seeing everyone
the music, the rabbi's message
I shed a lot of tears
at the sight of friends
I hadn't seen in a while
I reflected about my life and death

September 28

the Big Horns won
their game this week 55-54
it was a barn burner
it went down to the final play
the Park City quarterback
tripped over his own player
and we sacked him
he tried to get up
and run another play
but the clock had expired
it was another one for the record books
Howie had three touchdowns
in the first half

October 2

I get closer to the end every day
we all do
I do not have the exclusive
on pain and discomfort
but I do have the right to complain
I can't eat anymore
brushing my teeth
has become torture
three times a day
my mouth muscles
no longer work
but I can still watch my son
catch miraculous touchdown passes
the meaning of life
is a mystery






See this newsreel for Howie Robin in action. . .

http://www.montanasports.com/2017/09/30/lone-peak-pulls-out-a-thriller-against-park-city/

Eye Gaze Report of the Weekend

Friday

we did yoga today
Jill had me on the floor
with Jackie and Bridget's help
on the floor
on my yoga mat
I was happy

Jill worked out
my legs and arms
it felt great
I might be sore tomorrow
but it will be OK

it felt so good to be on the floor
we even did sevasana
it was a miracle
the ladies were able
to lift me up
off the floor
onto my chair

Saturday

we woke up to snow today
I almost didn't go
to the football game
we won the game
two weeks in a row
blowouts 42-6, 55-6
Howie returned
the opening kickoff
for a touchdown
first time in
Big Horn, 8-man history

Sunday

today Klaudia came over
to play the piano
last week she played
classical music
including Chopin
today she played from
"The Greatest Songs Ever" book
show tunes, elvis presley
and the theme to the Godfather
Margy was here both times
it was awesome
I got to eat today
some chocolate mousse
just the right consistency
it was deliciousness
made by Curly

Amazing and Awesome

we ran into Beth at the Corral Bar
we were there with others
thinking about
Devon White
the co-owner of the Corral
at home and failing
another life cut short by cancer

Beth's son, Gus was there too
he got kicked in the throat
by his horse the day before Soulshine
he ended up with a trach
he got it removed two days ago
and here he was

I kept wanting to cry
but Beth wouldn't let me
She kept saying no
how amazing and awesome we were
every time I started to cry
she would repeat
how amazing and awesome we were
she would also say how
amazing and awesome
our kids are

she was relentless
kept telling me
how proud we need to be
of our own accomplishments
including our kids

we met Beth on July 4th, 1993
we were at the Corral for dinner
Beth was our waitress
we didn't know her
when our food came
she picked up Andrew
and carried him around
to her other tables
so we could eat

we went back the next night
'cause we liked the service and
wanted to see Beth again
a few years later
we were neighbors
in the Grey Wolf condos
Beth, another New Yorker
who became family