KOOLAU TREES

Aloha,
It has been several days now since I've spent any time here. Was busy with finishing my plumbing on my new house. The building process in time consuming especially when you are dealing with a skill that you normally don't do. I did make a couple of mistakes and had to retrace my footsteps. That though is not a bad thing. Every time you goof you learn. My uncle was a plumber. He had his own business on Long Island. He was my mother's brother, and my uncle, but beyond that he was my friend and protector. He saw in me this rebellious but translucent kid that he sort to lift up to a new level. He did have the addiction to alcohol that seemed to permeate the males in the Fritz family. This guy could drink a whole bottle of scotch at dinner. That was followed by many beers and shots at the neighborhood bar, while running the pool table, walking away with everyone's money. I sat in amazement watching this Dean Martin look alike show me what real men did, at least I thought so. We would stand there in his back yard watching the sun rise. Uncle Ray was a hell of a guy. He died of White Lung, a disease associated with those who worked around asbestos. His flask of scoth was holstered to his oxygen tank....a Long Island cowboy. I raise my glass of red wine to him. Rest in peace my friend. Order another round on me at the heavenly bar you sit at now. When I got out of the Navy he gave me his Buick convertible. They were a different breed. My cousins, his sons are my great friends these days and they drink me under the table. We do sit at a table called family however, and it spins in one direction, that of love. Trees grow in the most incredible places.