Dearest friends,
I have been away, off and on, for the past several weeks. My father has been battling congestive heart failure for 3 years and finally decided to rest this past Saturday, November 7th. I had a desperate need to participate in the last part of his life; without friends like JohnHannahRules and Marima, I could not have stayed focused on that mission. They are truly wonderful people.
My father was a Bostonian all his life. Starting out in Jamaica Plain, his family later moved to Somerville, MA. When he married a skinny red head from the sticks of Lexington, MA, they lived in Somerville for a time, moved to their first house in Billerica, MA, and then settled in Woburn, MA where my mother remains today.
He loved baseball more than any other sport. No matter how much he tried to explain the intricacies of the game, I couldn't grab hold and ultimately settled on football. The World Series wins were an immeasurable high point in his life. He didn't sleep for days, listening to every radio broadcast and watching every television special he could. He loved football and was deeply proud of this blog, but the Red Sox would remain his obsession, a "man cave" covered in memorabilia left as testament.
My dad was a frequent "lurker" and, as any dad should be, duly proud. An interview with a sportswriter or player brought a "Well, my son interviewed..." to every conversation he had. I'm happy to have given him those moments.
I will be back in the mix Thursday morning in preparation for our big matchup. Until then, you are in the best of hands.