Brother Dave

You may already know that Bev and I brought my younger Brother Dave back to Arizona with us when we returned from out 2 plus month road trip, if not let me tell you now that we did. Our reason was supposedly so he could do some painting for us and Lisa and just spend some time on vacation or R&R if you will in Arizona with our family.

Dave is 6 1/2 years younger that I am and as you might imagine growing up we didn't have too much in common other than him being my kid brother and me being the big older brother. Like when I was say 12 and in my glory in little league he was but a lad of 5 1/2 and I don't even remember Mom bringing him to our games that often. When I was 15 - 16 and getting a permit and then license to drive he would have been 9 1/2 or 10 and really not involved in the same things I'd be doing or trying. When I was 18 years old and heading to the military, USAF for four years, Dave was 11 1/2 and not even a teenager yet. Dave probably did most of his growing up, his formative years if you will while I was away for those four years. Dave would have went from 12 to 16 during my military service and from 16 to 18 while I was moving around the United States from Oklahoma to Arizona back in 1970 to late in 1971.

I really didn't get to know my brother much other than brief encounters on Sundays at the folks house or what family outings I might have attend before or after getting married. When I got married at age 25 Dave would have been 18 1/2 and chopping at the bit to get the hell out of the church and back with his friends. Don't get me wrong it's not that I didn't love by brother or see him as often as I could, we just had too many years between us to do much bonding it seems.

Now I can say after only two weeks with Dave here with us it seems I've learned so much more about him, his life and his family and friends. I'm totally enjoying sitting down and talking with him and learning more about him and his life and times. Sure Dave came out here to do some painting and help me around the place get some stuff done, but he's having a hard time taking a break. I want him to enjoy himself too and hope he stays longer than we both might have had in mind when this all started. Something I'm trying to let him know over and over is he and or we don't have to be working every day, we can take it easy now and then also. One thing that I have to stop and think about now and again while we're working it yes he's my kid brother but he is 57 years old and not a young rooster anymore either. I find myself thinking.....Dave can do it, he's by little brother and I can sit back a bit but that's no longer the case. Those years of difference we had when we both were much younger don't seem to be that big of a difference anymore, we're both older and need a rest now and then (more now than then!).

I hope to become closer and also hope we both learn a great deal more about one another during this visit, life it too short and we have so much catching up to do. I love my brother and me and my family are glad he's here with us.