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Richard died last week.
Richard was my closest and four years older brother. I really thought that I wouldn't have this feeling I have upon his death. We really didn't get along very well during the time we were growing up. Mainly because of the four years difference in our ages. I had five siblings. My oldest brother, my older sister, both still alive and my brother Richard, who died recently. My closest younger brother died about 20 years ago and my baby brother is still alive. I received a short message from my sister informing me of Richard’s death. She was as close to Richard as I was to Glenn. Only about a year and a half apart.
Now I know what my father felt as he witnessed the death of his siblings one at a time and wondering who would be next.
Richard was the brains of the family. Many years of college and worked as a college professor, the rest of his life.
Now, I have to make the decision whether or not to go to his funeral services.
The doctor’s appointment schedule, the airplane schedule, and the finances, all worked out.
We flew to Michigan on Friday. The funeral was Sunday and Monday. We flew back to Seattle. On Wednesday it was back to the VA for another appointment. Thursday, we prepared and send a LBC Bullock Bayan box home a couple days ahead of us.
Tomorrow is my last appointment at the VA with my primary doctor here in Seattle.
I will be damn glad to get out of this big city. I've been a country boy most of my life. And I really enjoy living in the jungle.

It is good you went. I did not go to my moms funeral, and I regret it ( I guess, not real sure). It is just too long of a soap opera to repeat it here. I stayed away to deny by druggie brother the pleasure of seeing my face. He had interfered and manipulated my mother for the last 7 years, just as he done for the previous 50 years. I always had to "go along" when my dad was alive, cause the two of them would make it hell for my dad. Once my dad was gone, I no longer had to play their games. I left them to each other. I went up to the funeral home several hours in advance of the funeral, made my peace and went home to set in the timber.

Drugs and mental illness are rampant in this screwed up place anymore.