In Other News

Today marks the 113th running of the Boston Marathon. Our family has an interesting connection to the mother of all marathons, due to this incredible young woman, Jean Driscoll (shown here holding my sweet and growing way too fast, grandson, Teddy, at the reception following Dad's funeral on March 13th). Up until today, Jean had won the Boston Marathon more times than any other athlete (today the winner of the men's wheelchair division tied Jean's record of 8 wins). My brother, Marty was her coach for all the years she was competing. Today she works at the University of IllinoisChampaign/Urbana in the program which my brother helped to develop and produced some of the finest wheelchair athletes in the world. She is also a very busy motivational speaker. Because, she is best friends with my brother and his wife, she has become a member of our family. Every year on Marathon day many of us would gather in the early morning in Boston, and while Jean was making her way to the starting line with all the other runners, we would have a beautiful breakfast at the Four Seasons private dining room overlooking the Public Gardens and the swan boats in Boston. After the breakfast, we would all begin the walk to the Copley Plaza hotel, where we would watch the beginning of the race on the TV in Jean's room. Dad was always with us and he LOVED that day. When the runners were getting close to Boston, we would head over, with our VIP tickets to be at the finish line to see Jean come in. There were tears of joy and lots of shrieking. Happy, happy times. Thus, when Dad died, Jean made time in her very hectic life to be with us all. She is a delight and beautiful inside and out.
The picture of Teddy with Jean is a little over a month ago, and below is Teddy last week with his Daddy.
Teddy had just shown Nana how he can now roll over...he even surprised himself.
Teddy with his own personal guard cat, Sting.
Update on the catnapping of Ms G....her captor made mention of the fact that she might be returned home tonight if conditions were just right. In a second statement, he described the toys he is making her and how she is begging him to play fetch......a return sounds unlikely.