Since a bunch of people have asked and kindly sent their condolences, I thought I'd make an exception to my "game stuff only" posting rule and say a little something about my uncle Dave who passed away unexpectedly on Thursday night. He was my uncle, but because he was only 12 years older than me, he was also a good friend.
A laid back guy, who liked to play guitar, drink a little bit of beer, and mess about in boats. He and my aunt Helen have two children, my cousins Ian and Bonnie, and live in Beverly, Mass where they have a very cool house, which Dave has been working on over the years, and which was originally built before the Revolution. He is the youngest of my father's siblings, and everyone still treats him like the baby.
Like most of my extended family, his favorite place to be was Deer Island, NB, a tiny little place up off the most northeasterly coast of Maine where there is nothing to do BUT hang out, drink a little bit of beer, play guitar and mess about in boats. He would do just that when he went up there in the summers with the rest of the family.
Breaking out of tradition, we all went to Aruba a couple years ago for my cousin Matt's wedding, and while we were there Dave, my aunt Helen, cousin Bonnie and I went snorkeling -- something you just can't do in the chilly waters up in New Brunswick. Dave and I also made it to a Red Sox game last summer; which was the last time I saw him, since I didn't take the time out of my busy schedule to visit the island this year. That's a lesson in priorities I won't forget soon.
Dave was always the first one to have a good time, though, that's the way I'll remember him most. Whenever I'm hanging out, having a little bit of beer and messing about in boats, Dave will be in my memory. He would probably laugh at this little Internet memory and tell me to go out and have some fun. I'm going to try my best to take that advice.