Kontiki Reunion 2013

This is a charity event to raise awareness of ovarian cancer. My friend Denny and his band the Barker Gang play every year. This year I ran the video camera so only captured a few shots on my phone. 

Had a fun night. Entered a raffle. First time I ever won anything in a raffle. Won twice. A Billy Sheehan signed photo and Blondie's  sign set list on drum covers. 

Thoughts on Dad and his life

Oh boy, where do I start? 

He taught me the beauty and power of nature. He made me into the lover of nature I am. Maybe more than he had hoped for, as he often called me a crazy environmentalist. He thought I loved nature too much at times. And that my favorite nature author, Henry David Thoreau, was just a touch over the edge.

He taught me to be brave. Which is probably one of the most useful skills he taught me. It has helped me in so many aspects of my life.

He taught me to appreciate a good thunderstorm.

So it was quite ironic that the morning I set out to head toward his wake my morning run conisided with a  thunderstorm. A mile out the sky opened up. I was caught in a downpour and completely drenched in thirty seconds. I could hear him questioning my decision to run on that particular morning. Then the thunder started -- I heard him even louder cautioning on being near water in a storm, so I sprinted home.

Most of my life I had a close relationship with my Dad, but not so much the rest of my family. His wake and funeral provided closure for me in more ways than one. And also allowed me to see that life is heading in a new direction. Time to write a new chapter. But where to go from here...

I wasn't given the opportunity to speak at his funeral, but this is what I would have liked to have shared:

As a little girl he taught me to be brave and not to fear the dark and thunderstorms, to appreciate nature, family, friends and life. But most of all how to love and appreciate your children.

Dad was the most amazing man I ever knew. He loved nature, and was kind and friendly to everyone, even those he didn't particularly like. Everyone loved my Dad. I never met anyone who ever said a bad thing about him. Every man I ever dated, the man I married and later divorced, always liked him and remained friendly with him, because he was that kind of man. He loved his family, past, present and future. Everyone I told of his passing said to me "he was such a great man."

He was a lover of art, poetry, music, books, nature and life.

He was an artist and a poet. As a little girl I would sit in his studio in the basement and watch him paint and draw for hours. We never really said anything. I just watched him. Every once in a while he would call me over and show me how to "see" certain things. I attribute this to my ability to see things at a deeper level today.  I watched him design the house that he and my mother grew old together in. Building each room carefully and skillfully.

He could recite a poem right out of his head. When I was young he would recite "The Duel" over and over. I think he recited that poem to every child in our family.  One of my favorite poems he would recite was Robert Frost "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" most often at bedtime. I still remember how he would say the last lines… "and miles to go before I sleep. And miles to go before I sleep." I brought a book of Emily Dickinson poems one day whenI came to visit and he started reciting her work and telling me about her life. He also wrote the most beautiful poems from the depths of his heart about those he loved most -- his family and my mother. The last birthday card he sent me, was the most beautifully written card. I knew, as I read it, it was to be the last one he would send. I think he did too.

He loved music. I remember listening to Herb Alpert and Rosemary Clooney, Frank Sinatra and various other swing tunes.  He always had the stereo playing; wanting to teach me the jitterbug. I was always amused listening to him sing "Yesterday" in the shower at the top of his lungs.  My daughter, Jamie,  called him a crooner because she loved the way he would sing the hits of the swing era. He was definitely a crooner.

He was a great story teller, he told stories of growing up that were full of detail and humor. He could take you back to when he was a young boy in a second. You could see and feel his experiences through his story telling. The antics of him and his siblings growing up in the 40's. I always loved to hear about his life as a kid. It provided such insight into who he was as a man. It wasn't always a happy story, but it was always well told and entertaining; full of historical facts and adventure.

The last time I came to visit Dad we went to Jug Bay, and Merkle Wildlife Area.   We walked around the area and he pointed out birds and plants and fish as we walked along the path. He pulled up his binoculars and showed me the house from the other side of the river. He sat and watched the birds as I took photos of them and the area, and of him. It always amazed me how he could point out points of interest from where ever he was. He always knew exactly where he was. Where north, south, east and west were. Although leaving there he did tell me me to turn the wrong way, because the GPS was wrong, and we got lost for a few minutes. He, of course would deny this. "We just took a detour." Because he knew I caught his sense of exploring.  He loved being in nature.  When I drove across the country I later visited him we went through every place I explored. I told him about each area. He said it was like being there looking at my photos. I wished he could have been with me. I know I would have seen and learned so much more. I thought it was ironic that the painting in the hall of the funeral home looks just like MWA. I paused when I saw it and reflected on that day with him. A day I will always treasure.

Watching geese at Merkle

He had the knowledge of one hundred men! He always knew the answer to everything. Driving down from New England Chris kept asking me questions about the area. I would reply, "I don't know, but my Dad would have." He knew every bird that flew in the sky, every fish that swam in the ocean, river and lake he went to. He taught me to respect the praying mantis. And locusts.  And snakes. And that collecting insects and turtles was alright, as long as I returned them. He knew the history of every place he visited. He loved lighthouses, the ocean, and the Maryland coast. He said that Maryland was the best state in the union. That the sun always shined in Calvert County. It was true the day of his funeral, the sun was shining bright. It was a beautiful blue sky, with puffy white clouds, and Chris, who unfortunately never met my Dad, saw a group of turtles sitting on a log near the shore of a pond not far from where he was laid to rest, and said "your dad would like that," I said he sure would.

Dad and Bean blowing bubbles.

As a grown woman he taught me to be brave and not to fear the dark, to enjoy thunderstorms, to appreciate nature, family, friends and life. To accept your children as they are and love your grand children with all your heart.  And that I was cared for and taught how to live life by an extraordinary man.

Robert Riggins

June 6, 1930 ~ August 28, 2013

Run to the Rock 10K (also 5k and half marathon)

  I ran this race with my niece, Ginette in 2011 and we wanted to make an annual thing, but last year I was  injured and she ran the half. This year we decided on the 10K and thought we'd upgrade if we were feeling frisky. We weren't feeling frisky. So the 10K it stayed.

Race morning I got up showered had a banana, grabbed a Dunkin for Chris and myself. He drove to Plymouth, which is an hour plus drive. We got there early so I had another banana and downed a 32 oz water bottle. I looked around for my niece. I told Chris "I don't know, I feel like I haven't run in a year." I was really working myself up. By the time I found Ginette her Dad had left for the finish line. We chatted for a bit, and I had to pee really bad so I got in line for the port-a-potty. She came looking for me looking very worried.  LOL We lined up. After the week we both felt we were pretty much doomed!! She told me not to wait for her, because her running had be awful too, and just run my own pace. So I agreed. And told her the same. 

We lined up in the very back. The first mile is a lot of little rolling hills, that I had forgotten about, and one big hill right about mile one. After about a half mile I was feeling good, weaving in and out, but had to keep reminding myself of the big one coming up, so I held back. I turned the corner and saw the hill and thought "oh crap I don't remember it being so high." About half way up my legs were burning and I kept warning to walk but I was determined to make the hill. And wool!! I did. After that I felt like I had it. I felt really good.

I stopped at every water stop. They have one every mile or there about. I carried a GU with me. I had never tried doing this in a race, but I thought this was doomed anyway, why not. At mile 3 my watch said 27:40. I was feeling pretty good about finishing in an hour. At mile 4 I took the GU and two cups of water (only filled 1/2 way). I had a lull in my running after taking it, but found my rhythm again about a 1/2 mile later. It was a beautiful day for a run. I saw a guy running in these stiff, kind of like women's dress sandals. I was so amazed watching his foot strike and observing him. The water was beautiful. Mile 5 seemed to disappear. So I didn't check my time and couldn't gauge where I was. Then I saw the finish line. 

When I saw 57:40 minutes on the clock. I kicked it into high gear. It was funny a lot of people started yelling and cheering when I did that. I remember this one guy "say YEAH that's the way to kick it. GO, GO, Go!!!" Made me laugh, so I'm sure I probably have a funny look on my finishing photo.  I was flying after finishing in under an hour. 58:14 chip time. I felt awesome!!! I haven't broken an hour in a 10K in probably 10 years.  Felt really good to have everything just turn around like that.  The temp was perfect around 60 but warmed up quickly, but still not too bad. I think it was 74 at the finish. I was running along saying 'thank you' to all the volunteers and police and felt really good, even though NONE of the cops acknowledged me at all. Except the one at the finish chute. 

I looked for the guy with the sandals, but there were too many people. I wanted to talk to him about that. I understand, sort of the barefoot running thing, but sandals I was really interested in hearing about. 

My niece's Dad came up to my and said "what'd you do with my daughter" I said she told me to keep running...he replies "so you just left her in the dust" and we laughed. She actually did well too finishing in 1:04. I always have a great time running with Ginette, both times I've run this I've had a good time. So enjoyable running with family. 

Went back to her Dad's place on the water walked on the beach, collected some rocks, and put my feet in the cold New England water and headed home. It was a really fantastic day!! Even though my Dad never watched me run a race I felt like he was there watching me from where ever he is. 

Beach at Plymouth

Run to the Rock 10K

Chris picking up rocks

RIP Pop

I will miss you...

Driving home MD to MA

In PA. At a rest stop. Chris couldn't believe the size of these...