As my mind clears of the sorrow, I can now remember many many fun times with Doug.
The last memory I have of him was here at my house. We had invited him over for dinner and a movie. This was back on Jan 5, 2008. One thing I can remember and haven't been able to bring myself to prepare since is Doug loved my Roast Beef. That night I made Roast beef, fresh mashed potatoes, fresh green beans and biscuits and gravy!!!. Wish I could stomach the sight of that meal once again. Over dinner we caught up and laughed about the old times and he confideded in me his fears, uncertainty and his happiness for the future. Being close to his family once again, close to his nieces and nephews and being able to have the time now to visit and have Kalyn visit more often. God how he missed that little girl. I remember remenissing about some of the wacky stuff we did and him laughing. Oh how he laughed, how I miss that. Red faced full throttle laughing till you couldn't breathe. The type of laugh that from Doug he HAD to place one hand near his face, one finger on the side of his nose and lean on his hand. It seems many of my more recent memories have to do with dinner dates. Another time he came here for dinner was St. Patty's day one year. Being Irish myself as is my husband, I did the tradional dinner, Corned beef, potatoes and a vegatable of some sort ( I don't do cabbage, its stinks up the house). Well I got a little over zellus with the food coloring in the potatoes and instead of lite green, they came out neon green. Doug stared at them like I was insane but being ever so polite and comical he just commented that the coloring won the battle and sat down to a good home cooked meal and good friends and old stories.
As I can still now sit back and think of the many many years of memories, more and more become vivid and easier for me to put into writing.
Doug was involved in my wedding and had helped me hide my husband's wedding gift for me for nearly 6 months prior to my rehersal dinner when I was to give it to our best man to present to my soon to be husband the following morning.
Well Doug and I have always been the type of friends that were very flirty with each other. So he arrived at the dinner and we go to a dark corner of the restaurnt so he can give me the box with my father in law's Navy Dog tags that he had remade for me to give Bobby. I remember hearing the whispers from my "soon to be" family of what is she doing hiding in a corner with another man all huddled close?? I could do nothing but laugh and play into it more by hugging him and walking back to the main party with my arm around him. Bobby knew of my way with Doug and took no offense to it what so ever, but the look on my future family's faces was classic. It is something that I will never forget...
