Ernie - Old Friend & Old Neighbor

Ernie and Elma are almost the very last of this streets neighbors. They were living here since i was a baby. Ernie was a neighborhood fixture who had lots of character and heart. His life finally came to its close the middle of last year. He was almost 90! There is so much i can say about this man who i looked up at as a ol' Uncle of sorts.
He would still be driving around, collecting objects d'art and other miscellaneous items discarded in the area. He would spend his days either doing this or that, sometimes as i passed by he would be sitting by his tool room door just fiddling with something or another and having his daily beer or wind nearby. As i would drive passed i would honk or just shout out..."Hey Ernie!" and he would give me a wave back. I had a chance to spend a little time with him before he passed. I had to say my goodbyes to my old friend. Yup, i will miss him very much. There will never be another Ernie in my life but i do have a life full of memories...

Now Elma is still around but has had bad health. She was the one who rushed me to the hospital when i was 3 years old and had a bad accident here at home. She smoked all her life until it finally took its toll.
She has to have a oxygen tank to help her breath. I got the chance to spend a little time with her and ask her some questions i had in the back of my mind. It was good to sit there and chat. She is a real sweetheart!

I recently had the opportunity (and privilege) to do something helpful for Ernie and Elma (in his memory). The trees around the house were in need of some major trimming and i was able to help out. It was something personal for me to do and i enjoyed it regardless now labor intensive it was. All i could say was...Hey, Your Welcome Ernie, Thank You!...for being in my life.