OXOXOX

Miss your hugs, miss your kisses,
Thankful am I, you were my Mrs.
Hear our prayer.
Joseph

20 years ago, today

What a day it was, too.
I was never so happy,
so sure that I was lucky;
that I'd hit the jackpot
on the big dice roll of
life, laughter and love.
Still, after all these years,
you are my breath, my joy,
my smile and my tears...
my heart and soul. Love!

Remembering New Years W/U

So many we spent together
So few do I remember
They seem as if forever
We'd drink a cup of kindness.
Sadness is tense : Present...
Always, all days.
Love you. Miss you. 'Bye
OXOXOX, Joseph

9-27-55

Happy Birthday, Baby !!!

I used to joke 'n poke:

"You're as old as Rock 'n Roll,

and as young as Disneyland. "

You came in as

Albert Einstein, Theda Bara,

Charlie Parker, James Dean,

Cy Young and Carmen Miranda

were just making their exit.

A little bit of each of them

lived on through you...

They left us, content in knowing

that we were in good hands.

How I miss, how I'd kiss

the sweetness

of your good hands.

Happy Birthday Sis

We're all missing you so much dear Denise. I just wanted to wish you a happy birthday - I know you're off on a heavenly hike somewhere and I'm remembering your beautiful smile and hearty laugh.....I love you.
Neine

Better Than I Knew Myself

How...
why would a beauty
such as she fall
for a stumblebum
fool like me?

Love me...
All of me...
As if I’d no past ?
She didn’t care,
She never asked.

Maybe,
I made her laugh...
Well, not really.
Everything she did,
she did freely.

Up all night
listening

to heartbreak jazz,
Progressive jazz
Up with which
she would put
only so much!

“I gotta tell ya’:
Drum solos...?
Bass solos
and such....?
skat ‘n all that...?"

"Wait, here’s Louis 'n Ella.”

Suddenly: a stream...
a shovel of melodies,
showtunes, oldies...
dreams of life
and love from
the Big Band theora
comes over the air
and saves the night.

I stop what I’m doing.
Glazed, shot eyes shut,
I’m dancing with her again
In my mind we glide...
Outta sight.

She swirls, I sway,
She twirls, I . . . sway,
She smiles...I fall.
(“Damn it all”).
Then She’d say,
Above the laughter...

“You know you’re dreaming, right ? ”

I’m up all night,
after night, after...
"Isn't it a Lovely Day?"

June 16th, 2009
Denise, m'luv !
Muse who amused.
Happy Bloomsday
Bunny2Bear

Her Apron

I am baking a home-made, chocolate birthday cake for my son-in-law in Denise's apron today. Each time I put this apron on, I am inspired by her enthusiasm for cooking, not ordinary things, but delicious and exotic meals. Her spice rack was a journey through the world. She had them all....and used them all.

This green and white striped apron, with all the smudges and stains, brings Denise back to me. While we visited Joe and Denise during her last weeks, I knew she would never wear the apron again. So I asked Joe if I could have it as a memento of Denise. He thought I was crazy, but nothing says Denise to me like her apron. It is a symbol for me to always try my best because she always did.

I love her and her work ethic. She never settled for the ordinary, and wearing this apron challenges me to be a better cook. Cholly and I have enjoyed some of my finest meals, thanks to the apron. I am online now, looking for a recipe for French onion soup. I've never attempted it before, but I have many onions in the cupboard and instead of letting them go to waste, I thought.....what would Denise do? You know she wouldn't throw them out. She was very frugal.

Your grateful sister-in-law.
Bridget

long time:seems like yesterday

Denise, I love you still...
But, I'd love you moving yet.
You know, I always will
remember to never forget
that day; the night we cried
so hard we laughed out loud.
So strange, standing outside
in front of the usual crowd.
Alone, a tall lawman
put down his drink
and held up a Good Book:
"Will you take each others' hand"?
We did, and all others foresook.

Celebration of Denise - June 28, 2008

Hello Lovely Sister of Mine-

It was a beautiful day in San Diego for your service. The sky was so blue, the comforting warmth of the sun and the setting at Aunt Joyce and George's was picture perfect. They were so gracious in offering their home and had the most beautiful flowers and candles for you. We had photos of you on dislplay from infancy on and newspaper articles written about you in your performing days with Sharkey and a dvd playing with many pictures of you that brought back so many memories.

There was a wonderful gathering of family and friends who prepared and brought good old North Dakota "comfort" food and shared their memories of you - lots of funny stories, so we had some good laughs. Those who could not be there, called or sent flowers and cards. It was truly a celebration of your life Denise.

Now that your service has taken place, I'm having a really tough time coming to grips with the finality of it all. I'm still waiting to wake up from this very bad dream - it still seems so surreal. When we were growing up, it was sometimes Mom and the three of us kids against the world and now that you're gone, I feel lost and don't know what I'm going to do without you.

Ok, I can hear you now "enough of the pity party sis, just get on with living life and I'll always be with you" - and so I will.

I love you.

Neine

Felt at ease with straight away

We were all very sorry to hear of Denise's illness and her passing. We only had the pleasure of Denise's company on one occasion. It was during the visit of the Sharkey clan to Donegal and I met them all when they visited my mothers house. It was great to meet our cousins that we had heard about from my mother (Kathleen). Of course we had met Bridget and Charlie many times, as they were and are frequent visitors to Donegal. They visited my mothers house in Carrickfinn one evening and we spent the evening talking and laughing. I remember Denise as a bright and bubbly person and was the kind of person whose company you felt at ease with straight away. The following evening we spend a lovely night at the local pub in Mullaghduff. If I remember rightly a few nice creamy pints of Guinness and maybe even the odd half of Irish whiskey were enjoyed!
- cousin, Denis Duffy (Kathleen's son from Carrickfinn, Donegal)