My Brother Duane
We drove up to my Mom's lake house and were delighted that my brother, Duane happened to be there too. It was great cause we hadn't been together for quite a few months.My brother Duane , is my only brother, so whenever we are together there is a special bond between us. We just mesh! lol From the time he was little, and I being his big sister, a couple of years older, I always felt a need to look after him. Duane and I played together all the time as kids, he and I liked to swim and when my Dad was stationed at Elsworth, AFB in SD, we used to roll down the biggest hill you have ever seen in a giant tractor tire where you would go round and round all the way down and pray the kids at the bottom of the hill would catch you. If the kids couldn't catch you and the tire should fall, it would usually knock the air out of you for some reason. While living there, a bratty kid shot my brother in the stumach with a BB gun and I had to run and get my Mom.
Later, we moved to Riverside, CA . Duane was in boyscouts, we loved to ride our bikes together, we always were trying to build a fort, and we loved to hike up the Big C Mountain where we lived at the base of the mountain. It would take us about 2 hours to reach the Letter "C" that was painted way up towards the top of the mountain. We would take packed lunches. Once we would arrive, we would take pieces of cardboard and slide down the huge concrete letter. It was terribly fun!
We lived here a little over 5 years, the longest I had ever lived in one State. California, still to this day is my favorite place I have ever lived out of the 17 or so States I have lived. It was here that we would jump over our back fence and land smack in the middle of the best playground a kid had ever seen. One particular day that we laugh about now, was just awful then, we had wrapped the middle swings up high and straddled a bench on the two
end swings making a perfect bench swing. While my brother pushed me on the bench, I urged him to run under and upon doing so he bashed his head, There he was covered in blood, in a panic, I was trying to figure out how to not tell Mom and Dad. Luckily, this only lasted a couple of minutes, but I still feel awful about it. He ended up having to get stitches and was fine.Once I was 18.. and moved away and got married, he finished high school and went off to go to the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, NE. From there he went on to graduate from Law school in Chicago, IL.
He was an Attorney of Law and worked in the Sears Tower building when I got to go visit him in his upscale loft apartment on the like "sky high floor level". hehe! Being as this was my first trip away from my hubby and three young children at the time, I was just amazed. This was my little bro and look at him...so sucessful.
God worked wonders one day and we were all able to move to the Tampa Bay area where we have lived for the last 15 years. Pictured is my brother, first one on the right. We were celebrating Thanksgiving. Chrystal took the picture. :)
Since moving to Tampa, Duane has added a couple more degrees while attending USF. He is now a High School Math Teacher with 7 classes a day! His kids love him...as much as kids can love a Math Teacher! hehe!
Duane has been a single handsome bachelor for 43 years, and last March he announced at lunch one day, that he was getting married. Imagine my shock! As this was the first I had even heard he was seeing or dating anyone!
So it is just the two of us hoping you will come back for part II of My Brother Duane. Meanwhile,thank you for all your prayers and well wishes, my ear infection has eased up and I feel much better. Hope you are all enjoying the day, and that should you reflect back on days gone by, it is with fond memories.
posted by Pamela @ 2:08 PM
13 Comments:
Oh Pamela, how lovely. This seems to be big brother day. Kpjara at Can You Hear Me Now posted about her big brother today, too. You both have given me inspiration for a future post.
Congratulations on his upcoming marriage. I'll look forward to part 2.
Congratulations to Duane on his upcoming marriage! Looking forward to part 2!
BTW I have to agree CA is a great place to live...
Glad you're feeling better Pamela. I can't tell you how much I love these warm, family memories. You have had such special times with your little brother. I am impressed with how daring you were. I don't believe I would have been brave enough to roll down that hill in a tire. And if I was, I'd be nauseous for the rest of the day :)
Thanks for sharing your brother with us. He sounds like a great guy. I'm anxious to hear part 2.
Duane and my brother have a lot in common! My brother married when he was 44 1/2. I know my Dad had been praying and praying hard! He is the only brother I have (I have three sisters) so the only one to carry on the family name and that is VERY important to an Irish Catholic! He is now the proud father of little Matthew born almost a year after he was married.
Miracle do happen. Congratulations and thanks for sharing!
How wonderful that you're so close to your only brother:-) I have 4 brothers, two older and two younger...I'm close to all of them but it's just a shame that we live fairly far apart, the two oldest ones in British Columbia! Isn't it amazing the stuff we used to do when we were growing up...makes you wonder how we survived some of those adventures! lol xoxo
What a great story - isn't it amazing what we used to be able to do for fun and not worry about lawsuits, being abducted or worse?? Sounds like my childhood in a lot of ways.
HOw exciting that he finally fell in love!
I'm so glad I'm not alone in this "lostness" of this age.
I am the oldest and unfortunately my brother and sister live far away from me but they live in the same town and that makes me happy because I know they probably sit and talk about me and how I used to protect them from everything when We all were little. Glad to hear your brother has met someone special and the he is so successful and you are feeling much better.
I just love stories like these!!
I never had a brother, all sisters, but I loved watching my son and daughter grow up together!!
:-D
I'm so I didn't know you were sick. Glad to here you are feeling better. I loved hearing about the memories from your childhood. I think every kid should have a sibling. It makes life so interesting.
Oh, I just read your comment on my blog. Thanks for your advice and your sweet compliment.
What awesome memories you and Duane have. I love reading this because my older son and daughter are very close and would do crazy stuff together as kids all the time. I think he once got bashed in the head by her swing when we were in Ft. Sill.
Can't wait to hear the second part. Congratulations to your brother and I hope he has many years of happiness as a married man.
A math teacher, that's wonderful. I love teachers and the world needs to have good one's like Duane.
I loved meeting Duane through your post. Family... what a blessing indeed especially when they are also your friends! Keep us posted on the wedding.
Blessings,
Nancy
Pam, I am ashamed that I have not been by for a visit in awhile. I am enjoying catching up and wanted to say that the story about you and your brother was so endearing to read. In addition, the photos were great!
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