Happy Birthday Marvin

It's hard to believe it has been 3 years since Marvin passed away. Today would have been his 65th birthday. I had to make a trip to the grocery store tonight to pick up a few things. I also purchased a bouquet of balloons so we could let them go for him.
Dylan asked me who the balloons were for and I told him that today is his Grandpa Marvin's birthday. Dylan asked if Grandpa Marvin was coming to visit for his birthday. I told him no, that Grandpa Marvin is in heaven with Great Grandpa Dallas, but we were going to let the balloons go and they would fly up to heaven so Grandpa Marvin could have balloons on his birthday. Dylan seemed to like that idea.

Bonaroo Wrap-up

A few years ago Ken Casey of the Dropkick Murphys came out to Tennessee National to play a round of golf before a show he was playing at the Valarium. Anyone who knows Dave knows that he is a music fan and Adam always has Dave play with any musicians that come out to play the course (Alice Cooper for instance). So Dave played with Ken and they became friends. Ken would call Dave to get a golf course recommendation or to see if Dave might be able to get him on a course. Dave even set Ken up to play Des Moines Golf and Country Club with Marvin and Kyle (Ken said it was the coldest round of golf he's ever played, it was snowing when they got to the 18th hole! That's Iowa for you!).

Ken gave Dave a call a few months ago saying that the Dropkick Murphys were going to be playing at Bonaroo and that he and Dave should meet up to play a few rounds of golf before the show. So on Saturday Dave and Bob went to Chattanooga to pick up Ken and play 18 holes at Black Creek Golf Club. After their round they picked up Al (the lead singer of the Dropkick Murphys) and went to dinner and had a great time swapping stories.

Sunday Dave, Bob and Ken had an early tee time at Canyon Ridge Golf Club in North Georgia where apparently no one played too well. After the round of golf Dave and Bob took Ken to meet up with the rest of the band at a Holiday Inn just outside of the Bonaroo to get ready for the show. All of the tour buses (30 or 40) for the different bands that played on Sunday were lined up in the parking lot of the Holiday Inn. The artists are shuttled in to Bonaroo and their stage in 15 passenger vans, which is what Dave and Bob rode into Bonaroo on with the Dropkick Murphys. No parking and walking for them!

The first band they saw was Against Me, the guys in the Dropkick Murphys are big fans of Against Me so they all went to see their show. Festivals like Bonaroo are really the only time bands can see different band play since they are generally touring with the same opening act for a while.

The Dropkick Murphys had to get ready for their show so Dave and Bob took a walk around Bonaroo (there are 4 stages at the festival) and saw Zach Brown Band, Jamey Johnson and John Fogarty play. Then they went back for the Dropkick Murphys show and were able to sit at the soundboard backstage and watch the show since they were lucky enough to have artist access passes. During the second song of the Dropkick Murphys show a van pulled up and a guy with a bass jumps out with a couple of security guards and an entourage. It turns out the bass player from the Dave Matthews Band is a huge fan of the Dropkick Murphys and wanted to play a song with them, so he got on stage and jammed for one song with Dropkick. The Dropkick Murphys played an awesome show and had the crowd going crazy. They also said, "This song goes out to our good friends Bob and Dave!" before playing the song Forever. Bob said there were crickets when the dedication was made and then when the song started playing everyone was going crazy again. I am sure everyone was wondering who Bob and Dave were!

After the Dropkick Murphys show Dave and Bob went to see Phoenix play, ate dinner in the artist tent and saw Dave Matthews play. The Dropkick Murphys were headed to New Orleans for their next show so Dave and Bob said their goodbyes and got on the road home.

I'm going to say the only way I'd want to experience Bonaroo was the way they did!

Birthday dinner

Today would be Marvin's 63rd birthday. We are going to celebrate it by going to our favorite mexican restaurant, Chez Guavara. Marvin had taken us there a few times when he & Carolyn would visit and loved their margaritas as much as we do, so we decided Chez Guavara would be the place to go. We've also invited a few friends to go with us to dinner, in true Marvin style, everytime he & Carolyn would visit he would always ask if we wanted to invite friends to dinner. Dave is the same way, whenever we go anywhere, he's always calling someone to see if they want to come along with us.
Tonight should be a good time for all of us to share stories, since everyone that's coming had met Marvin multiple times, that's what he would want, for us to be out having fun on his birthday, that's what he would be doing. He lived everyday to the fullest and enjoyed every minute, he knew he was on borrowed time. I guess we are all on borrowed time, WE have to remember to seize the day. Carpe diem

One year

Today is a hard day for our family. Today it will be one year since Dave's dad Marvin passed away. It's hard to believe it's already been a year. As I'm sure those of you who have lost someone close to them know it's the little things that remind you of someone and make you miss them. When we were buying my Jeep last year we had so many questions that we would have called Marvin about, but couldn't. He was Dave's go to for everything. He always had an answer for us and helpful advise, we miss that. We were at church a few weeks ago and the Apostles Creed was the response, the Apostles Creed was also read at Marvin's funeral. Everytime I hear it now it makes me cry. I know it's been a hard day for everyone who knew Marvin. He is still greatly missed by his family and friends. He touched so many lives, even people who had only met him once or twice have a great "Marvin" story.
Rest in peace Marvin, we miss you every day.

The Apostles Creed
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ,
His only Son, our Lord:
Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell.
On the third day He rose again from the dead.
He ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty,
from there He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Holy Christian Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
Amen.