Saturday, December 31, 2016

Times Long Past*


I had a few ideas for a post today, but that's all in the wind, for now.

Found out that one of our long time readers, and a frequent commenter here, snuffyny, known to his friends and loved ones as Joe Welsh, passed away on the 29th of December.

He had a blog, though he hadn't written anything recently, he'd been doing it since 2011. He would often leave a link to one of his old posts in a comment. I enjoyed that.

Joe hadn't been well lately, though I had hoped he'd turned the corner.

Sigh...

It was not to be.

I'm going to miss him, he was a good man.

Joseph Welsh, self-portrait
"...witness to gone times, and to graces gone with time." - Sylvia Plath
Through many countries and over many seas
I have come, Brother, to these melancholy rites,
to show this final honour to the dead,
and speak (to what purpose?) to your silent ashes,
since now fate takes you, even you, from me.
Oh, Brother, ripped away from me so cruelly,
now at least take these last offerings, blessed
by the tradition of our parents, gifts to the dead.
Accept, by custom, what a brother’s tears drown,
and, for eternity, Brother, ‘Hail and Farewell’. 
Gaius Valerius Catullus
Ave atque vale!




* Auld Lang Syne

7 comments:

  1. I love this blogging thing, but I hate losing friends I've never met.

    Sorry for your loss.

    ReplyDelete
  2. It is the way of all life to know good times and bad, and pass on. It makes the good sweeter, and the bad sometimes more painful. But we take comfort in having known the good, and are the richer for it. The sadness passes in time, leaving the good memories behind. We share your sadness, Sarge.

    ReplyDelete
  3. So sorry to hear. While there's never a good time to lose a friend, it seems a tough way to close out the year!
    R.I.P Joe!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I was just looking back at another year that was particularly troublesome for me because my list of friends dwindled quite a bit.
    Then I was reminded that's a penalty for living a long life and building find memories and friendships.
    I think I will continue to try making new friends.

    ReplyDelete

Just be polite... that's all I ask. (For Buck)
Can't be nice, go somewhere else...

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