Passing of Birdman...ode to a Stonebridge resident

If you ever followed our personal blog, you know all about the birdhouse fiasco across the street from our old house in West Virginia. Leo and I would plot and devise way to rid ourselves of the 14 birdhouses across the street from our home.

I remember vividly, the day a most brilliant storm whipped through our area and knocked the poor "gourd" house down... I was immediately on the phone with my fellow neighbors rejoicing in the event... only to look out my window mere moments later to see that it was being repaired and placed back into an upright position, once again.

The male owner of this birdhouse became sick before we left our first home. He always had back problems so we assumed we hadn't seen him due to his back hurting... but no, it was an aggressive form of brain cancer. And... despite our differences over the birdhouse (and their infamous driveway where their van lost control one day and nearly took out our garage) we enjoyed the birdman and it was always something to talk about... like our cars looking as though they were parked at a beachside resort from all the droppings.

Yesterday, we received the call from Boomer's Godparents (they lived right next door to us)... the owner of the birdhouse died. He is gone... second neighbor in about a year. Both to cancer. One neighbor suffered for years and the other had little time to battle... virtually inoperable. It's a sad day here at the Goosie and Boomer house. Despite differences that you have with someone, you NEVER wish to hear of someone's loss. He was a brother, husband, grandfather, son, and neighbor... Now, he flies with his friends, the birds, soaring through Heaven.