My friend Nick

I like to think of Nick as one of my dear friends, and I wasn't sure if he shared the same sentiment until this Easter when I brought him over Easter dinner.

... Nick lives across the street from me in a smaller cabin with a large round window. On June 7th of this year Nick had his 94th birthday.

When I use to come up to Minnesota in the summers I remember seeing him around at Charlie's fish fry's. I remember hearing my grandpa and grandma talk about him when I stayed with him. But I never really knew Nick until a few years ago when I first dropped off a "may day" basket for him.

In the winter time when the snow piles up, Nick is the first one out shoveling his driveway. Jake and I always go over to offer a hand or to plow him out with our bob cat. With his stubborn personality he always declines, even in the 40 below temps... he insists that this is how he gets his exercise. So now... he have just changed our game plan and we plow him out early in the mornings before he is up.

Over the past couple of years I have become pretty close with Nick. I enjoy going over to visit every now and then and to hear all of his stories, have him teach me new things, and to listen to his words of wisdom he like to pass on.

A few things I have learned about Nick over the years;

*He served in World War 2. He does not hesitate to tell the stories of what he learned and saw over in Europe and in Japan. He went over by boat through the English Chanel, and then worked his way alongside hundreds of other GI's into France and then into Germany. He was then sent over to Japan to fight. His stories are amazing. But he always says how he is thankful for being able to see the world twice. And that he learned alot while he was in the service for 20 years.

*He never married but was in love twice.
Once to a girl in highschool who he says was his first love. She, however, fell in love with another kid who got a new blue bike.
The othe time was to a red haired gal who he met just before he was sent over seas. He went to pick her up before he was shipped out and she had decided to go on a date with another guy... who had just got a new red car.
... he said she broke his heart, so he never fell in love again.

*He believes Hillary Clinton should have been president. Since the early 50's he has always thought that a woman needed to be president. He was dissappointed when she didn't win, but thinks we are very lucky to have her in our government system now.

*He loves his sweets. Every Wednesday we have him over for our resort pot luck and he always takes an extra cookie or slice of cake and puts it in his shirt pocket for later.

*He use to live in cabin #4 here at the resort. He has been here to see the resort change and grow over the past 30 years.

* He sold his house and all his things when his sister got cancer to help pay for all her bills.
*The neighbors here all pitched in afterwards to build him his cabin now so he could still live here on Eagle Lake Road.

I stopped by yesteday to visit him for a little while. I always love visiting with him because you get to learn something new each time. Yesteday he told me about how he has been reading about astronomy. He likes to keep his mind full he said, so he always like to learn new things. Maybe this alongside his intense winter shoveling is what keeps him so young at heart and healthy!

Yesterday, however, while visiting he said something sweet to me, and I can't help but to share...
He started by saying,
" you know Kellie, I'm getting older every day and I am noticing how I am slowing down which is ok. I've seen alot of things, both good and bad, but I feel lucky to have seen them. Know what I want for you? I want you to be happy, get married, have a little family, and keep your family and friends close."
....my heart melted.

I knew Nick thought of me as a friend when he hugged me and said thank you for being so kind to me. I don't have alot of friend around anymore but you are one of my best friends.

.... Cheers to Nick. One of my dear friends.