Words To Live By

"It takes 10 'atta boys' to make up for one 'aww shit' ."

Here We Go!

From Heath

Today is game day. The Steelers play the Bucs in Tampa at 1. Dan is coming over and we are going to cook perogies, have a few beers and watch the game. This football season just isn't the same without my Unk. I think about picking up the phone to call him often but I can't. I find myself talking about him with friends often and after the laughter stops from telling a funny Unk story I realize I can't just call him or go visit and the pain comes back. Unk and I were famous for prank calling people or each other. We had our little jokes that we used to tell that were only funny to us and some of the family, those kinda lost their luster and laughter now that he is gone from us. I wish you could be with us today Unk as our Steelers start Charlie Batch against the Bucs in Tampa. We could yell at the TV together and maybe celebrate the win. Izzy and you could shoot some stick after the game and exchange sales stories. I know you will be watching the game from the best seats in the house but I'd rather you were watching it at my house. I miss you more every day and I remain your biggest fan!

UPDATE- Steelers blow past Buccaneers 38-13 Whoot, whoot!

Cowboy Eggs

Back in June, Seth and I were looking through a magazine and he came across this recipe and just had to have one. I was immediately carried back to childhood, when Dad would make us cowboy eggs on the weekends. The one in the magazine called for the center to be cut out with a cookie cutter and to be baked in the oven. We weren't as fancy back then. We just tore out the center of the bread and cooked it in a skillet. Dad made this for us our whole lives and they were always cooked with love. His were actually much better and from now on we will definitely use his recipe.

• Turn burner on to medium heat and warm medium skillet.
• Spread butter (I'm sure he used butter) on both sides of bread.
• Rip out center of bread and place in skillet. Put the center piece in skillet as well.
  
• Crack egg into center and cook until white is almost set.
• Flip and cook for about a minute.
  

From Mark Palos:

One of the funniest times I could remember is when we came down to visit and one of the first things Andrew said to Bruce was Steelers Suck. I think Bruce laughed for 10 minutes and Andrew kept running around the deck saying it! Another time was earlier this year we came down and I brought a Cleveland Plain Dealer paper down from the day after we beat the Steelers and gave it to him. He wouldn't even look at it. We all went in the house to eat dinner and I looked out onto the Florida room and Bruce was reading it.

A Childhood Favorite

As children, we watched The Muppets Take Manhattan dozens of times. ("Then because you share a love so big, I now pronounce you frog and pig.") Over the past few weeks, this song as palyed through my head many times. I just looked it up on YouTube and was struck by it's simple melody and sweet lyrics.

Famous Bruce Quotes

Whenever someone would say they were done (with supper for example), Dad would always say, "You're not dumb. A little slow maybe, but you're not dumb."

He would also often say, "I need you to talk slow, because I think slow."

When some one would say go ahead, he would say, "Don't call me a goat head."

Seth's Bedtime Prayer Tonight:

Dear God,
Please make sure Papa is being good up in Heaven. Please don't let him see any trees or caves up there because if he does he will think there is a monster in them and he doesn't have his flashlight. Thank you, God. Amen.

Saying Goodbye

This past weekend we all took a trip as a family to release Dad's ashes to his final resting place in Murrells Inlet. For as long as I can remember, he has made it known that these were his wishes. We just never dreamed that it would be so soon. Carrie set us up with a beach house in Surfside, the town we grew up in and the place (or at least one of the places) Dad still called home. Just being there in a way was very hard. It made me reflect on so many great times and left me wondering, more than ever, "Where does the time go?" It is still sinking in that he is no longer with us and sometimes I don't know how we can go on without him. We had a lot of time to enjoy being together as a family and I'm sure Dad was there with us as we played on the beach and shared many fond memories. The weather was perfect as we made our way into the inlet and I was so struck by the beauty that surrounded me. It was my first time there as an adult and it was immediately clear why this was the place he had chosen for himself. As the boat carried us away from what man had created and toward what God had created, a sense of peace and tranquility came over us. This is one of those rare places that cannot be put into words. Pristine. Breathtaking. In a way it was so difficult to put him to rest - almost like having a whole second funeral. But it was also so beautiful and is something that I will carry with me always.

Seth and Molly enjoying the beach

Dana and Domingo

"Where the ocean meets the sky, I'll be sailing..."
We all took a trip to the Surfside Flea Market, a place we would frequent when we were growing up.The flowers we chose to place on the waterMolly gets to help drive.

Ashley, Mark and Chase

Seth's turn.

The beautiful place that Dad will always be a part of.

Dana and Sophia

It would be hard not to feel at peace while surrounded by such beauty.

Erika, Molly & Chase

Mark, Seth & I

Each of the children released a balloon for Papa to see from Heaven.

We were looking at balloons and Mom turned to her side to see this black and gold (Steelers colors - Dad's team!) balloon with the words "Always In Our Hearts" on it. I think it was a sign.

Mom handing out the flowers. "Uncle Rick", Dad's best friend, was there with us.

Dana and Domingo

Dan placing the ashes in the water.

In memory of our hero.

The strongest person I know. She amazes me more and more with each passing day.

Grandma says, ""He is now a part of every grain of sand and every wave in the ocean."

God was shining down on us that day.

As we docked the boat, we came upon this simple cross.

Afterward, we went to dinner at Benjamin's, a place we went as a family every Friday when we lived at the beach.

The Hannon name will live on.

Aunt Sandy

Dan, Erika & Chase

BFFs

Heath

Michelle and Ashley
What keeps me going

Even in our sadness, there is laughter in the air...

and beauty all around us.

We will never forget you.
Rest in peace.

"Where the ocean meets the sky I'll be sailing."

This weekend, as a family, we travel to Murrells Inlet to take Dad to his final resting place. We all gathered together on Heath's boat to say our final goodbyes to a man we dearly loved. Below is the prayer and poem I found for the ashes ceremony. The beauty of the Inlet, the feeling of closeness from family, and the peace in our hearts knowing that Dad is watching over us made this an unforgettable moment in time.


The sky as we placed Dad's ashes in the Inlet.

Heavenly Father,
You have shared with us the life of Bruce. Before he was ours, he was yours. For all that he has given us to make us what we are, for that which lives and grows in each of us, and for his live that in your love will never end, we give you thanks.

As we now offer him back into your arms, comfort us in our lonliness, strengthen us in our weakness, and give us courage to face the future unafraid. Draw those of us who remain in this live closer to one another, make us faithful to serve one another, and give us peace and joy that of which is eternal life. In your name we pray. Amen.

"Death is nothing at all"
Written By Henery Scott Holland 1847-1918
Canon of St. Paul's Cathedral

I have only slipped away into the next room. I am I, and you are you. Whatever we were to eachother, that we still are. Call me by my old name, speak to me in the easy way you used to. Put no difference in your tone, wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow. Laugh as we always laughed, at the little jokes we shared together. Pray, smile, think of me, pray for me. Let my name be ever the household word it always was, let it be spoken without effect, without the trace of a shadow on it. Life means all that it ever meant. It is the same as it ever was; there is unbroken continuity. Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight? I am waiting for you, for an interval, somewhere very near, just around the corner. All is well.

Singing

Dad always loved to sing and it would not take too much to talk him into doing this. I think I inherited that from him. There were countless mornings when all of us kids would have a gleeful awakening with Dad singing "Rise and shine and give god your glory, glory" and countless nights in the pool singing "Tiny Bubbles". We all had our special song that he would sing to us, mine being "Oh Danny Boy". He continued this to the next generation as well. With our children he wrote his own songs. Ashley, Molly, and Seth had the opportunity to be serenaded on many occasions. Dana and I are heart broken that Chase and Sophia will not have that same wonderful opportunity with their Papa. I could not count how many times Dad and I would go to karaoke. He would sing "What a Wonderful World" and the entire place would be lite up, either that or just a proud son's heart. All of the songs that are playing on the blog were songs that Dad sang throughout our childhood and he encouraged us to sing with him.
It has been 4 weeks since dad passed away. Although he is gone, I can feel his spirit when that special song is played.

2 Cool 4 U

One Christmas, when Dan was still little, he got Dad a mini license tag that said 2 Cool 4 U at Santa's workshop. Dana and I thought it was the funniest thing but Dad loved it and it sat on his dry erase board in his office for years. Now that I think about it, maybe he really was 2 Cool 4 U.

Trick Tables

When we lived in Myrtle Beach, Dad had a trick table. One of the legs of our dining room table at some point had come unbolted and was just propped in place. I am sure that if Dad would have wanted to he could have fixed it, but that would have taken away some of his fun. When he and Mom or one of us kids would have a friends over for dinner, Dad would give them a huge surprise. He would ask us why we were not eating our vegetables and then pull the leg out like a bat. As soon as he saw there eyes widen, he would start laughing his infectious laugh. I think this is where his affinity for trick tables began.

When we moved to Matthews, he built another trick table. He bolted the top to a regular round wooden table to the base of a spinning bar stool. He called it his "poker table". When he had someone new over for card night, he would spin the table and say , "I think I want your hand instead of mine". I used to spin it my way and told him that my beer was empty so I was going to drink his. Sometimes, when we had a large group over for a meal, we used the table for dining. He would catch unsuspecting guests off guard, by spinning the table top his way and asking, "Are you going to finish that steak?", acting as if he was going to dig right into their plate.

Dad would do anything just to make someone laugh. If I had a dollar for every laugh we shared I'd be rich. But those laughs are indeed priceless.

Matthews Alive

The picture above was taken last Labor Day Weekend at Matthews Alive, a festival that my parent's town has every year. Dad was always so in love with Matthews and always said how glad he was that they had found the town. It has a small town feel even though it's right next to a big city. Matthews and surrounding towns actually have tons of festivals and Dad always loved to attend.

Within the past few years, we have gone to Matthews Alive, Mint Hill Madness, Beach Fest, Hometown Holiday, the annual Easter Egg Hunt and many others. Dad always wanted to make sure that the kids were having fun and he was a kid at heart too. He would always say, "I wanna get up there and get the kids on some of them rides." I think he had just as much fun watching them as they did riding. The first time Seth ever rode a kiddie ride by himself was at one of the festivals. He got on the little train and at first was nervous. Within seconds he was having a great time but, being a shy guy, tried to contain
his smile. Dad got such a kick out of it!

We all went to Matthew Alive this weekend. We had a good time but it just wasn't the same without Dad. Dana took Seth and Molly on the parachute ride and it jogged the memory of Dad taking us on the same ride as kids at Kennywood. He would always joke around, saying "Uh oh. Did you hear that? The bolts are creaking... I think they're breaking. Oh no....." We were on to his game but it still added to the thrill of the ride. He would have loved to play the same prank on his grandkids!

I have so many amusement park/fair memories with Dad. We would always go to the Fireman's Fair in West Mifflin and ride the ferris wheel. We used to go to Kennywood every summer for school picnic, the GM picnic and the Shriner's picnic. They had so many great rides and I cannot wait to share them with Seth. Dad and Mom always loved to ride the wooden roller coasters together, the Jack Rabbit and the Racers, but especially the Thunder Bolt.

Once, Dad had Dana, Dan, Heath and I at Idlewild park and he had one of those pastel drawings done. (I was taller than Heath if that tells you anything about how long ago it was.) Grandma still has that drawing framed on the wall of the middle bedroom to this day.

Another time, when Mom was in the hospital after her foot surgery, Dad took us to visit her and then we went to the SC State Fair. He had us all over that fair and rode the rides with us. For some reason, I really remember us all riding the giant slide - over and over. At the time we were probably ages 32, 8, 5 and 3. Looking back now, I see that he was either really brave or really nuts! I don't think I'd have the guts to take three kids to the state fair by myself, but we all made it out without incident!

I also vividly remember going to an amusement park when we first moved to the beach. Dad and I rode a roller coaster and as we neared the peak of the first hill the bar flew up. Dad pulled and pulled on it but it wouldn't go down. He literally had to sit on me to keep my from flying out of the cart. About a week or so later, there was an article in the paper about the roller coaster being torn down.

I don't think I will ever attend a fair, festival or amusement park again and not think of Dad. I hope we all will be able to give our kids as many fun memories as he gave to us!

Hey good lookin'...

This picture was taken of Dad and Seth about six months ago. We were up visiting for the weekend and Seth was in serious need of a haircut. When I said I was going to take him up for a cut Dad said he needed one too. Mark, Dana, Dad, Seth and I all hopped in the car and headed to Sports Clips. Dad and Seth both sat down in chairs on opposite sides of the shop so their backs were to one another, but they could see each other in the mirrors. I will never forget how cute they were. Whenever Dad would catch Seth's eye, Seth would get this adorable little smirk on his face. It was a very sweet moment that I will always cherish as I observed them admiring one another in their reflections. Dad was over the moon about his grandchildren and any onlooker could have told you so on that day. They would chat back and forth in the mirror and every so often Dad would say, "Lookin' good, Seth." Of course, Dad insisted on paying for both cuts. When they were finished they both complimented one another and gave each other five.