I'm back at the computer from vacation now and this news has had a few days to sink in. I will always regret not taking the time to stop and meet the man I most consider my penturning mentor on our trips to NC to see our son at Camp LeJeune. It would certainly have been worth the few extra miles. But I also have one other regret. Our last conversation (a month or so ago) was not how I wanted to leave our relationship. I have no desire to try and mimic (b/c that what it would be at best) many of his designs. There is no "duplicating" the blanks he made. Eagle-ish is about all we can hope for. I have, however, created mimics of two of his earlier designs. I don't have the patience, nor desire, to try his more complicated ones. That was partly our last conversation. It ended with him saying, "Maybe one day I can copy something of yours." While some might tend to get puffed up and huffy over such a comment, it had the opposite effect on me. I like experimenting and trying new things, but it seems every time I have an idea, someone posts it before I can. Not complaing, that's just the way of things. But Eagle's remark was coded. Like Travis said, Eagle talked in code and if you understood it, you'd learn. So what he was really telling me was to get back to thinking outside the box and do something original. And I could tell he wasn't happy with me (you weren't the only one to frustrate him, Al!). Within a few weeks of that conversation I did just that. I just never got to let him see it.
But his was a friendship that I will cherish and think on always.
Lynn, no words can do justice to my sorrow for you and the family. Our pain is insignificant compared to yours. You are all in our prayers. And know that I will always be thankful for the relatively short time I was able to share talking to him.