MarLa Sink Druzgal

Hello everyone.  My name is Jeff, Marla’s older, and only, brother.  I wanted to help out with my sister’s dilemma of not having enough hours in her days to get all of the things ready for her move to R.S.A. and still fill some blog spots for those of us who “need to get a life” because we grow too impatient waiting on her next post!

While I don’t presume to be able to fill the need for all, I will at least give her something to post so that all her readers have even more reason to desire her return to the podium!

I really could not think of anything interesting to write about, I’ve always been the type of guy quick with the “snappy comebacks” and the sarcastic remarks, quite a lot of fun in the short term, but irritating to be around for any length of time.  My sisters can both attest to this, as I was definitely not one of those “big brother” types. As I remember it, I spent most of my youth making life Hell for both of my younger sisters; probably more so for my sister Wendy than I did Marla, but I did have five more years with Wendy to figure out all of her “buttons”.

It is a very difficult thing to attempt to mend a mentally abusive relationship (let’s face it, that is what years of “picking on your sisters” really is!) There is always the unspoken element of mistrust when the former “picker” now seems to be sincerely trying to have an honest, open relationship with you!  “Ok, what’s he up to this time?”

I do believe that over the past couple decades I have earned some of that trust back, but I don’t think it ever all goes away.
Enough of that introspective crap!  If it weren’t for all the typing I’ve already done to this point, I’d probably erase it all and start over!  Some writer I’d make, huh?…”I don’t care if it does suck, I wrote it, just print it!”

What I really wanted to write about is how much we are going to miss Marla and Kurt over the next few years.  Sure, we’ll get to follow along with her travels and hopefully many, many blog posts, emails, letters and skype visits; but I am going to very much miss them physically! Marla and I don’t visit each other very often. The fact is, we don’t even talk much on the phone…once or twice a month on average, and perhaps a few times more than that by email or text. “So”, you’re asking yourself, “what’s the big deal? You guys don’t talk that much anyway, and see each other even less!”  I think it is mostly the distance.  South Africa is a long way! And “Years” is a long time!

I’ll be 50 years old this November! It’s shocking just to see that written in front of me! I have already outlived our father by 5 years, and while I still have a way to go before I catch our mother, I have started to develop a very keen awareness of how much can happen in just a few years.  I (we) have lost many who were very loved in the past “few years”. We have had new BEAUTIFUL additions to the family in the past “few years”.

So many terrible and wonderful things in the world have happened in the last “FEW YEARS”!  It seems that when I was young, and my children were young, life was a gentle breeze; always there, but never really noticed. Now, at what I am quite sure is well beyond the halfway point of my life; I look back to see life was more of a hurricane gale which blasted life by with all the compassion of a rabid dog!

When I hear someone say that they have no regrets in their life, I can’t help wonder if they have really lived! Maybe they just haven’t lived long enough to look back and wish they had spent a little more time enjoying a moment! If I could “do it all over again” I probably wouldn’t change very much, but I sure as Hell would focus more on the times as they happened!

I guess I’m just trying to say that I am more than a little apprehensive about Marla and Kurt leaving the country for these next “few years.”  Not because I worry about their safety or anything so noble; but because I know I am going to miss them and want to be able to give my sister a hug from time to time…selfish, I know.

Safe travels!, dear sister.  May time be a gentle breeze for us both!

Yourebberlubbinbrudder,
Jeff

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About Jeff:

I was born in 1963 in Sharon, PA. In 1982 I married Nancy, incredible Nancy, the most tolerant woman on earth!
2 remarkable children: Brandon, now 30 years young, and a fantastic human being and good friend.  And Brianna, now 28 years young and still love of my life! Married to Mike Parks (I could not have chosen better for her myself) and mother to the two most beautiful granddaughters God could have ever given us!! Adeline, soon to be 2, and Clara, almost 5 full months!

After a bit of traveling in our early years, we have been living on family homestead for around 20 years.  I have been working for a small kitchen, bath and floorcovering company for 24 years (guess I’m in a rut!)

Nancy and I still love to travel, although outside of a Florida trip once or twice a year, don’t get to do it as often as we would like.  We enjoy spending as much time as possible with our children and grandchildren, and consider ourselves blessed that neither of our kids live too far away.

Hunting, our 3 labradors, walks and simple country living occupy most of our free time.

I’ll be 50 this November, so I am thinking about getting that rocking chair!

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Can’t get enough of my brother’s voice? Neither can I. Read a little more of his humorous side, in his Elderberry Overture post.

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Traveling Marla is unplugged for three weeks while she prepares for her move to South Africa. She put out a call for guest posts (see original request here), and is grateful to receive so much support! Please see the full list below.

Please support these writers by reading each of their guest posts and checking out their own blogs!

Thanks, as always for taking time to read my blog and comment. Although I’m offline right now, I will return in a few short weeks when we’re settled in South Africa and I promise to read all of your comments!

Love, Marla

Kayla, of Encounter Peru

Benjamin Prewitt – Expression of my life – An evolution of art

Kriscinda, of Heavy Metal Homesteading

Lynne, of Home Free Adventures

Jeff: my witty and hilarious ebberlubbinbrudder

Jody, of Human Triumphant

Julie of J-Bo.net

Ingrid, of Live Laugh RV

Ned Hickson of Ned’s Blog

Rose, of On the Go Fitness

Pierr Morgan

Leslie and Amanda, of Survival is Relative

Colin of Uber Beast Mode

Robyn, of You Think Too Much

Baz – The Landy (Out and About and Having Fun)

Brandon: my quirky, brilliant, dashing nephew

Dallas, of Crazy Train to Tinky Town

CultFit

Caroline, of Currer and the Bells

Dakota Garilli

Trophos, of The Dancing Professor

Leo, of Doggy’s Style