Delayed flights, death, reunions and a possum in the kayak

We were in Rhode Island for a few days before flying back to Florida for my high school reunion.  Our first layover was in Cleveland.  We get to Cleveland to find out our flight is delayed which in turn would cause us to miss our connecting flight in Charlotte.  We ended up having to stay in Cleveland and get to Florida a day late only to also find our luggage went to Chicago.  It was an extremely frustating few days.  We did eventually get our luggage back at the hotel in Key West.  We spent a few days in Key West before heading up to Islamorada. 

Thurs morning I received a text from my dad that simply said, "She is gone."  My stepmother passed away after suffering from Mesothelioma for almost 5 years.  There is not a cure for Meso and it is caused by asbestos.  We have no idea how she contracted this cancer.  She may have gotten from playing in bombed out buildings in London as a child or from her father who worked in a Ford factory in England.  I was just there helping take care of her.  Before I left she looked so much better, more energy and joking around.  I told her I would be back in July and we'd go to the lake and shopping like we usually did.  I really did not think that would be the last time I would see her.  My dad and my little brother were both there with her.  My dad said she started singing.  He said to her, "You know you shouldn't sing.  Your a terrible singer."  She said, "I know." and kept singing for over half and hour until her heart stopped beating.  She just wanted to live.  My dad discovered afterwards she had put extra bed pads on the bed so she would'nt make a mess when she died.  She knew.  I will never complain again.  I have no right to.  She was an extraordinary person.  Always happy, always on the go and you couldn't stop her.   If you met her you would never know she had cancer.  I was suppose to look forward to going to my high school reunion but trying to go and hang out with people you haven't seen in years after crying your eyes out was just not really working.  I was feeling like such and asshole and not very social.  The other day I couldn't sleep and I walked out on the dock at my mom's.  I layed down and started to cry.  I opened my eyes only to see the moon directly above me.  It made me stop crying.  I have never seen the moon like that with the sunrise.  Yesterday I called my little brother to check on him.  He has her phone.  He didn't answer and I got the voicemail.  It was her voice.  I completely lost it. 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesothelioma

The next couple of days, I am just going to enjoy the water and the beautiful weather.  Went to take the kayak out this morning.  Happened to notice there was a possum in the storage compartment.  It was quite interesting trying to get him out.  Almost thought I was going to have to make him go along for the ride.  He had quite the set up in there.  Had it filled up with leaves and looked like he'd been taking hermit crabs in there to eat.  A few more days in the Keys then back to Rhode Island for the rest of the summer.  Happy thoughts!  Wipe away the tears and continue on.................

Found a big starfish while kayaking this morning.....