204... No Regrets

Today started out good.  I knew that I had to attend to Katelyn and Brady's real estate closing at some point, so I put on my gym shorts in zero degree weather to get on the Cybex sometime in the morning.

Had at least 48 oz. of tap water before 9:30AM so it seemed that I was on the program big time.

Then the call came to take care of the closing issues by 2:00PM in my old stomping grounds, Highland Ave. in Needham, and I had to get the funds to Katelyn in Manchester.  No big deal, but I decided to take Katelyn to Beverly and back to make the bank deposit which added an additional 45 minutes.

All would have been a go to get on the Cybex by 4:00 or so.... then Joanne called and said that the Mach V had broken down in Marblehead at Ryan and Kim's house..... which called for another hour delay waiting for a mechanic.

By the time I got back to the West Shore Drive house, I only had enough time to grab dinner then head to Lynn for Frank Calnan's wake at the Cuffe McGinn Funeral Home on Maple Street next to St. Pius Church.

Calnan was the Building Commissioner in Lynn for years, and he used to take great amusement in busting my balls when I would ask him a zoning question as a wet behind the ears junior planner in the Lynn Planning Department back in the 70's.

He was tough, but a savvy straight shooter, and I learned a lot from him in those formative years when I had my first job fresh out of college.  The thought came to mind to blow off his wake, and I felt really guilty just thinking about it, so I blew off the workout instead.

Glad I did go, as I connected with some of the extended Calnan family who I have not seen for years and were really important in my life for twenty five years or so.  His younger brother, Ed, was my boss and first mentor when I worked for him as Deputy Director of the Lynn Community Department, and his older brother, Bill was my Deputy Director when I was the Executive Director of the Lynn Housing Authority.    Bill's son, Kevin Calnan, a former State Trooper and now a Lawyer on the North Shore, used to meet me for five years in a row at the Nahant Causeway every Saturday morning at 7:30 for a five mile run.  We never phoned or scheduled it... we just would show up and run. It was good to see Ed and Kevin, and I only wish I could have seen Bill, who passed a few years ago.

Frank had a large Irish family that I had only known as kids swarming around his Chatham Street house.  They were all grown up and striking in appearance... a fitting legacy for a good, hard working man who seemed to live a good life.

RIP Frank Calnan.
Say Hello to your Brother Bill Calnan and my Dad, John Nestor.

To make a long story short, I skipped my workout today.... with no regrets.