What a gorgeous day today, about 78 degrees:) I find that gazing at the moon in January is best done in bright sunlight. It may be only a sliver of the moon, but nonetheless refreshing considering I've been trapped inside attempting to stay dry most of last week.

I attended funeral services on Friday for George Stewart. He wrote for the Tustin News for 18 years and had a weekly column, "Two Cents." Just another reminder of how short life can be, he was only 57. George was very nice to me in print when I ran for Governor. He was really into writing about politics and not afraid to call politicos out when he smelled BS. I guess I got lucky being that I knew little about either at the time. I didn't know him real well but I have friends that he was close to. Most of those friends congregated at Kelly's Men's Shop in Tustin. They spoke of what a great friend they will miss dearly. They are fun bunch of cigar smoking, red wine & whiskey drinking, philosophers of politics and history. It was a nice gathering at Kelly's after the services of which, as George always ended his column........ "It's to Laugh."

I wanted to share his words as printed on the back of the program:

Self- Sacrifice

by George O. Stewart

I hope the repercussions of my life resound
Forever in the hearts of those
Whom I have moved,
Like the fading ripples caused
By the movement of my slowly sinking flesh.

I, who only sat with faith
And sacrificed my power to be kind,
Dare to want to linger here
Through that which I achieved.

In the drowning of my body die my thoughts,
Yet death of this so briefly thinking me
Means only that which I have done.

And so I'll die as I have lived,
Hoping that my dying cries
Will echo in some other
Hopeful, dying hearts than mine.