Trip to Houston For Wrong Reasons

Last week my parents and I urgently got in the car driving 8 hours to Houston. By the time we got there near 7 PM it was too late. My uncle passed that morning. We spent the entire time consoling our heartbroken family and discussing funeral plans. Rough weather hit when Imelda made landfall on Thursday flooding parts of Houston. The storm came during middle of meeting with funeral home discussing plans. We end up at funeral home from Thursday to Sunday discussing type of memorial to grave site. Surprisingly they gave me a ticket to Astros game for Friday night and said go have fun. The game took my mind off family tragedy for few hours. Angels pitcher Justin Anderson signed on a stub as it was only thing I had with me along with my camera. Saw Astros blasted four homeruns in the 1st inning then Carlos Correa with a second blast. Zack Grienke lost control in the 4th giving up five straight hits and Angels scoring four runs. The bullpen held on to the lead when Grienke left after five innings for 6-4 victory. On Saturday made a trek to Houston Sports Connection on Westheimer to pick up packs and oddballs especially on 1981 Donruss. Oddballs such as pack of NFL Facts Stay in Tune cards, large portrait size Pinnacle Beehive hockey cards and Topps sticker card of Don Sutton. Some of it will be posted on A Pack to be Named Later. During that few days around Houston caught up with old family friends from my parents side as well going shopping with my relatives. Two of my relatives flew in on late Saturday from California Bay Area catching up with them especially "Mr. Happy" who will always have a laugh and smile. I don't know how he does it. My dad and I left Houston yesterday without seeing the body leaving mom with the relatives for the wake and funeral. It's just our work schedule would allow us short time off even at urgent. More relatives flew in today to pay their respects. I'm going to miss my uncle. He's the one that drove us to Sacramento for a day trip during family reunion few years back. Two years ago he invited me to join them for Christmas marking first time in six years I been with family during Christmas day as I was living in Austin at the time. It was Christmas off but work the next day making 5-6 hour drive in Midland impossible. But three hour drive to Houston is great to relax with family. RIP Uncle. Everyone will miss you.