OK … time for a true confession – I follow Lex’s daughter The Kat on Twitter. I’ve wondered for months now how many other Lexicans do the same thing; something about keeping tabs on Lex’s youngest to make sure she is doing OK – or at least as OK as could be expected.
She is off to college now. Left home this week. And as I read the excitement in her tweets my thoughts turned to Lex and what he would have said as his youngest left the nest. I’m sure his observations would have been filled with his classic wit, tempered by the knowledge that his last child – the one most like him – was off on her own adventures now.
I believe that he is watching over his entire family, looking down with pride as The Kat makes her way to the start of the next phase of her life. I have no doubt that she will be a star in whatever she chooses to do.
To be fair, Kris… under normal circumstances it’d be a little creepy for grown men to be following high school/college age girls on Twitter (forget about in person!). So I would ask that you give reports on how she’s doing. And thanks for letting us know she’s well!
MikeD: I confess to feeling a little “stalk-ery” myself but I got her Twitter ID from another of the Lexicans and I do know of a few others who follow her. So it didn’t make me feel all that bad…
You NTs are so silly. I tellya, we Auties/Aspies are always having to say, “what are these age-appropriate relationships of which you speak?”
Kris – as I have become older (which in its own way I realize I have been given something denied others) – I have come to think of death not as an end but a transition – a different state of being. One for which our senses cannot detect but the person is still as alive as ever.
If Kat is doing well I am glad – losing one’s father like that – and husband to Mary – has to have been a shock to the family.
The reading I have done of Lex’s posts make me think that Kat was “Daddy’s Girl” – and that story of her and her friend – at 14 – questioning Lex about TOPGUN – being disappointed that he wasn’t in the movie – just the XO – that story is hilarious.
I have no doubt that Lex is watching her – and smiling!
My best wishes to all the tribe of Lex. I often think of the family, and wonder how they are coping with the loss of that incredibly bright star of a soul. I hope that they all find peace and comfort with time. And I also hope that all the offspring achieve beyond their wildest hopes and dreams.
Yes, Lex is definitely watching over all the family.
I hope that Mary and Kat think of it this way: Kat has a whole bunch of uncles and aunts and cousins all watching out for her and hoping that everything turns out ok for her. This same family is “just around the corner” for Mary, SNO and anyone else in the family if they’re needed.
Speaking of SNO, has anyone heard anything about how the RAG is going/has gone for him?
Do any of you think it would be OK – perhaps for this Christmas – to get a pool together for a nice gift ? Since I don’t consider myself a true “Lexican” – having come here late – I will put it to you -
I’ve posted this a couple times so forgive the repetition, but I absolutely love this post (starring a young Kat):
http://www.neptunuslex.com/2004/10/11/on-raising-children/
To me, Lex was as much a Dadblogger as a Milblogger.
OK, ditto what MikeD said above. But I had to take a look (you can see someone’s tweets w/o being a follower, just need to know the person’s handle. Here’s a clue: she was a follower of Lex’s (‘Nuf said, figure the rest our yerself).
Looking at her tweets – Kat will be fine.
Kris: If you look back at her tweets between 3/6 and 3/27, she makes some nice comments about the blog and her Dad’s friends, etc. Was thinking about taking some screenshots and posting to the SSNLFG (Super Secret Neptunus Lex Facebook Group). I think everyone there would be touched to see what she’d had to say. Whatdya think?
Dave – yes those early tweets were really about the amazing outpouring about her dad. There was one in particular that I found to be so very typical of a teenager – “My dad has the coolest friends” – that was on the day of his burial.
I’m not sure about the screen capture thing; maybe do them here? I don’t know if the family reads the Secret Page and I don’t know how they’d feel about something like that.
Kris, My thought was that the SSNLFG is actually more “safe” since it’s a private group. I’m pretty sure pictures there can’t be seen unless you’re a group member. On the other hand, this blog is open to anyone online, and terms in posts here could even show up in a Google search.
Dave – good point. Not sure though…I feel stalk-ery enough just sharing that I follow her when she doesn’t know me from a hole in the wall.
Yeah. Never quite felt right to me, so ixsnay on that.
Since I do not do the twit thing, it would be great to see some representative items over at SSNLFG. One vote in favor.
Bill Brandt -feel the same way about death it is a transition,and that veil is a very thin one. Three things that happened this winter that changed my life.
One was the discovery of Neptunis Lex,tow was watching one of my best
friends (and a Sierra Hotel Airplane Mechanic BTW) die of cancer. He worked for Butler Aircraft, my old Airtanker outfit. He was in some ways
Like Lex, He was a Renaissance man. he could’ve been a Rock and Roll
Star his Bass Guitar work was that good. He chose to work on Airplanes.
He Died at home after a year of fighting the good fight. He inspired me to put on the Nomex. (my “suit o’ Armor” as DW calls it.) and go back to
“Dropping slimy red mud on burning trees from antique aeroplanes.’ then Lex and his adventures with the Kifir. Further motivated me.What happened to Lex was also the good fight. He did what he could. with what he had. Been there too. Sometimes you have to look at the fact “Fate is the Hunter.” and go on and -LIVE. I hope Kat knows that her Pop is watching this from a good place, I feel that my Pop is too , Pop isn’t any where near water he’s up in high lonesome, With his old cowpuncher
buddies drinking camp coffee eatin’ beans, biscuits and bacon, watching the stars float by..
Sorry to go on like this but The Kat is in good hands and she will do well…
Best wishes an prayers to the family of Lex also..
tgmccoy – I don’t tell this story to many (but broadcasting on the Internet changes that
) – but 10 years ago someone close to me died – suddenly. We used to walk our dogs – the same breed – along the river each morning.
The circumstances of her death were – let’s say – tested once’s soul – but I don’t wish to go into the details of that to shift the focus.
Anyway as many of you have experienced when someone close dies things that you had long forgotten sometimes come back. I would be places we went 10 years ago and mysteriously conversations we had that day and that place – long forgotten – came back as if I had just had them.
Which made the times even worse.
Anyway I am walking my dog along the same path along the river, and with all this at the forefront the tears are falling.
I said – no demanded , ‘God, if “XXXX” is fine and aware of us give me a sign”.
I’m walking another 5 minutes and see a white object sitting in a grassy spot – all by itself.
I walk up to it – pick it up – and it is a small portable electric room heater.
I had bought her some of these to save on her utility bills.
Now I’m thinking if that was really God answering me He sure knew what to show as a sign.
Like most things you can interpret that several ways – a coincidence? hallucination? Divine intervention?
I chose the latter…
And it has given me comfort about life and death -
Knowing this I am glad I bought a couple of shirts from Lex’s store on Cafe Press, kind of impulse buy, but I thought maybe the Fam would get a little kickback.
Bill – several Lexicans, myself included, have had very clear signs from Lex since he died. Hogday and myself both blogged about them. I’ll let HD share it if he wants to; mine can be found here and here.
I’m so happy to hear The Kat is doing OK. She seems like a dear child, we all know what a joy she was to Lex. Any word on the older daughter? Or the Naval Aviator son? And of course his wife Mary? My bride is Mary also, I know, not an uncommon name at all, but still, something I thought it was neat to have in common with Our Captain. BTW, the cousin who first introduced me to Lex visited last weekend, it was our first visit since… well, since before last winter. He’s a hardbitten & unsentimental sort(I rescued his long-dead Father’s USN MCPO blues from disposal when we cleaned out his Mother’s house after her passing), there was real emotion present between two old war-horses as we talked about Lex & the hole he left behind.
Hiram, Kat tweeted on 14 July: “So good to see my brother couldn’t be happier” on a visit to (I think) VaBeach. So sounds like he’s liking helos.
Thank you for that. I feel a protectiveness toward that family which I’m sure they do not need, but there it is anyway.
I didn’t realize she was on twitter. I went and took a peek – she’s definitely her father’s daughter. Love it.
I’m not a prolific user of Twitter by any means, but I also have looked at the Kat’s tweets here and there, although I don’t actually follow her. Pretty easy to keep up, since Twitter always lists her on my ‘home page’ as someone I should follow. Must be because of all the Lexicans I follow.
Hiram
August 9, 2012 at 7:39 pm (Edit)
Thank you for that. I feel a protectiveness toward that family which I’m sure they do not need, but there it is anyway.
Ditto.