So yesterday Laila came home from school and said they made a heart that was their heart and they had to draw things inside it that are in their heart and she said she drew a rainbow and wrote Jakes name in it because "Jake is in her heart and she misses him very much!"....the sweet things she does!!

The picture is a rainbow with Jake in it and she tried writing his name below!

I bought the house that I grew up in from my parents.  My twin brother Casey and I grew up 2 houses away from the Basta Family.  We spent countless hours together playing sports, chasing girls (sorry Jess), hiding from Jake's big bro, swimming in the pool, sneaking out of our houses, and doing countless other things boys do...  I drive by Jake's parents house every day and think about Jake and all the awesome times we had growing up together.  I look at the basketball hoop that is still standing and think about all the times I beat him playing HORSE. We drifted apart over the years, but he would always walk down to my house when he was in town and update me on what was going on in his life.  I vividly remember him walking down to introduce me to Jess and each of his daughters as the family grew.  i remember being amazed the day he walked down with a medal around his neck from the Iron Man (still not sure that I believe it).  I also loved these short visits.  We would hug after each visit and then go back to our adults lives, but for a moment in time we were kids again.  I am gratefull for all the time that Jake and I spent together growing up.  I wish we could shoot hoops together again, I would let him win.

The trip when I was introduced to Jakes  "Fish Dance"....Ahhhh and I introduced Jake to  "Corn Nuts " 

The most memerable fishing trips of my life....such a great time with jake and the jersey crew....jake loved the corn nuts so much.. even when they spilled all over he was eating them of the slimy boat floor...

Thank you for that 
And thanks Brendan.....as always  

The link below will bring you to the portaferry news video

http://www.wwnytv.com/news/local/Friday-Camp-Portaferry-Once-And-Future-124504504.html

So the plan was to come up and build a new dock in the back of the old house....and we did just that.

Now we were all very hard at work  (and im not easy to work with or should i say keep up with ) but we were all going strong... measuring, cutting , screwing,etc..

Jake had nothing to offer construction wise , so we eneded up sending him to the store everytime we needed somthing.....well, we saw that he was eager to help but didnt know how, So we made up things we needed .... we must have sent him to the store a half dozen times just to keep him busy -LOL

Its was a great day and a great accomplishment. We ended up building 60 ft of floating dock that day......Then Jake left the dock out in the winter ice to get all bent up.

Jake....I would do it all over again

Jake

I hope you can read this from where you are...Or maybe your even watching me type this. Anyway I hope this somehow get's to you...as I'm not ready to give up our talks...and this is the hardest one yet.

The last time we talked was early last week ...and I think you tried to call Thursday, but I couldn't take your call...I feel pretty shitty about that now.
But we always understood each other's busy lives.. being the workaholics that we are.

We talked about doing a whole bunch of stuff this spring and summer ( just like every year). I was really going to try to make a strong effort to get a lot more time up there this year... And I know you wanted help with the bathroom shower ..and the closets... I really wanted to get them done for you and Jess ...and I still will ...just so you know

I can't help feeling guilty by assuming we had all the time in the world to do those things.. And I'm so so sorry now that I didn't get up there more ...I think that's what's hurting me the most right now. I don't know how a measly 250 miles kept us apart so often.

Our friendship was so important to me.. And your compassionate personality was invaluable to me..

I don't believe many people knew about our friendship, and how you and I confided in one another ... for years , on a daily basis... ( funny how my phone would ring in the exact same spot every morning ... And sometimes before 6 AM !!).
Now that I think about it...we probably have only seen each other and hung out about 15 to 20 times...but we must have logged hundreds of hours on the phone. 
I really valued having someone there to talk with about everything and anything , private or public , with no judgment or bias and only compassion... Thank you for sharing all of those important moments with me and I hope any advice that you took from me was of some value.. I greatly appreciated yours

You were there for me as the most supportive friend during the time of my wife's illnesses ...and it was a blessing that we were there for each other during the recession with countless back-and-forth discussions on business ideas/ solutions / questions and financial solutions... And worries ( can you believe we worried about such things)

As promised , I will be there for your family for anything they may need ...for as long as I may live. ( I didn't forget .. And I'll make sure Jess knows)

I would also like to thank you for inviting me into your life ( has it been 10 years ? ) and opening up my eyes to a whole other world up there ..me and my friends down here loved every second of it... And your level of hospitality goes unmatched. Your wife and children always made me feel like I had a home away from home.... And I don't even need to mention what your brother did for me and my wife in our time of need... And your wonderful father and my first taste of goose!! Your whole family is just a catalyst of kindness.... Really

I also would like to let you know that your accomplishments over the past few years have been an inspiration to me and everyone around you ..you have again astonished me with your commitment and dedication as you showed the world just what Jake Basta can accomplish when he sets his mind to it. I will forever remember your will...when I need to accomplish things in my life... Thank you for that

I will always remember you as one of the most giving, caring, compassionate and respectful friends I've ever had pleasure of meeting in my life... I will miss you dearly and hold you in my heart forever

Love your long distance friend
Keith