Last thursday night I was off to a nursing home close by for birthday visit to my last relative of my folks generation. My Uncle Bob ,my late mother's brother turned 97. He has been in a nursing home since December and I must say it is difficult to see him there. For all of my life he lived just around the corner and after his wife's early passing he became a daily fixture in my family's home.He was always there all through the illness of my mother and watching over my Dad as he slipped away within two years of mom. Yes Uncle Bob was there,always a story and great laughs. I spent a couple of hours with him recounting many things from the past. His memory works better in the distant past, not so well in the present. It seems not so long ago on his 90th birthday I had to take him for a drivers test to renew his license. I was not looking forward to that as I felt that he probably would not pas and the reality of that would be difficult for him to bare. Well I sat in the back of his K-car and off we went. He passed all the tests including the eye test without glasses. He ended up driving me home.Well as time progressed age has caught up with him a bit and he can no longer live on his own.It is sad to see him there though I know it would be too dangerous for him to be alone now especially with stairs. Our visit went well,a lot of laughs and some great memories recalled. Sadly I know that by the next day he will not remember it. I will have to do it for him. Time moves by so very quickly and the great generation of the WWII veterans passes from us each day. We need to cherish every day with our older relatives and friends,just one visit to a nursing home is a stark reminder to us all.