Feel her breath on my face, Her body close to me. Can't look in her eyes, She's out of my league. Just a fool to believe I have anything she needs. She's like the wind

September 14 - 

Remembering Patrick Swayze

August 18,1952 - September 14, 2009

Born in Houston, Texas, the son of a choreographer and a rodeo champ, Patrick Swayze was born with the "it" gene. Part cowboy, part romantic dream with the moves of Gene Kelly. In the early 80's he won many of us in the Outsiders, and didn't let us down after that. Though his acting may not have always been the best (he was nominated for quite a few razzies), he had a way of making us love him.

In his personal life he carried on all the endearing characteristic we fell in love with in his movies. He married his sweetheart, Lisa Niemi ( they met in 1970, when she was only 15 and he was 18) in 1975, and they were together until he day he died. He would make the world fall in love with his Dirty Dancing hit, "She's Like The Wind," which he wrote for his lovely bride.

Through personal tragedies, his father past away at the age of 57 of a heart attack in 1982 and his sister later committed suicide in 1994, Patrick would struggle with addiction and depression.It was actually the death of his sister that would root him again. He would seek spirituality through Baha'i, Buddhism, and Scientology. He retreated to his ranch where his love for animals would lead him to raising horses and cows. A known humanitarian, Patrick frequently worked with the Red Cross, American Oceans Campaign, Tuesday's Child, and any animal rescue charity that crossed his path. 

In January of 2008 Patrick was diagnosed with Stage IV pancreatic cancer. He met this challenge with the strength and respect we had all grown used to. In January, 2009, in an interview with Barbra Walters, Patrick would tell the world he was "kicking it""

"That's one thing I'm not gonna do, is chase, is chase staying alive. I'm not, you know, you'll spend so much time chasing staying alive you won't live, you know? I wanna live. If anybody had that cure out there like so many people swear to me they do, you'd be two things: you'd be very rich, and you'd be very famous. Otherwise, shut up."

Sadly on September 14, surrounded by family, Patrick Swayze would succumb to the disease, only 20 months after being diagnosed. His body was cremated and his ashes spread over his New Mexico ranch.

Today we celebrate the life of a gentleman who made the women swoon, and the men jealous. A man who had character and dignity through life and death, and man who as a little girl told me,

"Nobody puts baby in the corner." 

Ghost Cocktail

This just seemed nicely fitted for the day.

Ingredients:

1.25 oz. Vanilla Vodka

.25 oz Godiva White Chocolate Liqueuer

.25 oz. half and half

.25 oz. Simple Syrup

(A teaspoon of sugar will suffice)

Directions:

Mix all ingredients in to a cocktail shaker filled with ice

Twirl it around while doing your best Dirty Dancing

Strain into a martini glass

It's Friday Night, go all out and rim the glass with white chocolate shavings

Enjoy while reminicing about some of these Patrick moments:

  

            

"When those you love die, the best you can do is honor their spirit for as long as you live. You make a commitment that you're going to take whatever lesson that person or animal was trying to teach you, and you make it true in your own life...it's a positive way to keep their spirit alive in the world, by keeping it alive in yourself."
Patrick Swayze - The Time of My Life