And the Seasons, They Go Round and Round…
While I didn't think about it when posting, the carousel
photo turned out to be pretty descriptive of 2013 so far: up and down as life
spins 'round.
On New Year's Day, I got the terrible news that Jim
Levine, longtime friend and my father-in-law for a decade, passed
away. He'd been having some health concerns, but I don't think anyone
thought it was so serious. He had a heart attack and died from complications a
few days later. It's been three weeks
and I'm still having difficulty accepting it. Uncle Lloyd's darkly humorous,
"We're getting to the head of the line" comment has been passing
through my mind. I'm hoping the memorial celebration happening on February 2
will help me come to grips with his death.
On the up side, we had a lovely visit from M's mom and
sister. We used the visit as motivation to do touristy things that the two of
us just hadn't gotten to, and the weather was fairly cooperative. We walked
across the Golden Gate Bridge then wandered around the Union Square area of San
Francisco.
The following day, we drove through the rainy countryside
and did some wine and olive oil tasting at particularly pretty estates, running
into Felicia, Erin, and his folks at Ferrari-Carano. M and I had
pretty much given up on wine tasting, but researching destinations, there are
quite a few with tours and pretty spectacular scenery, so we resolved to do
more of it, visitors or no.
Doesn't this look like a shot from a J. Crew catalog?
I was inspired by a photo of Jo and Noah during their Africa visit. I think this might turn into a series...
The rain cleared and left us with incredible visibility for our trip up the coast to Fort Ross the next day, a historic site I've driven by for forty years without visiting. We stopped at Jenner to admire the seascape and log-like seals piled on the beach, and who should pull up but Nick and his dad, one their way up the coast.
Mom and Don and Felicia and Erin also joined us for the Fort Ross excursion. It was nice having so much family together for a little adventure.
Leaving the fort, we did a scenic drive over to Healdsburg
for an incredible early-birthday dinner for M at Barndiva.
Yesterday I attended the memorial
service for the husband of a work colleague. He was well known and
respected in the community--the pretty little church in
Occidental was filled to overflowing with family and friends. I had
only met him a few times, but it was nice in a bittersweet way to get to know him a little
better through the stories that people shared during the service. Of course I kept thinking of Jim, and this
seemed like a sort of preview. Now that I have a few years under my belt, I'm
starting to see the pattern of these milestones evolving: first graduations,
then marriages, then children, then divorces, remarriages, and now…funerals.
Sonoma County is a pretty small community and I ran into someone I know from
the gym who also knows the widow. She's a little older and we had a brief
exchange where I mentioned this trend of life events I'd been seeing. She said
often only encounters former colleagues at memorials at this stage of her life.
Sigh. I know this is life and is how it's supposed to be, but that doesn't make
it easy.
I've also been thinking about that "running into
people" think around Jim's memorial--who I'll see that I haven't in
decades, because I'm sure the theater will be filled. Some I'll know from
Facebook, but I'm dreading not recognizing people who will recognize me a bit. I
should probably review my yearbooks before the celebration. I know people
moving in and out of one's life is also part of the carousel going round and
round, and that encounters can't always be due to happy circumstances. Well,
maybe it will be a consolation, catching up with people from my past.
*****
What progress have I made on the novel, you ask? Sadly, none
yet, and I offer no excuses. I've been reading Outlander for a book club at work I just joined
and it's pretty bad. So bad that it's inspiring, in a way--hell, if that book
can be a NY Times bestseller, I may have a shot. Though for me, just writing a
book-length work of fiction is my goal, getting I published would be gravy.
Pointy Pal Julia is scheduling some writing retreats at her parents' vacation
home on Stinson Beach, so that will help.
posted by suzanne @ 4:19 PM
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