Love Quote:
I was in a very cool
thrift shop in my neighborhood and saw this last September. Just 3 weeks before
Maryanne's visit out here! Of course I sent her the picture, and of course we
"swooned".
As she and I went down the street together, I'd put my chair on low speed, use the joystick and steer with my right hand, while Oots and held hands with my left. We were going down the street and a woman driving by yelled out "You two are so cute!" As you can imagine we took that one to the bank!
Typeset Drawers:
Back in 1976 or so, Maryanne found out that Nancy and I collected "little things." Oots and Yvonne had gotten a set of type drawers in a beautiful casing. She brought one over for us one night. The one hanging vertically is the gift from Oots in the 70's. I now have three hanging on my walls. Maryanne added a few from Vermont, and put a large tin "Y" , for Yvonne, on the top. (Full disclosure-she couldn't reach the top, so I did.) It looks like my love of miniatures extended to people-I'm 6'5", and Maryanne was 5' even! Thanks so much for posting these memories and photos. I'm glad that the people who loved Maryanne can know that she was safe and happy out here till the end.
A Pop of Color:
Maryanne's touch. My furniture is all dark mahogany, a dark brown leather couch, etc. Oots realized that we needed a "splash of color", and we picked up the lights in Vancouver. The blue bottle came in here last November, filled with white wine. Maryanne saw the beautiful blue and rescued it from the recycling bin.
A Knife in the Kitchen:
She liked to putter in the kitchen, and I was remembering how I'd just sit here and watch her. And when she saw me, laughter and hugs ensued,
Tova the Cat:
That's the strangest and sweetest thing about our cat. She's a friendly cat, but has only graced the laps of two others in the eleven years I've had her, and it took her less than 24 hours to decide that Oots made the cut! Speaking of the cat, she has been spending all her time on Maryanne's pillow since she was taken out of here on February 15. I don't understand it - but she parks herself there after she eats every morning.
The Music Festival:
I went to Portland for the Waterfront Blues Festival - something that Oots and I had on our calendar. I almost didn't go, but talked myself into it, and I'm glad I did. Besides the music, there was so much there that just screamed Maryanne!, from jewelry to crafts and ice cream - not just any old ice cream, I'm told, but Umqua ice cream. I'd not heard of it, but there was never less than a dozen people waiting on line for cones. Maryanne discovered and fell for the Trader Joe's chocolate.
Remembering:
She once told me that she felt that no one is really dead and gone as long as someone speaks their name. I like that.
It's funny - everywhere I went this week, it seemed, something caught my eye and "Maryanne!" immediately registered. A pickle showing up in a decidedly un-picklelike situation, a giant decorative key, and of course Ice Cream Cone Day! And you know what, I'm able to smile, and I think that's terrific. My grand daughters were here for their sleepover last night, and they were talking about her. Annie, the older one, said I really miss her - not just because she made a better breakfast than I, but because "she was really nice". We also always watch America's Funniest Videos with breakfast on sleepovers. And you know about half of that show is someone ether face planting or falling off a boat, etc etc. The girls and I were roaring while Maryanne turned her head and said oh that poor man! We were talking about that this morning. She made quite a lasting impression on these girls. On me too! When we started to pussyfoot around on the phone telling each other how we felt, I told her that I had met, worked with and hung out with a whole lot of people in Vermont. But she was the only person with whom we kept in touch when we moved away. And after, she was the only one we went looking for.
I"m not much of a lottery player, but once in a while, when the humor is on me, as they say, I play our numbers. We picked our birthdays and how long we've known each other - real teenage crush stuff! We did laugh a lot about that - how smitten we were - Doomed was a word we used, with love and laughter. I'll let you know if I win!
Team Halpin Mug:
Be well. Best to the rest of our family. I was just getting to know who's who in your big family-- without a chart! We often spoke of the difference in our families - mine is small in number, spread out geographically across the country and slow to connect.
The Picture from the Porch:
Back in January, I was walking the girls to school two days a week. I'd leave around 7:15, and when I was rolling home a little after nine, Maryanne would be out on the porch, looking for me coming home and waving away! And when I'd come upstairs, she'd have the kettle on and a nice pot of tea at the ready. I still look up at the porch once in a while and smile.
The Wine, the Hat and the G:
Here's Maryanne's hat, along side a bottle of wine Tom developed and a big G, which she bought at Ben Franklin's and painted for me. I asked her when she put on the hat for the first time if it was for Yellowstone and she said "Nah, the Y is for Yvonne."
My grand daughters were here for their sleepover, and they were talking about Maryanne quite a bit. They really fell for her and they really miss her. Clara, the youngest at 8, was tickled tonight - we were going out into the rain and her jacket didn't have a hood. So I told her to get Maryanne's hat, at which she positively beamed. Very sweet to see. Maryanne really was a special woman, and I'm blessed to have had her love.
It was this time last year that she and I were revealing to each other just how we felt. It was scary and exhilarating, like being a kid again.
I didn't think I could've ever been so happy again. We reconnected in January and our first conversations were short and sweet, as it is for friends who've been out of touch for a while. But they got longer and deeper... It was magical and we felt like high school kids. But last July, when I hung up after baring my soul- and having that echoed from her, I said to Tova, holy crap, I'm in love with MaryannefuckingHalpin!!! And if course I had to call her back and tell her that!
It's been really difficult for me these past few weeks, as I remember the emotional crescendo of last July. The events which we planned on attending are happening. I'm going, but it's a challenge.
But I do draw strength and comfort for the time we did have...
...we laughed and we loved. And we laughed.
