My dearest Ralph, I still think of you and miss you every day. Most often it is with gratitude for the many ways that you enhanced my life in the too brief decade we had together. When I work in the studio, I remember your delight in seeing progress from day to day. When framing art, I remember how we had a system for putting the frames together and I miss your assistance! When I pack work to deliver to a show - I remember how you helped me with the physical work, but also with thoughtful additions to the tools and strategies we used - ways to protect the frames during transport, for example, and how to hang the work at an outdoor display. At election time, I missed the long conversations we had over all the ballot propositions each year.
I miss you when I play bridge. I enjoyed being your partner so much! I do play with the Baty Bridge Bunch, which Mike has kept going. It is good to have the gang together although it’s only once a month now. I miss going to games nights with you. I still go some Saturdays, but not as regularly. It’s not the same without you, of course, and it’s easy to let other activities take precedence. Still I appreciate the friendships you introduced me to in those groups, and I like to stay in touch. I continue your tradition of season tickets at North Coast Rep, and have taken friends to the performances, as you did before I met you. Still eating bison from Glacier Grown - just received my second order. Still enjoying organic produce, but from Sprouts and my own garden, this year. Just could not keep up with the box! Still making art inspired by our travels, but also making more local scenes. You will appreciate that I added the people into a beach scene that I painted this week - and it sold within 24 hours. I know, you told me so!
I miss your delight in your family, and your thoughtful and loving attention to your grandchildren and great-grandchildren. I loved your research into the gifts you would give, research that often started months before the birthday in question. Even though sometimes the package wouldn’t get into the post in time to arrive for the birthday, you always had the gifts in house well in advance! I miss the rowdy family gatherings you had every summer and at holidays. You were so generous with your time and attention, and affection.
You affected my life in so many ways that carry on today, but what I miss most is the day to day - just being together. Laughing. Loving. You reading aloud while I knit - how many books did we get through? Alternating fiction and non-fiction. Watching a little Netflix. Playing Boggle. For all the sadness I feel over your being gone, I still feel joy in the memories of our time together, and gratitude for the love that you gave me.
I will take a walk at Coast Walk today, and think of you and remember you with love.