10 year celebration party! February 25 and then two Funerals

Good morning all —

What an abundance of blessings from you all.  Thank you…

Paul, I hope I am saving you some work—I  relished your words with the extra notes even more by typing it up…In your “stack” were  2 handwritten copies as we as numerous notes… so I hope I’ve got it right.

John, I thank you again for the Purcell — and Judith for the dancing… and Elaine for the abundance of beautiful flowers… and Kathy, for arranging the card, signed by Ellen Bass as well, and Carmin for the books now available at the library, to Jim and Mary and Elaine for speeches—  and Bernie for your poem... and then in my mind, is a memory of everyone there giving a speech as well… And all the delicious food!  I only know the madeleines came from Judith, and the white chocolate fruit and nut from Maura… Abundance.

I treasure every moment

and each one of you.

Love,

Kitty

included this note from Bernie: Dear Friends,

A followup on the O Pen celebration this past week.  I received some requests... well, a few......... well, actually........one, for a copy of the Byron poem mash-up I shared and thought I'd put it out there for review and appropriate "archiving" for any who did want to see it.  But also I was hoping it might encourage Paul to share his poem in writing for posterity and Jim to reconstitute at least some of his remarks for us to have too. We've got David's contribution in an email, too.

What do you think? We've got John and Judith and the visuals  - what about the text?

Bernie

I delivered the flowers to Don at Benincasa  February 26... and Linda gave me a tour of his room... all that he cares about 

surrounding him.  The site, "Friends of Don" gave updates 

This is the picture chosen with a poem he wrote.

Don's funeral was on March 25.  Linda's daughter, Liz read
 Late Fragment – Raymond Carver

Beautiful music, especially cello and included the Albinoni.

Many speakers and shared memories. 

Here is one of Don's poems... 

This time at a look,

glorious glorious leisure

lent its time

life is happening 

no past, no future need apply

applies

 here.

No weary, no wary worry 

worry

only a giant burst of lu...

in brilliant clusters

succulent

here, is a tale of today's  thrilling episode of our chemo hour.

**

Memoriam

Don pulled his bow across all of our hearts

creating beautiful ballads we will never forget.

Memories, before I realize how special he was,

-- from his adopted granddaughter Lucy