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Lest I bury the lede, let’s start with that. I’m flying off to Los Angeles tomorrow to see my daughter, Marissa! There are lots of emotions attached to me getting to this point after Tim’s passing on Jan. 5, but I feel somewhat ready.
On Tim’s last day, he said that I should fly out there on his birthday (Feb. 28 – he’s a leap year baby), and that we should party like we’re 17 1/2. That’s how old he would have been, or in non-leap years, 70. Well, I wasn’t quite ready to make that trip on his actual birthday, but I’m heading out there tomorrow, and taking a few of his ashes to spread into the ocean.
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It’s not lost on me that the last big flight I did by myself was in 1979 when I flew down to the Virgin Islands to see Tim, who wintered there after working at Far Out Farms during the summer (north end of the OMP on Ridgewood Road). And now, my next big flight by myself is happening 43 years later, and I’m flying across the country to see our daughter. There’s something cosmic about that.
Tim and I never really traveled in the years following our 1979 adventure in the Caribbean. Unless you count U of M Hospital, which really isn’t much of a vacation. So it’s very odd for me to be traveling somewhere that doesn’t involve a life-and-death surgery. I’m looking forward to spending time with Marissa, and we’ll be driving up to Yosemite to hike there for a few days, too. Wow!
Of course, Charley is very interested in all the packing I’ve been doing today. See above photo (yes, I had to buy a piece of luggage, since I had none).
And in other Charley news, she loves her scratching post, to the point where she ripped that thing to shreds. In this photo, even she seems to be saying, “Mom, I need a new scratching post.”
And so, of course, I bought her a new scratching post, and does she use it? No, she does not. Now she uses the post on her Cat Condo, which isn’t really a scratching post, and thus, shreds all over the floor, as you can see. Cats!
But as long as she’s using anything other than the furniture as a scratching post, I’ll take it. She continues to fit right in here, and every time either Will or I sit down by the fire – either to tend it or just to stare at it – she’s right there with us.
And don’t worry, she and Will are buddies, and he’s going to be looking after her while I’m off on my big adventure. I’ll be gone ten days, starting tomorrow through May 1st. I’m taking my laptop and will try to post a few things while I’m there, whether it’s Old Mission news or maybe a dispatch or two from the West Coast.
SUPPORT YOUR INDEPENDENT LOCAL NEWSPAPER: I started Old Mission Gazette in 2015 because I felt a calling to provide the Old Mission Peninsula community with local news. After decades of writing for newspapers and magazines like the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Family Circle and Ladies' Home Journal, I really just wanted to write about my own community where I grew up on a cherry farm and raised my own family. So I started my own newspaper.
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I know it will seem surreal, but have a wonderful adventure with your daughter.
Happy & safe travels Jane. Have a wonderful visit. We were stationed in Merced Ca. 71 thru 75. Made many trips to Yosemite. Enjoy
So glad you and Marissa can share this new adventure. Tim is smiling down. Raise a glass high to him while you are together! ❤️
Enjoy every minute Jane. Safe travels.
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