18 January 2010
Mary gave me a Joshua Tree starter kit back in November. In mid-December I planted it. In mid-January this is what I had.
It took about 6 weeks to show green.
Unfortunately, I don’t think it’s going to make it. 
~KR (Written on 19 February 2010)
Listening to:
Gibbering Smit by Peatbog Faeries
from Welcome to Dun Vegas
Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.5
Aperture: f/2.8
Focal Length: 5.8 mm
ISO Speed: 80
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Flash: Off, Did not fire
17 January 2010
Shit.
This is embarassing! I’m over a month behind.
What’s more embarassing is that I don’t have a photo for this day.
Dangit.
16 January 2009
We finally had opportunity to take two wonderful people to a delightful restaurant we found late last year over in Ft. Worth. Allyson & Rod have done so much for us over the last couple of years, taking them to dinner seems hardly an appropriate thank you.
Thank you my very dear friends!
~KR (Written on 19 February 2010)
Listening to:
Sunday Street by Squeeze
from Play
Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.017 sec (1/60)
Aperture: f/2.8
Focal Length: 5.8 mm
ISO Speed: 250
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Flash: Auto, Fired, Red-eye reduction
3 February 2010
If I haven’t said it lately, I should. I am really proud of these guys! Tonight’s show was excellent, despite the all-sports format of the Wednesday nights when they’re at the Firehouse Grill. I was concerned that we would have a smaller crowd this week, but even that turned out alright. And, Kelly got to be there—that was an extra-added bonus!
~MB
2 February 2010
I don’t know if the groundhog saw his shadow today or not. I was busy.
Normally, I would have paid attention to such news. But, today was the date set for the Memorial Gathering for Bert Pfeiffer. Kelly and John flew in from Ohio and I picked them up at the airport. We didn’t have much time to visit before we had to be ready to go. From 2 to 4 p.m. what had to be nearly 250 people gathered in a large room at a funeral home and found some flavour of comfort in our grief by being together. At about 2:30 the first person took the podium, told a story about Bert, and started the avalanche of the outpouring of memories. Any who wished to were invited to speak, and speak they did. The collective family of friends gathered spent the next hour and half both laughing and crying—and it was beautiful.
A large group of us descended upon the Yucatan Taco Stand for dinner afterward, and then Kelly and John and I returned home. It is so good to have them here with us. Family is so important and we are so blessed. Healing is a slow process, but it’s easier when the experience is shared with those we love.
1 February 2010
Two days in a row . . . I remembered! This is is a photo of the gorgeous blue and gold brocade that Glenda chose last week for her underskirt and sleeves. I had to move it off my work table to get ready for my fitting tonight with Dan. It was good to see him, and get to talk with him about Bert. I hadn’t followed up like I should have—hadn’t talked to him since the night I had to call him with the news.
~MB
31 January 2010
Since most of what I’m writing about this week, I’m having to do from memory, the details are missing. I made notes on the calendar about some days, which is my only savior—but on Sunday, the only note is the one which tells me we had dinner at No Frills. Ironically, I knew that one, because today is the first day since Bert died that I’ve remembered to take a photo. So, as far as I can tell, we didn’t do anything during the day . . . I’ll update this if I remember anything—or Kyle does. But, dinner at No Frills felt good . . . felt almost normal.
~MB
30 January 2010
Waking thoughts are still of Bert. Grrr. This morning, although we slept very late, I decided I needed to go to the Rahr. This was something that we so often did with Bert, that I simply had to go today. Kyle, of course, was not difficult to convince, so I didn’t have to go alone! But, I just had the feeling that it would never be okay again, there, if I put off going. Obviously, it will never be the same—Bert will always be missed at events at the Rahr. But, by going today, I felt we were paying tribute to him. He would have wanted us to go. In fact, I can’t help but think that somewhere, he’s out there thinking, “Damn! They’re drinking beer and I’m not!”
I put the word out on Facebook that we were going, and we were thrilled to find that a few folks saw that, and joined us. Novie and Jen, Brett and Jill and Sally and Leonard . . . an unusual group, but wonderful. We laughed and cried, hugged and kissed, bonded and drank good beer! Afterwards, most of us went to the Cowtown Diner and had a fabulous meal.
Home again, Kyle and I spent the rest of the evening cuddling on our favourite new possession—we love our sofa!
No photo.
~MB
29 January 2010
Sometimes, it’s good to just chill with a girlfriend. With Ginger in Florida and Kelly in Ohio I was incredibly grateful for the pre-planned luncheon date with my girlfriend Sherrie. We had altered our original fancier lunch plans on Wednesday night, when we decided it would be fun to just hang out and enjoy the new sofa at our house. I spent the morning not accomplishing much . . . I’m still waking up with thoughts of Bert and not really able to focus on much. When Sherrie got here, we ran to Mexican Inn for lunch and margaritas and then came back here and enjoyed a bottle of wine while we told each other stories of friends we’ve lost and the various experiences life has thrown at us that have made us who we are. It was good for me, and I will forever be grateful for her time and her love today.
No photo.
~MB
28 January 2010
Neither Kyle nor I wanted to get out of bed this morning. The sadness of last night’s news lay over us like a blanket of lead. But, rising was necessary—Kyle had obligations at work, and I had promised to take Stephen to his doctor’s appointment. Somehow, life must go on.
We were very grateful for a visit from Kathleen this morning on her way back from her work assignment. It was our first, and a much-appreciated opportunity to share some of the pain we were feeling with someone else who was experiencing it.
Stephen’s appointment went well, and the afternoon spent in the hospital waiting room gave me lots of time to peruse Facebook while dozens and dozens of our friends processed their grief by posting often beautiful comments to Bert’s wall.
By midday, we had our fears realized and learned that Bert had taken his own life. So much to process. So much to think about. So much to forgive.
No photo.
~MB
