preparing...

It has been a nutty past month. I have not spent a lot of time working on plans for my travels because there has been so much going on. Most people that know me would guess there is almost always "so much going on". I lost two dear men in my life in the last month, and the sadness of my own transition has been greater for grieving them. Here is my little tribute to them. Words fail, but my memory still captures them. Brad Wells was a stable part of my Wednesdays for the last seven years. A dedicated volunteer in the pantry every Wednesday, he could be counted on for stories of his grandchildren or of the wilderness he loved. I was grateful to have just shared with him the Wednesday before he died about my adventures and intention to climb to Machu Picchu. What a joy to have his blessing before he left us on July 27th! On July 27th I was in Portland playing cribbage with my grandpa for the last time. I was born on his 55th birthday, and we almost always celebrated together. Erik and I traveled to Portland for his 85th birthday - a big one! A month earlier I began to teach Erik how to play cribbage, so he could play with Grandpa, but I smoked them both. He was also my godfather, and his devotion and faith were like no other's (except Grandma, my godmother). He passed on August 9th and was buried on my baptismal day. Oh to have faith like him! I am grateful he instilled a love of ice cream in me, among other things. What a blessing to have been there to celebrate with all the family, so many I loved to see when I lived in Portland and they came to visit Grandma and Grandpa! As planned, I will go to Portland for September. I leave on the 6th and return to Denver on the 25th, long enough to be there for my dad's 59th birthday! If you're a Portlander, maybe we can rendezvous for tea or ice cream. As the two weeks close in, I am nervous that I will not be ready to leave. I don't think all the time in the world would change that. peace...tori