Goodbye, dad. We will miss you...

Wednesday, May 17th, my dad turned 91. Thursday, May 18th, he took his last breath about five minutes before sunrise, surprising us when the next failed to come. Friday, May 19th, the wordle answer was "grief".

My dad had a long life and, I think, a good one. He had a good sense of humor, good health, good friends, and a good family. 

I've been here in Sonoma for the last few rather difficult weeks and got to hear quite a bit about his adventures with his younger sister, growing up in Croton-on-Hudson. We found a video of water running over the dam there and he watched it for hours, pointing out the bits of beauty. I'm sure, if I had shown him this pic, he would have had more stories...

He married my mom, a gal he had known since her birth. All six nieces acted as flower girls... although we seem to be missing one here. Hey, ChatGPT: can you add one?

My dad surely loved the Outermost House, a wonderful beach shack on the barrier beaches of Cape Cod. Clamming, fishing, hiking...

Time goes on. Now my dad's three sons are living in Berkeley, DC, and in a peripatetic boat on the east coast. His seven grandkids are in DC; Berkeley; Portland, OR; London, UK; and Casper, WY. Happily, two sons and three grandkids were here for his birthday and departure.

I'm not sure what dad loved most, whether it was telling bad jokes (or good ones), making and/or eating good food,

making wine (and drinking it, of course),

digging clams,

or just being around people he loved,

but he certainly enjoyed his life. He has left the world a bit better and he will be missed.

And so, life goes on. I'll be heading to Cape Cod on the 30th and stay for about four weeks. Then back to St Augustine to my boat, work on it for a week or so, then set sail...

I hope all of you are doing well. May you have all the happiness you deserve...