Not much in words, more in pictures. Okay, I lied. There’ll be words. I also plan to put up more pix in Facebook to spare folks on my friends lists.
It was a bittersweet party simply because we don’t know what will happen next year. While that could be true for any of us, in Jay’s case we know there’s a shortening of the time we have this lovely and brilliant person left with us. I’ve been through this experience of walking down the days with family and friends before, so any more for me it is about seizing the time as best as one can while the person unwinding the threads of their life is still able. Doesn’t make the process any easier and simpler while it occurs. It does make me angry that once again, I’m going through this with someone far too soon. It happened with my parents and in-laws (all four dead by the time I was 40), it’s happened with another friend just last year. Sure brings one’s own mortality home hard.
Enough morbid, more par-TAY!
The star of the show with the Princess balloon:
Other assorted folks:
For mercy of various linkages, that’s it for pix. More words!
Amongst the raffle giveaway items were foam-backed posters of Jay’s Green trilogy covers and his Mainspring trilogy covers. I wasn’t particularly interested in the Mainspring covers because while they’re gorgeous, they’re not my thing. The Green series, though? I liked the first cover, kinda liked the second cover, but really, really liked the third cover (Kalimpura). Bob Brown gave me some tickets for the raffle but I never win stuff so while I was hoping, I didn’t figure I’d get anything, right?
Mike Moscoe got the Green cover, and said he was interested in Kalimpura and would trade. I just kept hoping. And then…I got the Endurance cover. Not my first choice, but hey, still good. I figured, no way would lightning strike twice and I never, ever win this stuff, right? Right?
Riii-iiight.
The next ticket number was the number RIGHT AFTER the ticket that won me Endurance. I couldn’t believe it. Such things NEVER happen to me. Mike asked for a Green/Kalimpura trade and I turned him down, offering Endurance instead. He didn’t want it.
So. Two posters. I knew I could find room for one, but two? I gave Endurance to Bob because, hey, after all, those were the tickets he gave me. I think it was the poster he really wanted, anyway.
So now Kalimpura leans against the wall behind me. It will go up this afternoon, where I can look up from my computer screen and see it when I’m contemplating what to write next. It sums up so much of an underlying theme that resonates with me that I can’t begin to explain it, except to say that this aspect of Green could well reflect the perspective of several of my heroines.
Anyway, after noshing down at Flying Pie on dairy-free, gluten-free pizza (royal pig girl, OMG it’s been a while), I joined the procession to the Barley Mill for more nibbles and time with Jay and a host of other wonderful folk. Then I wended on home.
Bittersweet, but still good. That’s my hope for more days with Jay.
I can walk this walk. I’ve done it before with family and friends.
I just hate having to do it so soon.
