Nails

 I am so proud of Sarabeth. Yesterday was her last day at Eden Nails. It was a very memorable first job that she sure learned quite a bit: not only how to deal with unruly customers, entitles customers, homeless people, schedule conflicts, creepy old men, and a language barrier with co-workers, she also talked to police detectives in multiple states. She stuck it out through many challenging circumstances and made a pile of money that helped pay for her trip to Europe next week. She will now take a few well-deserved weekends off before starting her next work adventure when she returns.

Mom

 The Timehop app that I have on my phone can be a blessing in looking back at my photos from years past. Other times the memories and pictures are bittersweet. ToDay was one of those days. This picture of mom was from the Rib and Chop House in Laramie four years ago. Wes and I had made the trip to Laramie to help mom clean out and throw away the stuff dad had amassed that no longer served a purpose. We spent the weekend sorting, throwing away and donating quite a bit. The cartoon was one that I sent to mom a few days before our cleanup weekend. I love you mom. I miss you. 

TableTop-NoCo/Longmont

 Always a busy week of networking when its TableTop week. Had a great turnout for the NOCO chapter on Friday at Exodus Moving. Close to 65 people? Turned around on Tuesday and had a great showing of about 50 in the Longmont chapter. It’s about to get busier, with the planned opening of a Fort Collins chapter in July and Broomfield in late fall. Need to decide what kind of role if any I want to play in those. 

Goats

 Thanks for the invite to see the Mountain Goats last night in FTC Paul. It was a fun show…got to see “This Year” and “No Children.” Sadly they had played “The Best Ever Death Metal Band out of Denton” the night before and didn’t repeat it at the Fort Collins show. Really cool venue. Good seats. Fun conversations and meal beforehand. I’ve managed to see a live show each month this year, with the goal of one a month (at least) in 2022. 

GMM-Brix Edition

 More joy! We recently celebrated the one year anniversary of the Greeley Mob Mixer! We hosted our May event at our favorite brewery, Brix. We didn’t have as good of turnout as we would have hoped, but with everything going on in our leaders life the past month, that’s ok. Prize of the night was the glow-in-the-dark toilet seat provided by Emily. We missed Katie, who was returning from a much needed week in Mexico. 

Jazz

 How about a little good news and joy to celebrate? We made it back to the Dirty G in time to have dinner at Luna’s, then made our way to UNC to attend Sarabeth’s final Jazz Band concert. She was featured with two solos, and inundated with friends, family and flowers after the show. Amazing work, Sarabeth. I love you and am so proud of you. 

  

Luncheon

 Here are a few pictures of the luncheon we had back at the church after laying mom to rest in her “neighborhood”. Wes and I were so pleased at the number of people that made the journey from near and far to celebrate the life of mom. I wish I could have spent so much more time with each of the guests, and listened to their stories of what mom meant to them in their lives. 

After the luncheon, we gathered at Coal Creek Tap to have a drink or two before saying goodbye and returning home. 

Funeral

 It was a beautiful service for mom on Tuesday morning in Laramie. Wes did a great job with the message/eulogy. So did Steve and Ed. I feel I did a good job remembering mom with my words. I was so thankful for the many friends and family that came to Laramie to honor and remember mom. I love you so much mom, and miss you so deeply. So many times already have I wanted to share a silly story, or the activities of the day, or how proud I am of your grandkids, or how terrible the Rockies are, and then I remember that I can’t. And never will be able to again. I know you are rejoicing in heaven with Dad, and that you have no more pain, and no more tears and no more struggles to breathe, and swallow, and not choke.  You would have been so pleased at the outpouring of love and support for Wes and I and our family. The many, many kind things that people have said to me and wrote to me are incredible. You lived a full life; a well-lived life; and now you can rest. But for those of us left behind, there is a huge void in our lives that will never be filled.