What Happened to March?

Why does time pass so much more quickly the older you get?  The entire month of March came and went, before we had a chance to post.  Not only that, but it's halfway through April!  We could mumble something about several birthdays this month, or being super-busy with painting, writing, and gardening, etc., but it would just be an excuse.

Diane finished teaching her art/writing classes for Lucia Mar this year.  It was so much fun!  Proof that education is a lifelong activity.  She will be focusing on her own writing--until the summer classes begin.  Actually, we could say that teaching made us too busy to post last month ... nah, that's not true either!

What is true, though, is that we're still adjusting to life here in our new home on the Central Coast, and life without Dad.  Dad left us a year ago April 4, at the age of 92.  Each of us deal with such things in our own way.  Evy (Mom) was compelled to write an open letter to him, her husband of over 60 years.  We'd like to include it here for anyone who can appreciate loss, coping, and carrying on.  This one's for you, Dad--Salud!

Dear Micky,
     It's been one full year since you left us.  Hard to believe that so much time has gone by.  Last evening, Ken brought home some pizza for us -- sort of a little symbol in our memory of you.  Ken opened the special bottle of wine I gave him last Christmas.  He said it was extra good wine, no comparison to the cheaper red wines he usually drinks.  I remarked, "Dad would have loved joining us with a glass of wine."
     I miss you so much -- probably more than either Ken or Mare realizes, because I tend to grieve in silence.  Oh, how I long to be able to sit beside you and discuss various issues -- even small ones, like enjoying the beautiful colors of a bouquet of roses.
     My new roses here in my new home are not nearly as robust as the ones I had in Poway.  But, I have to give them time.  Time.  They say that "time heals all."  Perhaps time eases, but it does NOT heal.
     I've tried to get back to some honest piano practice.  It's very frustrating as my fingers stumble on the keys and I realize how much I've lost.  But, I have to give that time, too.  Wouldn't it be great if I could regain enough technique to again play Chopin's Ballade in G Minor?  I'll never forget how much you helped me with that music.  I only wish I could have taken better advantage of your ability and coaching, but we had too many interruptions in our journey together.
     That's life!
Love, Evy ("The Lady")