Bill Wins Out...

Today I sat with a client of mine who is quite ill.  He told me that he experienced a "life flashing before his eyes event" and he shared how impactful that was for him.  As I walked home from work, I was thinking about our conversation and I remembered that I never got back to writing...Since last writing, life has flashed by and much has occurred....

      The end of May we had a big surprise party for my brother in law, Bill.  He turned 80 and many of us gathered to celebrate.  Sister Gloria and his children did all the behind the scenes planning and Gloria pulled off getting him to the party without a hitch!

A well coordinated surprise!

We sang and cheered.

It was good to meet his side of the family and many friends.

And of course, there is our side...
We all love Bill dearly.

Later Bill and Gloria took me for a drive into the mountains around
Los Alamos...

This is AGAIN the area that was once again hit by the most recent fire...

There's new growth among the old dead wood. (WAS).

This is an ET call home dish....

Then, this-- just barely a month later.  I could hardly believe it when my sister Andela called me and told me that she and Los Alamos, were in the process of evacuating.  It brought back intense memories of a similar occurrence 11 years prior.

 I know that I am probably supposed to say more about this fire and all of its implications but I find that I can't. I find that I have to keep it to myself because I do realize that I am grieving--for all the animals killed, the destruction, the chaos and the threat to the nuclear, plutonium and other hazardous sites.  I am grateful to the fire fighters, the Red Cross, and the Northern NM communities that came to the aid of my home town.  Thank you.


So there is a life flashing before ones eyes, and the celebration of a life well lived and a horrific fire; all are rumbling inside my mind.  Out of all of this, I want to focus upon Bill, this great man who married my sister Gloria many years ago--I don't remember the number.   But what I do remember is that Bill has always been there for ALL of us.  He has shuttled me back and forth from Albuquerque to Los Alamos more times than I can count.  He is there for sister Andie who struggles with recreating her life and stabilizing her family; he becomes a great male role model for her children.  He was there for my parents--loving and respecting them both.  I don't think I can remember him ever saying no to a request for aid or a favor.   He loves  green chili and burritos and he always is offering to bring me one when I am visiting.  AND, this is the man who brought me a ton of rocks from NM to Seattle for my garden this past year--hauling them in the back of his SUV.
  One thing I do know about Bill Long is that he l o v e s to drive and travel and he holds a zest for life that inspires me. I wish you continued safe driving Bill.  I love you and thank you for being in our lives-for being such a terrific brother.  You, sir, are the best.