January 28, 2013 - In Anchorage after letting months pass by. Truth is, though I eventually made it out of Saskatoon and home, I missed the gigs at the Seldovia Festival and it really sort of broke me for a bit. My last night in Saskatoon was at a hotel downtown - classy, old, worth it. The Senator. The password for the Wi-Fi was "Welcome Home", an interesting connection to my Kerrville life. The drive back was long, and I was exhausted in the end.
Now I'm looking at what the new year holds - the travel somewhat changed as I had to come up with a better plan than driving the Alcan five times a year... So a new car for Alaska, the RAV there for now, and now I'll fly down to the "Lower 48". Age manifests itself in many ways.
It is a sad time now, though.... My Uncle Gene passed away after battling for two long years with cancer. I saw him last in mid-December - funny and smiling and fully aware of the next steps, the cancer by then having long sapped his strength of body, but seemingly only adding to his strength of spirit. His children - every one of them - rising to the challenge of a longer death. It was enough to make him proud of each of them, and it was enough for him to comfort his wife, my Aunt Bette, and let her know she would never truly be alone. It was lovely to see him so many times these past years and to see that humor I knew was always there. A delightful man, I'll miss him. My Mother isthere now, and I'll miss the funeral... I regret that, but only a little. I know that those who are there will do him a great justice, and have the right kind of celebration of life.
Soon I'll write about Egypt and other things, and the music to come. For now, this entry is for Gene.
Goodnight Uncle Gene.