A door for the hut

I drove up to Springfield to see Grandma Jo. Fried chicken at Collier's. I bought this fine old oak door at a mansion on High St.   Jo used to play bridge there.The door will be the entrance way to the brick garden hut I am building in Becky's memory. I rode my bike up through the corn fields towards Urbana. My first time up that way without my спутница жизни - my lifelong companion.

Becky - one month later

August 6, 2015 exactly a month since my wife Rebecca died. In the mail I recently received the first two pictures from my old friend Sarah Timmel. The first is from her wedding to John 27 years ago. In the next picture with Terry and Jane Collins I am a sheik; Becky is simply chic. She is 39, still young. It was the year she traveled alone to Paris and Bilboa where at 3:00 A.M. at a bar she was called a Basque goddess, a line I myself would occasionally use on her, sometimes seriously. The next picture is my current favorite of her. Both she and Grandma Jo both look ready for anything. And finally about a year and a half ago at one of our favorites haunts, Tucker's Restaurant in Over-the-Rhine. She had her lipstick on to be more alluring. It was always the same story. As we drove over she would promise to help me but after breakfast she would always find something else way more important to do.

Saying Goodbye to Gulia

    My dear friend of the last eight years, Gulia is moving out to Portland. I met her the day after she arrived from Bakali. She was tired but excited and also worried. Her friend Renata was still stuck at the Moscow airport. A couple of years later Becky and I had the opportunity to visit Bakali, a small Tatar village near the Urals. Could there be a better place on earth?

    Fast forward to a gathering of her friends to see her off. A couple of days later Gulia and I visited Kentucky's Natural Bridge and rode the chairlift just like I did with my Dad 35 years ago. Then it was to Miguel's Pizza and down to Muir Valley to look for cliffs and rock climbers. A very special day.

Getting Started

The weather was good. Time to uncover the old foundation wall that will support the brick hut. Sarah (the Bob Kitten) Fulmer had started the brick wall on Lexington Ave., Jesse Shelbourne had finished it. The are both here at 712 Washington Ave. to clean and tuck point the 150 year old stone wall. Also appearing in the line up is my first Russian teacher, Julia Wolf. Suddenly we are underway!

Becky's funeral

I went over to Newport's west side to compose myself before her funeral . Found an old Egypt brick on Lowell St. The funeral was at St. Paul's Episcopal Church where Becky had long sung in the choir. It was a great service. The light shone through the windows. The music was great. The church was standing room only. Afterwards there was a reception next door where Lagniappe played. Many flowers and a Collinwood brick from Mike Corn.It was a wonderful send off for a wonderful person.

Becky's Last Day - Kentucky Crown and Grandma jo

My sweet Becky slipped away  the evening of Monday, July 6th.  She was able to watch the Fourth of  July fireworks. That day  I picked up this, the last brick while she was still alive. The great matriarch Grandma Jo, Becky's mom, is sportingly help holding the brick. That evening she was holding her daughter's hand as she breathed her last breath.

Permit

Just a few long weeks ago we received a permit from the city of Newport to build a 12' X 15' brick structure in the side lot next door. Of course it will feature many of the bricks in this very blog. My dear, dear wife Rebecca is slipping away, but we were so delighted to finally get permission.
Special thanks at the city to Tom Fromme, Bev Holiday, Bob Bramel, and Bob List.

ist.




















Newport