Ingrid sent me a few photos from the memorial service for Vee yesterday. This is a sweet one of Britten, John and Wren who live in Corvalis. John looks very Shakespearean, like if he spoke it would be in rhymed couplets. Patches on the baby sweater are a nice touch. I was in a UBR Board retreat yesterday morning in the meeting hall of the Union Church, but in my head I was tracking the event 1500 miles away, imagining the church, the walk down the street to the hall. I was getting photos via my phone from neice Melanie and I could text message. Occasionally I stepped into the church itself to make a call. I also had a band (Eric Lindell) on the way to the theater who were cutting it close and wanted to try lobster for the first time. So I made all my calls while pacing up and down the aisles of the church. It's a cute old New England church (white clapboard!) and I kept thinking it would be a great folk venue. The band got here right on time for sound check, we had a good enthusiastic crowd with dancing down in front of the stage. They did a great version of the James Brown tune "Funky President." I love watching people have a good time, knowing that I helped to make it happen. The strain of being three places at once was not good for my immune system and I finally got that cold that's been going around. As I write this, I'm on the porch looking out at the lake with a cheerful fire in the stove on at my back. Lights are starting to twinkle on the far shore and a bright star has come out above the last bands of the sunset.

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