Ruth and Gabe came up yesterday. This September 4th, the third yahrzeit after Jon’s death in 2022, only a year after Kate’s. Glad they wanted to be here. They’re also sleeping over. Probably the last time.

They’ve been coming here for nearly eleven years. Ruth was 9 and Gabe 7 when we moved to Shadow Mountain. We wanted to be part of their lives. We were and I am.

A lot of good memories with them here. Sad ones, too. Family memories which include the full range of emotions. Grief over Kate and Jon’s death. Vega. Gertie. Rigel. Kepler. Joyful birthday and Hanukah celebrations. Thanksgivings. Just because weekends and sleepovers.

As they ate dinner, I said, “Wow. I have two college students here.” Yup, Gabe said. Gabe seems to have gained some traction at Regis. Smaller classes.

Ruth showed me the beautiful drawings she made of epithelial cells, muscle cells, cartilage. Study helps. They are beautiful, combining her first major, art, with her second, pre-med. Anatomy. Boring but necessary, heavy on memorization.

She’s also loving O-chem, a weed out class for pre-med students she says. Not for her. Kate loved organic chemistry and physical chemistry, another weed out class. Two bright women.

Forgot to say I walked into my oncology appointment. No walker. No cane. No stumbling or bumbling. Felt so good. Tiring, but not exhausting. I also got the seven vial treatment at my blood draw. Dark red blood pumping out of my left arm’s handy, findable vein. Into this vial, then the next.