A Fabulous Easter Sunday

The first of any holiday after you have lost a partner is difficult but my friends made this day a special one. I met David and his wife Connie from working at the Albertina Kerr Center and they have become my "adopted Portland kids". David is the one who gets on ladders to fix things, puts appliances together and basically helps me with anything that I need. Today Bella and I were invited for dinner with their family and I met many of them for the first time. As you can see there were several dogs; Bella being the smallest and Darth (well named) the big guy with a tail that can destroy any and everything resting on a table or chair. Pictured are David with his dad, Arden and Mehrdad, a United Airlines Pilot based in S.F. Also shown are Mehrdad's lovely wife, Susan, Cece, David's sister and Connie, his wife. The young man with Darth is their son Trevor.

Dinner was the kind that most of us remember or dream of - you know - way too much food, laughter, loud conversation, barking and snacking dogs and general mayhem.

Their home overlooks the Columbia River and as I drove away I saw a beautiful sunset of a radiant orange/red sun in between dark gray rain clouds. It was like a beacon that led me back to Portland.