OCTOBER BLUES

Two weeks in and it’s already been a busy, up and down month.

First up, my hubby and I celebrated our 20th anniversary on October 2nd. Twenty years!

It had been a whirlwind romance. I was in my mid-30’s and I’d just returned from a solo two week Paris vacation (I decided to dump my then boyfriend and travel on my own without the emotional baggage).

Within a week of returning, on a lark I placed a personal ad in the leading newspaper (keep in mind, this is when the Internet was in its beginning days and people still read papers) looking for a soulmate. My ad read as followed.

“You are the last ingredient in my scrumptious life stew. Comely scribe looking for best friend for romantic free fall. (I won’t tell your mother how we met if you don’t!). Hope and humor make all things possible.”

David responded, we talked on the phone for about 20 hours over the next two weeks before meeting. Our first date mid-May was electric. I got engaged two months later and then we married within a few months. We didn’t want to wait! I bought a couture dress from the sales rack at Neiman Marcus (I was a food buyer for them at the time) and we married in the gorgeous back yard of David’s and my home in San Francisco.

Flash forward two decades. David hasn’t been able to do that much of late so we didn’t want a big hoopla for this day but he did want to take me out for the day and buy me something special for our anniversary– so we went to one of my favorite retail spots in the world.

Tiffany’s.

I could spend hours just staring at all the details of the store:  the housewares

and the perfection of the rugs and all their exquisite offerings.

I love also how surprisingly unsnobby they are and how nonjudgmental they always are about budgets. I just wanted a simple bracelet and while they made us lattes

we perused the store offerings.

I love what we picked out together — and it seemed so perfect for the occasion (the charm is red on one side and just silver on the other).

So there was our wedding anniversary.

And then there was our friend’s kid’s birthday party.

Who doesn’t love cupcakes and flowers?

Let’s see. How about another life milestone?

I’m so sorry to report that my friend Alex lost her battle with breast cancer.

I didn’t know her for very long; we met for the first time in April, and regular readers might recall I invited her to my house back late spring.

We ate grilled cheese sandwiches– her favorite!

and the next week she dropped this off at my house — the most gorgeous flowers in an enamel pot she’d brought back from Belgium (she was a vintage importer).

This week there was a celebration of her life, and of course everything about it was perfect– and so much like Alex.

Friends far and wide talked about her generosity, her exquisite taste and her unflagging positivity, and I really appreciated seeing the tables set up with tableaus of favorite items and mementos of a beautiful like ended far too early (she died just after her 50th birthday).

Everything about her celebration was perfect and so her– including the party favors of sorts handed out as we walked out the door.

Funny how you can barely know someone but yet they immediately seem so familiar and such a cheery addition to your life — and then suddenly they are gone.

I will miss you, Alex.

So anniversaries, birthdays and funerals over here.

But hang in there, kids, amidst such turbulent times I’m happy to report a couple things.

One, Oliver is thriving at GW.

He’s was chosen for Moot Court, plus a pre-law fraternity, and also as a writer for GW Democrats — the largest student branch in the country.

Two, there’s been so much good eats around here as we’ve dealt with so much stress around here.

There’ve been dates with various friends around town.

Amazing food at Hat Yai with my two Lisas

followed by Tea Bar for their amazing drinks.

I enjoyed brisket tacos at Matt’s BBQ

followed up by coffee at TOV with Laurie (Magpie Ethel).

And best of all, finally, a bit of good news on David’s health front.

We’ve worried up a storm in advance of David’s first PETscan this week, and I’m happy to report that the news was good!

Cancer recurrence is not common at the 3 month mark but happens with the incredibly aggressive type of cancer David has, but I’m so happy to report that yesterday we learned that so far, cancer has not shown up on tests.

Of course this is no guarantee it won’t show up in the months to come, but for the first time in months I can breathe. It feels like we’ve all been white-knuckling since his diagnoses 7 months ago — and surgery in July -and now we’ve been given a reprieve from the incessant worrying.

David will continue his immunotherapy for the time being, and we’ll do more tests in January to see where we’re at.

Right now, this break for a few months feels like pure magic.

I can now focus on my sister (who just arrived for a three day visit!)  and Halloween and all sorts of fun.

Who’s in?

Live in Portland? I’m all in for a coffee jaunt, bin’s trip,  farmer’s market foray or dog walk.

Thanks for all the love and prayers,  peeps! XO