Feliz Navidad

 After a lengthy hiatus, I have gotten back to painting! 

To test my mojo, I started with mini watercolors that I will give to my Kids and Grands - as gift tags which double as ornaments. Shhhhh.  . . 

For myself, and Remembering Jamie, I painted blueberries. Every summer we were on the Oregon Coast, we took junkets to the pick-your-own blueberry farms. 

BTW, I'm doing okay with the holidays so far. I miss Jamie terribly. The ornaments we collected in our travels provide sweet memories,  many smiles, and quite a few tears. I'm looking forward to Granddaughters' arriving this week and to spending time with my CA family.

Feels like i live here!

 I've been in my apartment a month now. It's been a busy month of buying furniture & accessories and dishes & glasses and so much more. Tons of details taken care of too (moving out of an RV and changing resident states is challenging).

The place hasn't felt like I live here --- it's felt like living in a hotel, not really my place. Everything is new, nothing is familiar. I've felt disconnected, displaced, somewhat disoriented.

But yesterday and today I hung my paintings that I just got back from the framer. Now this feels like HOME! It feels like MY PLACE!

I sit in my comfy chair and revisit Norway, Denmark, Ireland, Scotland, and Italy. I stretch out on my sofa and travel back to Canyon Country of Utah and Lee's Ferry AZ where rafters enter Marble Canyon as they begin their journey down the Colorado and through the Grand Canyon. 

My paintings take me back to places Jamie and I loved, and where we spent so much time together. Such fond memories of the incredible life we had together. How I miss that man!

Missing my fella

TEN WEEKS! And I still wake up thinking you must already be in the kitchen grinding beans for our Daily Cappuccino. 

I miss our mornings most of all. I miss our chats. I miss making plans for our day together.  And yes, I miss my cappuccino. 

We should be taking a hike today, dontcha think? Remember this one? --- over Red Mountain near Bryce Canyon Utah. Great hike, outstanding views, lovely day together.

I miss you so damned much!

So Unfair

My husband, Jamie (James) Bethel suffered a fatal heart attack Friday, September 1st, 2023. He passed very quickly, didn't suffer. There were no symptoms, no warning signs, and a recent physical found no heart problems. Jamie was only 68. As you might imagine, my heart is broken.

Jamie was my soulmate, fellow adventurer, best buddie for over 33 years; we just celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary. We had one helluva ride and had plans for so much more. We were not done.

 I want to publically thank all the friends who reached out to me in those first days - your loving emails are cherished. Thanks to those who recounted special memories of great times with Jamie, many before I knew him. I needed that in those first few days when I was in shock and disbelief; it helped. It warmed my heart. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

This is Jamie in his inflatable kayak on Eel Lake - our favorite Oregon Coastal lake and the last time we kayaked. 

My Memory Pilgrimage

September 20, 2023 I embarked on my 'Memory Pilgrimage' along the South Oregon Coast. I scattered some of Jamie's ashes in his very favorite places - places he planned to be enjoying right now. Pictures shared in the following posts.

It was a sentimental journey, and most likely a goodbye to the area we both fell in love with way back in 2004. 

Kayaking the Coastal Lakes

September 22, 2023  was long and bittersweet for me. I visited a number of Jamie's favorite spots in the Reedsport & Winchester Bay areas, and released some of his ashes so that a little of him would always be there.

One of the things Jamie - and I - love about the South Oregon Coast is the coastal lakes, fresh water lakes just a stone's throw from the ocean. Awhile back we treated ourselves to Hobie pedalyaks and loved to spend hours on these lakes. 

Eel Lake and Tahkenitch Lake are the best; I launched Jamie into Eel Lake for his final voyage. 

Jamie, champion fisherman

Jamie loved fishing, especially at Fisherman's Point at Winchester Bay, at the Umpqua  River Estuary. He caught his share of both Coho and Chinook. 

(I fish too, but I'm not as dedicated - obsessive - as he was.)

He had his heart set on landing a wild Chinook this fall salmon run.

I released some of his ashes at his favorite spot.