Dear Friends:
This coming Wednesday, July 31, marks the one year anniversary of Fred's bicycle crash.  "That's the day my adventure started!" says Fred.   It's been a wild ride for sure, starting with months of unknowns (none of which Fred remembers) and then a time characterized by ongoing therapies and doctor's appointments, capped by a December 29 move from the care center in Wheeler back to our reorganized house.  Frankly, all of that fades in my memory too, and I'm surprised by the photo in our last post, in early January, Fred with his gate belt, gamely dancing a few steps at the CART'M closing party...Really? Because now, in many ways, Fred is completely back--kayaking, repairing his homemade kayaks, hiking, making a tuna melt for lunch for both of us, reading his favorites (non fiction and New Yorkers), and enthusiastically engaging friends in conversation.  He is simultaneously his old self and different, his Fredness accentuated by his injury.  More than ever Fred is fueled by joy, subject to sweeps of deep feelings, likely to forget an acquaintance until reminded, overwhelmed by large groups and multiple conversations, enraptured by music, not interested in finances, challenged by the cell phone and email, courageous, independent, and miraculously resilient.  

Through it all, we have been graced by help of all kinds from you:  supportive notes,  meals,  contributions, many many visits to Fred at the care center and at home, the two beautiful community quilts, and your wisdom, experience and listening ears as Tom and I grappled with the ever emerging decisions.

And so with much gratitude, we invite you to join us in honoring all that has happened in the last year, a welcome back to the old Fred and a welcome as well to the new Fred. 

Stop in anytime from 1-5 pm on Wednesday July 31st.
It's an Open House at our house in Nehalem (35600 13th St ). 
Join us for a glass of ice tea and a lemon drop (Fred's favorite confection). 

And if you aren't available or don't live in our part of the world, we'd also love to hear from you--send a note on this site or through my email (vivi@nehalemtel.net) or just think of us on the 31st.  If we didn't know it before we know it now--when you beam us your love and light, from near or far, we can feel it!

Sending love to you all,

Vivi, Fred and Tom