RIP Barry Blue Bird

 Oh the heart break we feel loosing a pet family member.  For a few weeks Barry Blue Bird has been acting strange.  Not tweeting out as much, labored breathing, and moving very slowly, sometimes falling or not using his legs when he climbed the ladder.  We knew something was wrong but hoped a trip to the vet would fix him up.

Will took Adell and Barry to the vet Friday afternoon (as Clare and I were driving down to Santa Clara for her first dance competition weekend).  They got the worst news.  Barry was sick and there wasn't anything to do but end his life humanely.  Adell was so sad.  It was heartbreaking.  

Clare and I cried on the phone with Adell as she told us the news on the drive down.  So sad.  Poor Barry Blue...poor Adell!

The vet gave Adell a white box to keep Barry in and a plant because they don't like to have people come in with something living and not leave with something living too.  It was very kind of them.  She loves plants.  

Adell dragged her feet on a memorial service.  We all wanted to do one but she did not.  We didn't understand until she explained that a service would make Barry's passing final and she wasn't ready.  Poor kid.  

Adell painted the top of Barry's box with a beautiful painting of Barry flying free and prepared to have a service for BBB.  She asked that we all wear something blue and share a memory of Barry.  Lorien and Wyatt joined the service over zoom.

 

We buried Barry in a safe place in the front yard.  It was a lovely ceremony...even with a mild coffin drop.  Ask Will about it some time.  

For posterity, here is a picture of Clare at her first dance competition in years due to Covid and a hurt knee.

Skiing and meeting Oliver

What a week of snow, skiing, and baby time!  

Will's trip to the family this year was a ski week in Utah at Powder Mountain and a visit to Wyatt, Emma, and Oliver.  

We arrived at Powder Mountain in the evening and sent Will, Lorien, Clare, Adell, and Colter out for a ski.  Unfortunately, Lorien tweaked her knee on her second run and was out of skiing commission for the rest of the trip.

The next day we packed up and drove down the mountain to Logan to meet Oliver for the first time.  Everyone was beside themselves with his cuteness.  No one got enough turns holding him.  He was loved to the MAX.  Wyatt and Emma seem to be settling into parenting life and their own apartment pretty well.  

 

 

The rest of the trip was spent on the mountain nonstop skiing for the kids and Will.  Colter was the most enthusiastic skier.  He couldn't get enough.  Adell and Clare also spent significant time on the mountain.  Lorien stayed with me in the cabin.  I updated my google photos drive and coached some of my clients.  It was a lovely way to spend a snowed in time.

At night we would meet for dinner and games with Will's family.  Will's mom and several siblings going skiing up at Powder Mountain every year.  This was the first time we joined them.  

 

 

 

In the airport on the way home we ran into our old friends the Wrights!  It was so fun!  Lorien and their kids were best friends growing up.  Sabrina is Colter's favorite babysitter.  We sat with each other on the flight home and got caught up.