August 15 > Unfortunately, I don't yet have many photos of David on my new computer. (This is a lovely one taken by my parents in... 2002?) Fortunately, though, I have many many fantastic memories of him... Took the day off and went for a hike in the Vosges, alone but for thoughts of my late, great brother. The 15th is a public holiday in France,* so Jean-Philippe was able to take the boys out and about (to Eric & Joël's for lunch and then out to the Orangerie with Eric, Manu & Candice. The boys were hilarity's zombies by the time we all met up again, around 7pm...). And I took myself and a small rucksack and said thoughts to Barr, where I filled my stomach first (in preparation for the walk ahead) at a wonderful Winstub, the Tonnelet, on Grand'Rue. As I sat down, the first of the many reminders as to whose day of rememberance this was made an appearence to my right:
By way of explanation, and among many other ways of explaining available: One of our phone conversations of 2005 concluded with David's telling me of his fox watching in Hickory Hill Park, and how he was thinking of buying a digital camera for this purpose... Talking about David and foxes and The Fox (Went Out on a Chilly Night) later this evening with our parents, Barb told me a lovely story of David's asking her to sing "Da Box" to him before bedtime when he was about 2-2.5, just after we'd moved into the house at 1622 Muscatine Ave.
Later, climbing higher and higher in the mountains, through the vineyards and woods and paths and so on, my thoughts climbed with me.
I was just wishing that the day were longer, that I could climb farther and higher on this particular day, when I came upon a very strange thing, indeed: a Blair Witch house!
Anyone who knew David has to know that he would have loved that.Before catching the train back to Strasbourg town, I stopped in at a Winstub across from the one the day started with: Au Boeuf. Another one of those "strangest encounters," which it would be impossible to explain via the typed word. And so... you'll just have to come and see it for yourself! This was one of the clandestine photos I felt able to take, since it only required switching the camera "on" and manoeuvering it behind my back. (The one drawback of our new-ish camera is that it can't do its thing without a whir & a click...):
As I boarded the train, it occured to me that that moment marked one year - almost to the minute - since David's passing.
Actually, I thought of a great many people I love (and the places that they are associated with) today, going from one thought to another (always with David in mind) in a methodically meandering, walking way. It was wonderful to have this time to think and walk, and to be able to attribute it to my first best friend, my brother: David.
And it was wonderful to get back home to my Beinert Boys Three, and to have some phone time with my parents.
* Day of the Assumption. Though as I said to Mom this evening,
I'm assuming. The pun wasn't actually intended, believe it or not...
