Yesterday marked my 1000th post on Seasweetie’s Pages. That is something.

I had been looking forward to writing about it, but today there is something more important. Because today I know that Patty is gone.

Patty was the loving owner of the wonderful blog meanderingminds. I do not know what happened exactly – only that she has passed.

When I got back from the islands, she wrote that her blog was taking a few days off, as she and Rudi were going to Florida.  When she didn’t get back for a week or so, I waited.  Then I wondered. I didn’t hear from her via email. She didn’t respond on Facebook. I started to worry. I mentioned it to MKL and to Kelsea.  And today, I searched, and found a memorial page to her at the homeopathic institute that she and Rudi collaborated on. She was gone. I started to cry. I’m still crying.

Strange and wonderful how someone you meet through a blog can touch you so deeply. Patty became like a mother to me in many ways – she scolded me when I was drinking too much Diet Pepsi, advised me on cures for colds, comforted me when I was blue and feeling unloveable.  We were like kindred spirits. One of her daughters had the same name (albeit spelled differently) as mine, and the other daughter and I were, she thought, a lot alike.

I feel in love with her art, her photographs, her adorable Havanese named Truffles, with how wonderful and caring Rudi was. I worried with her through the summer hurricanes. She sent me a book to read on my island trip. Just this weekend, I was looking for a particular gift for her. We’d talked about my coming to Hope Town this spring.  I was hoping I could talk her into selling me the painting of the roses that she did in Sidney this summer – it was my favorite of her works. There was so much I was looking forward to sharing with her, and learning about her.

I feel like I’ve lost a surrogate mother and a dear friend. I guess I have.

She was a light in this world. To honor her, I will keep writing and taking pictures. Maybe I’ll even try to paint as she was encouraging me to do.

Her blog will remain where it last rested – taking a few days off.

Oh, Patty, I will miss you so.

Photo for January 4, 2012: Sea of Sorrow

Somewhere outside of Tenby, Wales.

Quote of the day: “When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.”  ~  Kahlil Gibran

Daily gratitudes:
That Patty was in my life for as long as she was
An amazingly beautiful sunset
Walking Kelsea home on the phone
Water
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