In Memoriam: Kent Snow

I first met Kent Snow on Christmas Day in 1979.  It was in the house that the Snow family built together on Sugarloaf Mountain, between Boulder and Nederland.  Kathy and I were the guests of Jim, Kent's eldest brother and Kathy's soon-to-be life mate.  It was the first Christmas I had spent away from my home and my parents.  I considered the piles of snow all around us pretty, but much too cold for my liking.  I remember that I drank a lot of hot chocolate that day.
  I was amazed that there was no television in the house, and stated so to Kent, who was 4 days shy of his 15th birthday.  Kent knew that I was uncomfortable and made a great effort to show me all of the old-fashioned games that were scattered throughout the house.  I spent the majority of the day in Kent's company, and found him to be a very interesting young man - although none of our passions seemed to intersect, except in reading.   The next time I saw Kent was at Kathy and Jim's wedding in August 1981.  He was 16 - a leggy colt of a young man - but extremely helpful and a good companion.
  I moved to Boulder after my husband died, and found that brother-in-law Jim's family had scattered a bit; his sister Kathy and her husband lived in Longmont, brother Dave and wife Tracey lived in Niwot, sister Fran and her family were in Denver, sister Laura and her family were in Fort Collins, and youngest brother Kent, his wife Vanessa, and their two kids were in Rapid City, South Dakota.
  Yesterday morning, my sister Kathy and her husband Jim, and the Snow clan's step-mother, Anne, left Boulder to visit Kent and his family in South Dakota.  Kent was in the hospital again, still battling a cancerous brain tumor.  Kent died yesterday afternoon.  He would have had his 50th birthday in late December.  He is survived by his wife, son and daughter, his step-mother, and two brothers and their spouses, three sisters and their spouses and nine nephews and nieces.
  Kent loved word puzzles.  He loved to make puns.  He loved airplanes and flying.  He loved his family very deeply.  His entire family, and his entire extended family, will miss his wit and charm and love.  Rest in peace, dear brother.....

Vanessa and Kent Snow

Kent Snow

Ills, House-Sitting and Horse Racing

My brother-in-law's youngest brother (whom I consider to be my brother-in-law) has been re-admitted to the hospital in Rapid City, South Dakota.  It had been hoped that the last surgery at the Mayo Clinic had removed all of his brain tumor, but that apparently wasn't true. Kent will begin another round of chemotherapy later today.  Please send your prayers and kind thoughts about Kent Snow to whomever you worship...
   The owner of the Denver Broncos, Pat Bowlen, is stepping down from his ownership duties after 30 years, and they will be taken over by Joe Ellis.  He has been (quietly, and unknown to most people) battling the effects of Alzheimer's Disease for the past three years. The news greeted local football fans this morning, and most are heart-broken.  Bowlen purchased the Broncos for $76 million 30 years ago; the franchise is estimated to be worth $1.6 billion these days.  Please send your thoughts toward Mr. Bowlen and his family for an easy transition from high-powered, successful businessman to a quiet family man....  Even though I am very much aware of the costs of Alzheimer's....
   Home this afternoon, and I get to sleep with Lovey and Nedi tonight. Tomorrow I'll walk Rosie, return home, and then take Tina to the Denver airport, whereupon I'll move in with Tess, Lily, and Lyra until Monday night. On Wednesday, the day of the Pony Swim, I'll start taking care of Sasquatch and Tugger again - 4 visits a day; and the first weekend of August, I move in with Rosie, then back over to Tess, Lily, and Lyra.  My poor kits.....
   Five racing thoroughbreds have had positive results for morphine following their races in Great Britain. All five positive tests were at the same race track, in a period of two days; each horse had a different trainer and owner.  Doing more specific tests, it seems that each horse ate the medication - it was not from an injection into the horses' veins or muscles. The main reason that this has raised brows across the pond is because the Queen's horse, Estimate, a five-year-old mare, turned up as one of the positive tests.  The racing authority is making a thorough inquiry, but it seems there was "contaminated" grain involved.

Kent's Surgery; and, Smile!

Well, we've had a couple of cooler days with rain.  Yesterday, at 4 in the afternoon, I was going out the front door of the complex, when I heard a tremendous BOOM followed by a whole bunch of crackling sounds - like bricks, rocks, or concrete raining down after an explosion.  I ran to look at surrounding buildings, but all were normal; then the skies opened to a very cold rain with a scattering of tiny hail.  I put my umbrella up and moved on....  At Lynn's house I ended up covering 6 of  her garden beds with a "wonder" fabric that allows light and moisture inside, but is supposed to keep out the cold.  It was 35 degrees here this morning.
   And we are forecast, for Mother's Day (Sunday), to have snow....   We've just had 4 days with highs in the 80s - I think Mother Nature is playing with us.

   Brother-in-law Kent Snow had another huge operation at the Mayo Clinic today.  The Doctors told the family that they got 99 to 100% of the brain tumor removed.  And they don't believe that there was much collateral damage to his normal brain functions.  His wife, kids, and sister Fran are with him there; now awaiting his return to consciousness from the anesthesia...  Please send out good  thoughts, healing thoughts and prayers for Kent.

  And, just because I'm a wacky, silly, crazy person, here are a few photos that make me smile:

And, still my favorite: