Continued Celebration of Life

Baby J on Halloween morning

Baby J at the Pumpkin Patch

Baby J trick or treating with Daddy in the neighborhood right after it rained...

SCORE!

Daddy and little Incredible Hulk!

Work was super stressful yesterday and I was bummed to get home to late for baby Jeremiah trick or treating but he told me all about it. Rain cleared up long enough for all the dressed up kiddos to make their rounds in the neighborhood. 

Diane, Margaret and me singing with the Dreadly Pirates!

the Dreadly Pirates

And later I joined my friends at bronco Billy's in Fremont to rock out with the Dreadly Pirates! They were awesome and my good friend Diane was wonderful singing and playing with the band! Me and Margaret danced. Lotsa people dressed in costumes. I wore my Dad’s lucky hat and a Giants shirt. Me and Diane are going back to bronco Billy's in December for another fabulous ukulele song along! Today it's off to Niles for the day of the dead celebrations remembering those we've lost and honoring them, with a jam at the mud puddle where I'll remember my father... Now I really understand why my mother loved Halloween so much...it wasn’t just about the dressing up or the trick or treats or the fun and scary customers... It's also about remembering and honoring those who are no longer with us and celebrating their lives. All the rituals we do have a profound meaning like standing in a circle at the beach remembering honoring and not allowing the spirits of all those we love to ever die...

Day of the Dead

Why am I awake at 6 am?? And it's completely dark outside still..still basking in the memories of this past weekend. Wore my dads winners giants hat and a panda giants shirt Stevie left at our house all weekend. Dreadly pirates with Diane at bronco Billy's amazing! Then Saturday Margaret and I attended the day of the dead festivities in Niles meeting up with Lawrence and his lovely wife. 

In awe of all the amazing memories of those loved ones who have left this earth and how they are honored through altars and ceremonies including Aztec dancers and much more. 

A jam with Los horribles at the mud puddle...crashing a party and so much more. 

Poetry at the Mud Puddle...

Jamming at the Mud Puddle!

Then Sunday morning I headed back to baker beach where we celebrated my fathers life just a week ago and played music with several of my awesome uke playing friends. Another perfect beautiful day feeling so grateful to be surrounded by my friends yet again...many of whom couldn't make it last weekend. 

Mark started us off by blowing into the conch shell he got from Hawaii standing in all directions. We played and sang all of dads favorite sings again and some Halloween songs and “just cuz we love them” songs as the waves kept time for us. Becky and Vickie sang a beautiful Hawaiian song for us..traditional song for those who have passed. Margaret sang a beautiful song from her Mothers celebration of life and we ended with somewhere over the rainbow wonderful world. So fitting! It's never too late to remember and honor...all of our loved ones as the reality that dad has passed into another spiritual works hits slowly seeping into our souls. Sunset in San Francisco magical...