October 6

 

Several times today I found myself thinking, “I’ll have to tell Ren about this.” Or “Ren and I would enjoy watching that.” And so it begins, the giant hole he’s left behind following me around.

We’ve (with daughter 2 and son 2) finished clearing out the worst mess in his office and the books off his bookshelf. I am realizing what a lot of interests he had: The Classics from the ancient coin interest; the wagon migrations to the American West from interest in his great-grandfather; the American Civil War, and of course, World War II. He was also interested in the American West in general, and he was fascinated by various great men in history, like Winston Churchill. 

He also admired and read about artists like Michelangelo and Da Vinci and Modigliani. We have membership in the Getty, the Norton Simon, and Los Angeles County Art museums, as well as the Huntington Library, the Descanso Gardens and the California Eastern Sierra Museum, and the Mono Lake Committee. All of these were driven by Ren and his love of art and nature. 

The other side of this was his ongoing interest in computers, electronics, trains, and four-wheel driving, as well as traveling. 

I will miss him, his companionship, his sharing of jokes, and our laughter about the absurdities of life. 

What will I do without him? 

How will I manage to enjoy life without imposing on my children