Sad News

 So sorry to be conveying more sad news this morning. This notice came yesterday from Paige Crosby:

The pickleball community should know that Paul and Dorothea Penar lost their son Geoff on Monday night.  He passed in his sleep, likely from a seizure.  Geoff had suffered a TBI about a year ago and he has struggled with seizures.  I knew him well in high school.  He was a star, a musical prodigy.  He went to Eastman School of Music and was an opera singer.  He had struggled with life in the past few years but was on a new trajectory.  This was a beautiful life cut short.  I saw Geoff at First Night and we shared a few emails afterward.  Paul and Dorothea always worried and did everything they could to support him.  They are crushed.  Their faith and friends will carry them.  They are awaiting the results of the autopsy and will celebrate his life in the coming weeks--the 15? perhaps.  Their church is the catholic church in Shelburne.  

Send warm support and share this.  

Sending love to you all.

Paige

 

The Joe's Pond community is shocked and saddened by this news. My heart aches for Dorothea and Paul,  their family, and Geoff's many friends. Geoff was a beautiful young man, talented and full of promise. Friends who wish to reach out to Dorothea and Paul may do so at: 79 Sommerfield Ave., South Burlington VT 05403. 

For anyone who is not familiar with Geoffrey, Seven Days did a very nice article about him in 2012,  and here is more recent information about him at Middle C Music.

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We have sunshine this morning, but it is somewhat dimmed by snow showers and a few lingering clouds. The temperature ventured as high as 10 above, but then slipped downward again about the time I went out to measure snow and clear off my deck around 9 a.m. The thermometer seems to be struggling to rise again. Now that we are into February, the sun gets a little higher in the sky each day and the earth beneath our feet is beginning to warm. Spring cannot be far behind!

We got another three inches of show yesterday, but it is light and fluffy, and with not much wind it hasn't packed together and is easy to move. If the wind picks up later today, there may be brief periods of white-outs with snow blowing across roads or off of trees, but mostly it seems like it will be a fairly normal winter day. Even though we have had a little snow almost each day, we don't have a lot on the ground. I tried to read the measurement on my snow pole on the back lawn, but the sun is behind it and even with my binoculars, I can't quite make out the numbers, but I'm guessing there are probably 14-16 inches on the ground. I may be able to get a clearer view later in the day when the sun it higher in the sky.

 

Scam Report: I've had two emails recently showing they were from people I didn't know - which isn't uncommon, but these have an attachment which is a statement presumably from Ebay charging my account with $499.99. I haven't had an Ebay account for decades and I never go to that site, so I immediately reported the email as spam and blocked the sender. Which apparently doesn't help much  because even after blocking the first, I still got another. I will keep blocking and reporting!

 

I had some really good news this week. Cousin Ora called to tell me that our mutual friend, Kate who has been battling lung cancer for months, is now doing much better! As Ora said, "medicine works!" Kate is relatively young compared to Ora and me, had lots of energy and I think was one of the healthiest people I've ever met when she was diagnosed. Having a relatively healthy body no doubt helped her through this, and I am so happy for her. We are now all looking forward to getting together this next spring if their plans to come to Vermont materialize.  

Stay warm and safe.