I met Chas it 1994 on the small island of Kuredu in the Maldives.  I swear he looked the same then as he always did.  A tall, bald, smiley goofball.  That was Chas.  His kindness, his soft eyes, his big hands, and his easy laugh.

We became friends diving together.  He talked to everyone, he was generous and gregarious.  He made friends with the dive instructors, with Sylvie, with me.  I think he was already a Dive Master at that point, but I can’t be sure. He was a great diver.  Slow breather, good on air, good lung capacity.  Chillaxed.  Unphased.  Great buoyancy.  Patient.

There were no alarm clocks on the island, and this was before the advent of mobile phones.  Chas was an early riser (always was) and the first dive was early in the morning.  At my request, he would wake me up every morning by walking to my hut and  hollering “ACHTUNG BABY” at the top of his lungs. (He probably woke up the whole island, certainly most of the honeymooners in the vicinity.  He was already smiling at that time of the morning.)

It is hard to express how much I loved Chas, and how much I will miss him.  I wish I could be there with you all today – especially with you, Evie.  I know you will get through this – but I wish I could be there with you.

Chas never met my baby girl.  Her name is Evie.  But he and HIS Evie sent her clothes.  We think of you both every time she wears them.  I love you.

Nina

Margaret and I snatched barely 5 minutes today to say Hi.  She took her coffee to go.  I opened my laptop to work.  We realized we were wearing matching clothes, so I asked the guy next to me to take our photograph (he has a great pug, and eye – apparently.)

I had forgotten to bring her Christmas gift, with me but it will just be an excuse to get together next year 🙂

Here is Dana’s reading list for Christmas: 
 

And with it coming up to Christmas, I would like to ask anyone that is considering buying for me and Evie to instead support one of these charities in our names:

(in no particular order, but #1 is my personal favourite)

http://www.mayacrew.org

UCLU

Planned Parenthood

San Francisco homelessness

Terence Higgens Trust or The Trevor Project.

St Anne’s College, Oxford University 

Awake with monkey brain.  I’m sitting by the fire with my slanket and chocolate and I can’t help noticing how lovely Paul’s guitar looks.

I also like the Dia de los Muertos Christmas ornament, I bought for Evie to give Uncle Carlos and Auntie Frances for good luck.

I’m pretty sure I was clear about how much I hate running?  (My colleague dragged me.  I’m grateful!  Only managed 3 miles, but better than nothing 🙂 .)

News from doc inconclusive.  Waiting on specialist.  Choosing to ignore it and be positive.

Someone sent me this.  

(Copy right: unknown – I didn’t recognize the phone number.)

The snowflake’s centre looks like the Star Wars imperial crest.  Maybe it is PhotoShop – it almost certainly is, but it my dream world, it is “real” – whatever “real” is 🙂 . )

I see this on Amy’s Facebook page occasionally:

Thank you, universe for all the the gifts you have given me, and tomorrow please bring me more.

I don’t know why she says that. I will ask her.  It just seems appropriate right now. 

But today I have my friends to thank for all my gifts.  I love you guys.

I know it is officially a bit early to welcome the New Year, but boy am I ready for it?  (Someone recently told me it is supposed to get better for “year of the Rat” on the 7th December.

Anyway, I have been missing wearing a ring on my ring finger.  I used to toy with it like a worry bead, or a Tibetan prayer wheel.  So I have started wearing my grandmother’s wedding ring.  Like me, she was a Taurus, and emerald was her birth stone.  I love it – and it makes me think of her.