We walked right past that place with our tricycles on!

tequilatonicAnd so Radical Betty weekend is over. It is the end of an era and after the usual Great Lake State Labor Day slog down from Da Yoop to Megalopolis, we are facing whatever is next. Which is work tomorrow for me and a cross-country flight for our long-suffering left coast passenger aka Betty’s grandson. He has already survived a brutal Labor Day drive down from Da Yoop to Megalopolis in a Honda Civic.

We celebrated Betty’s life with a simple service designed by Uber Kayak Woman. We cleared the parking area between the Old Cabin and The Commander’s. We sat in a circle and after music, everyone was encouraged to speak their own thoughts about Betty. It was pretty informal and lots of people had wonderful things to say but I won’t repeat them all because, even if I could remember everything everyone said, you’d be scrolling down this dern glagh or whatever it’s called forever. Because there are about a billion Radical Betty stories and I know a lot of them but I certainly don’t know all of them. I tell the ones I know when the occasion and audience are appropriate.

So, what I said for myself (in a nutshell) was that… I have known Radical Betty all of my life and I have loved her that long. It is not easy to be me. I said that in the circle because it’s true. I have spent my whole life trying to figure out what to be when I grow up, not to mention that I don’t always do well in social situations, which of course, limits my ability to do all those important things like network, etc. One of the most important things that Betty did for me was to love me throughout all of that. She loved me throughout my whole life, throughout the most difficult parts of my life, teens and early 20s. She loved me for what I was and even for some of the things that I wasn’t. She was fun to be with in those days while still acting like a responsible adult (well, most of the time). Betty’s house has always been a welcoming and safe place for me to go. Whatever was going on in my life.

So, I don’t know what is next now and I think I am more or less done for the night. Love you all. Family members who could not get there, we missed you. I can’t help but think that Radical Betty conspired with Duke (!) and Jack and Jim and Don and Katie to make a beautiful weekend for us up on Fin Family Moominbeach. Beach days every day. Gorgeous sunsets. Full moon. Loon calls. People say I have to eat now and they’re probably right.

One Response to “We walked right past that place with our tricycles on!”

  1. Margaret Says:

    Someone who can love and accept unconditionally is a rare jewel indeed. I’m sure the stories were funny and wonderful, just like the lady herself.