One of the things that we, the Carter family have enjoyed for a number of years is getting together for a Saturday morning breakfast at the Four Seasons restaurant. It is nothing special as a restaurant but is fairly centrally located, nobody has to prepare anything and the food is not bad. It is usually enough just to put out the word and whoever is around will show up.

The last time that I was able to join in Dad was still there with us and he always loved being together with family and a good breakfast a bonus for him. It was a year ago this weekend that we made the difficult decision to stop treatment and move Dad to palliative care. Dad was definitely an outdoor person and it still seems impossible at times to think that he is not around to enjoy the seasons. He loved the leaves of the fall, new growth of spring and the flowers and birds of summer. He even enjoyed being out there shoveling the snow.

I love the memories of seeing him standing, leaning on a rake or hoe or shovel, usually creating a picture in his mind always with the thought of painting it at some later point. It was good to be together as a family this Father’s Day weekend and to share our memories and sorrow at his loss.