Winter Solstice '13

Even though we really look forward to our Winter Solstice party every year… and love the event… I rarely take any photos.  This is probably because I'm behind the bar making drinks all night (which I love).  This year we actually held the party on the winter solstice -- as it was a Saturday night.

So this year, I decided to take at least one photo before we started.  As you can see, Tom dry-rubbed and then smoked two hams.  We also had plenty of veg, hummus, cheeses, nuts… just for starters.  Oh. And there was an equally loaded table down in the basement, plus the "extras" on the coffee table.  And that didn't include any of the food that people brought!
This year we went through a lot less wine than we have previously (one case instead of two).  However, the "Prabu Punch" that I served was a hit: it was a bourbon drink, mixed with a pumpkin syrup that had been infused with whole garam masala.  By the end of the night we'd finished off an entire 1.75L of bourbon (as well as the sangria, and a few other goodies).
I think a good time was had by all; it least it was by us!  We are already looking forward to next year's event.

We'll miss you, Paul.

Paul passed away last weekend.  Although we all knew it was coming, we are all no less sad.  Paul always said the one thing about dying of cancer was that you had a chance to say your goodbyes.  I'm certainly glad I had my chances to say goodbye to Paul, and to tell him that he is the reason I chose to pursue medicine as a career.  Still, his absence is already leaving a tremendous void.
Paul was careful to not let me romanticize his life too much.  He pointed out to me that many of the wonderful things I had tried to give him credit for teaching me were actually more accurately credited to Kathee.  Especially when it came to downright grace in handling just about any situation, he's right that Kathee is the model.
But when it came to medicine & a love of lifelong learning and teaching: there was no second to Paul.  And while I grew up knowing that Paul read more medical journals than one might guess humanly possible, later in life I realized that Paul didn't limit his knowledge-seeking to the realm of medicine alone.  Paul really tried to be somewhat of a Renaissance man in that way, and I have a growing respect for that.
So today, I got a new subscription to the New York Times.  I'm not sure what other ways I will find to honor Paul (besides indulging in some great wines & single malts), but I'll sure try.
This picture is back from May of 2008, about a year and a half after Tom and I moved here.  I believe that once Paul & Kathee were satisfied that we were really going to stay here, they wanted to come check out our digs.  I really appreciate that: it's nice to have a second set of parents, so to speak, checking up on you.  Tom and I took them up to RMNP.  This picture was taken at Bear Lake, which is up at 10,000 feet -- certainly not in Paul or Kathee's usual realm!  We did a little hiking (Kathee's first ever hike!), and Paul tried his hand at fishing (certainly for the first, and probably the last time… but he approached it with good humor).  We also had a fantastic journal club, which I will always remember.
At my next journal club, I'll try to step it up a notch.  And remember Paul.