October 26 — More thoughts of Echo

How heartwarming it was to have so many dear Echo friends come to Fort Bragg for Skip's memorial. Steve had set out some logs early in the day in the event that we'd still be visiting after dark. I returned from saying goodbye to good friends and was drawn to the cheerful fire as the night became cooler. A chair was produced for me as I approached and as I looked around, I realized that every single person around that fire was an Echo Laker. Skip would have loved seeing so many of them here on his coastal grounds. His energy was there for sure. What a special bond there is between those of us who have gathered at Echo every summer for so many years.

Skip had just returned from a week at Echo in order to attend some MLPA meetings. I'm so happy he had that last visit there in the place he had been journeying to since he was a small boy. Seeing our group of grandchildren and their Echo friends who are like family to us, all greeting those who attended the memorial and asking them about their friendships with Skip, made me so proud to have such a lovely group of almost adults in our midst and performing social deeds with the same grace Skip had quietly demonstrated to them over the years. Sadly, he never made it to the MLPA meeting which was so important to him, but he'd have been overjoyed this evening when it was announced that the group he had been working with had come to unanimous agreement and that their decisions had been approved by the blue ribbon committee at this week's meeting in Humboldt County.

I have an update on the performance I attended with Kerry and Christina Sunday evening. The amazing woman who wowed us with her complex, ever changing adornments and movements is Sha Sha Higby. That evening's program was titled In Folds of Gold —a journey in elaborate sculptural costume. Ms. Higby, who is based in Bolinlas, has entertained audiences around the world with her unique blend of textural creations, masks, body coverings suggesting creatures and artifacts from another world, slow evocative movements and sounds from who knows where. Just as we were leaving the theater, Kerry discovered that there were CDs featuring her art for sale at the entrance to the theater. This morning, before even feeding the dogs, I noticed the disc next to my laptop on the kitchen table. Poor dogs. An hour later, after watching the whole offering with a huge smile on my face and sometimes breaking out in uncontrolled laughter, I finally gave Bobby and Latte their morning fair. Certainly was good for what ails me. Higby's website is at: www.shashahigby.com.