Cape Cod 2015, part 2

Our first day on Nono's beach together

I have divided up this last summer in two parts. In my head, the first part of it was unfiltered. It was shiny and bright, full of possibility but also full of the warm and cozy predictability that we love so much. In my opinion we crave and store these sunny days on The Cape in our memories like one of Nono's favorite picture books "Frederick" by Leo Leoni. If you haven't read it, it's a must read. Frederick spends hours, days even, just watching the end of summer and autumn, taking it all in. The other mice (yes, Frederick is a mouse!) are irritated with him for doing this and not preparing for the long winter ahead by gathering and storing food, etc. but when winter comes it turns out that Frederick was gathering and storing all along. He had been collecting memories and feelings, experiences and tales that he would then share with the others during those long winter days when things aren't as bright and shiny and times are tough. He would warm his friends and family from the inside out, not with food you eat but food for your soul. 

You see, our days on Cape Cod with each other, always with Nono, soaking up the sun and each other would prepare us for the tough times ahead. We didn't know it at the time we were making these memories but it would become very evident in the second part of the summer that our memories and recollections would prove invaluable and would be cherished and replayed forever. 

This summer was Nono's last in Cape Cod. It seems impossible to say those words, even more impossible to write them and make them "official". Our final days with him were hard but we were all there, everyone of us - knitted together forever. We laughed with him, we cried, we worried, planned, protected and endured all while trying to comprehend in some small way that these last moments were going to the be the last opportunities to drink him in with all our senses. It's impossible to really grasp having limited time to make memories while he was physically present, but we did and in my opinion we used the time well. 

After Nono departed, we all remarked that we had never had so many sunny, hot days in a row in Cape Cod but somehow it still felt grey and heavy. The time we had left there was enjoyed, not with our broadest smiles or heartiest laughs but we continued to make memories worth storing for the next time we need food for our souls. 

We miss him. A lot. 

Our last time on Nono's beach together 

Doing his best "Frederick" impersonation in Cape Cod 2014. 

We love you Nono.