June 2025

Here's what we've been up to in June, and here are all the rest of the photos and videos from the month.

Outings

Rob: In our album this month, there are some nice photos of us taking a little hike around Lake Minnewaska (but not the whole thing) which was lovely as usual. Me and Alex also checked out Split Rock at the Mohonk Preserve for the first time. That was a great find that I’m sure we’ll return to again soon. Becky and Alex had a fun visit at Denning’s Point followed by donuts at our favorite donut shop in Beacon. There’s also a video of us bowling at a new bowling alley they put in at the Castle Fun Center in Goshen, where we usually go for their arcade or mini golf. We haven’t been bowling in a while and Alex was really excited about it. Also in Goshen, Becky joined some locals from our town's democratic organization at the No Kings protest to speak out against our country's slide toward authoritarianism and away from checks and balances. There was a big turnout.

Goodbye to Rob’s Mom

Rob: In the past few years, my mom (Pat) has slowed down quite a bit with age. And in the past several months, some health issues have been getting worse quickly, particularly with her heart. When Becky, Alex, and I went to visit family in Utah at the end of May, I knew my mom’s time was short and it could be my last visit with her. Sadly, on Monday June 23, I got a message from my sister that mom had to go to the ER for some internal bleeding. Because of some organ failure and other complications, she lost consciousness and was put on life support. As this unfolded, all the family came to see her at the hospital, and a couple of us, including me, joined on Zoom. The family, in consultation with the doctors, decided further interventions would likely prolong suffering at best, and we accepted that it was her time. We all said our goodbyes before she passed.

That same day while I was checking in on messages from my family, I was running over to the library with Alex to check out a book titled, “The Good Life.” It’s about a study that followed a group of people for several decades with surveys and interviews to assess what factors in their lives led to satisfaction and happiness. All the data pointed to the quality of relationships, and the book focuses on that. Anyway, it was fitting because we often say how a person led a good life when they pass away. My mom always had really good relationships with people, I don’t think I can recall anyone she didn’t get along with or anyone that she spoke ill of. Always a pillar of patience with others and a peacemaker with her calm presence. Even through multiple bouts of cancer years ago and a couple of strokes more recently, she rarely complained. She truly did have a good life, to say the least.

In more recent months, mom’s energy was minimal and she depended increasingly on my dad to take care of her. I’m grateful that my dad could be there to do that everyday and spend that time with her too. When we visited a month prior and stayed with them, I got to see their routine which included watching a lot of old westerns and other nostalgic movies and eating ice cream at mom's request. Despite her lack of energy due to heart problems, I’m so grateful that my dad could help her find a way to make those last few months as comfortable and enjoyable at home as possible.

Mom’s Funeral Weekend

Rob: My siblings did an amazing job in quickly planning a funeral for our mom. On Thursday I flew out to Salt Lake to be with my family (Becky stayed back with Alex), and the funeral was the next day, Friday June 27, at the church. The funeral plans began with a viewing that morning, and people trickled into a room filled with flowers from neighbors, friends, and family. We had a slideshow playing on a screen with photos of mom that we compiled. There were relatives, friends, and neighbors, many of whom had known mom for decades. It was more of a time of remembrance and paying respect than sorrow, which I think was great. Next we had a brief service in the chapel, where several of my family members spoke, prayed, or conducted the meeting. Then the family and a few friends went to the cemetery for the burial. I dedicated the grave. My mom was buried in the old Salt Lake Cemetery by the avenues in a plot that her mom had reserved many years ago, and where some of her family is also buried. Afterwards, we went back to the church where a wonderful lunch was provided by members of the ward. My parents have lived in the same house since I was born, so the support from old friends from the neighborhood was tremendous.  Funerals can be difficult and weird, but I think it went as smoothly as it could have.  There is a photo of the program in the Google folder, and here is a link to my mom's obituary.

I spent a lot of quality time with my family the rest of the weekend. I stayed with my dad at our house, where he’ll have the dog Bandit to keep him company along with several neighbors and family nearby. Saturday morning, I hiked to Lake Blanche in Big Cottonwood Canyon with my nephew Braden. Later a big group of us went to see the F1 racing movie, and ate at Café Rio after. Sunday I went to church with my dad, and later we went to have dinner at my sister Victoria’s, where other family members joined. And then we went to my brother Jim’s place after to visit in his backyard and play some pickleball. Later, I took a late night flight home.

In life we can have many kinds of relatives and friends, but we only get one mom. And that’s a loss that is as tough as it gets. But there is comfort in knowing her sweet soul is now free, and because her passing was so gradual, accepting this loss was maybe easier on the rest of us. My mom’s life was devoted to others, particularly us 6 kids, and she was as selfless as one can be. As a child, I was constantly jumping from one hobby or interest to the next, and she was always a big support no matter how strange my interests were. We miss her for now, but not forever.

What Else Is New

Rob: This month I added a window to my home office. It was already there, I just had to cut away the drywall blocking it that a previous tenant had put up when he used the room for photography. I’m in the process of cutting boards to make a frame so that it looks half-decent now. Also, I wrote another story for Scenic Hudson, this time about some local work to reduce methane emissions from cows by feeding them seaweed. It wasn’t my best piece of writing because I couldn’t get in contact with everyone I hoped to speak with, but you can read it here.

Alex: (Becky) Alex continues to progress  with drinking through his designated straw cup, which has allowed us to finally leave the sippy cup at home when we're out and about.  We still let him drink from the sippy cup at home to ensure he stays hydrated.  Alex is also getting better at following directions or understanding me when I explain things that are part of his routine.  For example, he used to get upset when the credits on his game card run out at the arcade.  Now when I tell him "I have to go get more points on the card," he understands and doesn't get upset.  For the most part, he also understands me when I tell him that we're going somewhere, or that he can have a specific snack, or several other bits of info that are part of his routine, which he didn't always understand without visual cues or clues.  

Lastly, it's always great to see him expand his interests.  As Rob mentioned, he's a bit more into bowling lately and is also determined to try to ride a skateboard (sitting down) down the smaller ramps at the skate park.  Some nice person always lends him a skateboard, but we'll just have to get him his own.  I almost forgot to mention that he's also gotten more interested in singing and is trying to sing most of the words to familiar songs.  At church, he has a couple of preferred games that I allow him to play with my class so that he can participate.  So he's doing a bit better at participating meaningfully with kids at church.  Baby steps, but we'll take it.

Becky:  It's been a bittersweet month.  I'm glad Rob had such a nice experience with his family and with saying goodbye to his mom.  Pat really was a sweetheart and we will miss her.  Alex and I spent time together, just the two of us, while Rob was out of town.  We discovered two new libraries that Alex really enjoyed- Poughkeepsie's main library and the Grinnell library in Wappingers Falls.  The libraries in upstate NY are the best.  They are usually old and have really beautiful architecture.  They are great places to read, relax, and entertain your kid.  Alex and I also enjoyed another day of playing at a park near the Hudson- it's a park adjacent to Long Dock park in Beacon.  Then, as Rob mentioned, Alex and I hit up Glazed Over Donuts in Beacon.  Best donuts in the Hudson Valley.  You haven't lived until you've had bacon and maple glaze on your donut.  Tourists tend to go there, but it's never crowded. Just amazing:)

And just one more thing, there's another No Kings protest coming up on July 17.  I plan to join that one and as many as I can- the goal being to get this administration to respond to the public's outrage, particularly regarding the illegal seizure and deportation of immigrants and day laborers (or passage of the big, beautiful bill- there are dozens of bad policies to protest).  During the first Trump administration, Trump decided to end separation of families at the border after mass protests because he didn't like the "optics".  Separation of families is happening again just not at the border.  I think consistent mass protests against Trump's authoritarianism will either help change things or will at least become the thing that defines his presidency. Plus, these protests can be fun.  It's nice to rub shoulders with fellow patriots.  It can be a great uplift during these dark times.