Lessons Learned on Living Well

Decades ago I met a man that would teach

me many lessons on how to live well.

He was my brother's friend and when I first

met him, it was some time in the 80's and

I was telling him about a new salad dressing

I had just tasted ~ honey mustard.  A few weeks

later I got a present ~ a jar of the dressing.  I had

never seen it before, but he found it.  Of course,

I wrote him a thank you note and he then wrote me

a thank you for my thank you.  And that was

the beginning of a lovely friendship.

I would see this man from time to time while

I still lived on the east coast but then I married,

moved to the Midwest, had kids, etc.

I didn't see him again until years later

when I brought the kids to NYC for the

first summer of the Hoosier Experiment.

He thought the "experiment"was such a

great idea, he lent me his beach house so

 the kids could experience that too.

Lee was a fixture on Fire Island.  He knew

how to live well and made everyone he met

feel welcome.  The little house in The Pines

had a house cocktail ~ I remember it as frozen

lemonade & vodka, there was a house dip ~a

jar of Pimento spread mixed with something.

And the house was always open, even if he

wasn't home.  He encouraged you to come

in, write a note in the guest book and grab

a handful of M&M's ~ the pastel ones...

Sadly, our friend left this world yesterday.

He had moved to Florida, he was ill but

didn't tell people because he didn't want

people to fuss.  I think heaven is probably

a better place already because he's there.

And he probably has a guest book...

Rest in Peace, Lee.