Friends & Family
This is a picture of my friend Ben Kozak. While walking his dog Theo on March 18th, 2005, Ben was killed by a drunk driver.
We first met in Kitchener when we had both been dragged there by different sets of friends who happened to know each other. Eventually, we managed to meet again in Toronto, and six months later we were living together. We were young and having lots of fun. We only lived together for about 2 years, but we stayed friends. Ben often crashed on my couch when he was in town for some event.
Here's a picture of Ben with Theo. Ben loved his dog. I remember how happy he was when he finally had a place of his own so that he could bring Theo up from Halifax to live with him.
I still have trouble believing that they are both gone.
This is my friend Dow. We went out for a while in the late '80s, but long distance relationships are pretty hard. Dow now lives in Atlanta with his boyfriend. They've been together forever! We still keep in touch now and then, mostly around birthdays and holidays.
Jeff's another person that went out with back in the '80s (there seems to be a pattern here). We've remained good friends over the years. Jeff's moved all over the place over the years, but we still stay in touch. Right now he's living in San Francisco for a while. I don't know his boyfriend Pat very well. Pat's a great guy, especially to put up with Jeff moving all over the continent for new jobs.
Mom, Marc, and Jessica. Marc and Jess are my two younger siblings. Marc lives in Kingston with his girlfriend Kyla, and Jess lives in New Jersey with her husband, Michael. Marc and I grew up together until I was 16, and I moved in with my Dad, and Mom moved to New Brunswick. Jessica was born after I moved out, and I never really got to know her until she got older. We have all had very different lives, but we're still pretty close even though we live far apart.
At the moment Mom lives with her partner Betsy, somewhere between Fredericton N.B. and Rustico, P.E.I. I say somewhere between, because I'm never sure where they are going to be. They like to move - a lot! I think it's their hobby.
This is a picture of Jessica and Mike from their wedding. It was a great wedding. The ceremony took place on the shores of Lake Champlain in Vermont, and after the ceremony everyone went swimming. It was the best wedding that I've ever been at. Everyone should incorporate swimming into their wedding celebration.
Here are Marc and Kyla when they snuck into the cottage one year without telling anyone that they were going. Kyla is one of the nicest people I have ever met. She is so funny. I love talking and laughing with her. Kyla is a vet in Kingston. She works way too much.
Jess and I after the wedding, and after the swimming. I didn't wear the hat to the wedding. This picture was taken after we had all eaten and gotten changed into more casual attire. It was a great weekend. I wish I could get back to Vermont to visit with Jessica's aunt and uncle, Bill and Carol, who hosted the wedding. I'm not related to Bill and Carol other than through Jessica, but I feel like they are my aunt and uncle as well.