Some Fun Pictures from Jane

I have these posted over on the Our Friend Jay blog, but I liked them so much that I wanted to include them on my own.  Thanks Jane!  I love these!

Jane, Jay, and Dorothy in Paradise, CA

 

Jay at the Bok Kai Festival, held in Marysville, CA in late March

 

Grant with his kite flying machine (men can do amazing things!)

  

Jay and Sara at the 2008 Kite Flying gathering at Table Mountain

 

Jay being Jay

  

Jay and Jane 2007

  

Jay being charming & gorgeous effortlessly

 

(back row) Grant, Sara, Jay, Jeffery, Billy, and Kathleen

(front row) Annette, Edwin, and Barbara

(I love this picture!)

  

Jay, Shay, Grant, and Jeffery at Big Bald Rock, kicking back

 

Jay pointing to a USGS location marker (again, the handsome devil)

My pal Jay Mills

We lost Jay on Wednesday, April 14th, 2010.  He was only 56 years old.  Jay knew how to get along with everyone he met.  He loved people and made friends easily.  I have fond memories of Jay bar tending at Belden back in the 1990's, at ease with bikers, little old ladies, and weirdos.  He was such fun!  I remember going out to eat at a restaurant in Reno once, and before we'd even been served, he'd manage to befriend everyone there and had everyone laughing, even the waitress!  He was like that.  Very personable, but he was also a private man who valued his solitude and his garden and his animals.

He came every year for Christmas to be with our family (he was Uncle Jay to our kids).  We always went to the Plumas-Sierra County Fair together, too, 3 times in the Fair Parade, as well.  Jay had several collections of the wackiest things.  People were always sending him gag gifts and I'm glad to say that we have his corn cob salt & pepper set and his gyrating Statue of Liberty rubber statue.

Over 10 years ago, Jay sent me a dollar bill in my birthday card, because, he said, it's fun to get a card with money in it.  I signed it and mailed it back to him in his birthday card, and we continued the practice until this last year.  The bill is "defaced" but I hope to frame it for posterity...it is totally covered with our messages and stickers over the years.  As soon as we find it, I'll scan it and post it here.

I will miss you Jay!  I love you with all my heart!  For those of you who would like to see the blog that we are building in honor of Jay, check out http://www.ourfriendjay.blogspot.com  Feel free to send me stuff if you have any memorabilia, too!

The Feather River Canyon in Springtime

I tried a "Grant" (meaning taking pictures while driving) during my ride down the canyon to visit Jay on the day he passed away.  Here are a few of the better shots.  Thanks Jay for giving me a reason to drive this road! By the way, I didn't do anything to the pictures as far as editing or color enhancing...these are straight out of the camera. 

Reno Trip - April 8th

For a treat, we got ourselves a room at the Peppermill Hotel/Casino in Reno. They have a new Tuscany wing and we got a discount rate on a "suite" with a hot tub. Here are some of the views