A Toast to a Dear Friend

I suppose it was only fitting that it was such a grey day.

The Boss and I hooked up to head out to Steveston to toast the life of DeeBee, a co-worker from years back. A Celebration of Life was being held and DeeBee's and my friendship - even if it was limited to a working relationship - was definitely one worth celebrating.

Sharp as a tack, hard working, witty, caring and full of life, DeeBee was everything a guy could ask for in a friend and colleague. And, what's more, she shared my warped sense of humour. I'll always remember, when our firm moved offices and I found a sign in one of the stairwells. It read, "Place of Refuge" and was meant to indicate a safe zone should the building catch fire. I took the sign and changed the lettering to read "Place of Ill Repute" and hung it at DeeBee's desk. Rather than smack me over the head with it and toss it out, she "proudly" displayed it at her desk for months.

I was truly saddened the day she told me, teary-eyed, that she was taking a different job so that she could move to be closer to her grandchildren. That must have been five or six years ago, but we still kept in touch. She was barely into her 60's and it was a great shock when I learned that she'd suffered a debilitating stroke last October. She never recovered.

So, it's with a heavy heart that I'm adding these two wines to The List.

1628.  2011 Red Rooster Merlot (VQA Okanagan Valley)

1629.  2012 Sandhill Pinot Gris (VQA Okanagan Valley)

Funny that the two wines chosen for the Celebration of Life were from two of my favourite BC wineries. It's also funny that, if memory serves, DeeBee was more of Scotch or Rye kind of gal. She likely wouldn't have been drinking the wine at all had she been out with us.

Since I've written many a post on both of these wineries, I think I'll just leave their mention at that this time around. After all, sometimes it's about more than just the wine.

Ironically, indeed cruelly so, this was my first visit to Steveston. For the past two or three years, DeeBee had tried to get Boo and I to come out and wander the dock and have lunch and a drink with her. Scheduling being what it is and the fact that she thought it best not to do it in the summer (too busy) or in the winter (too wet and cold), we never made it. I'm sure I'll get back there again though - and you know that I'll think of DeeBee and toast her all over again.

Here's hoping that they play a lot of Elvis for you in heaven.