Tonight was our monthly First Friday get together. Patrick liked to invite his brothers, cousins and friends over to soak in the jacuzzi and drink beer the first Friday of each month. Now we have a potluck each month for anyone in our huge extended family and friends. We have rotated to different houses and tonight we had it at Dina and Jeff’s place. They live two miles off Tollhouse road so it is very secluded. They invited everyone to camp out. It’s not exactly roughing it but I decided to be a good sport and sent my tent ahead with Denny.
When Camille and I arrived they said we could sleep in the newly finished “apartment” that Jeff built above his barn. It’s been in the works for a while. The main house has a bathroom with a shower and Jeff wanted a bathtub. Patrick liked the idea of an apartment here because he loved hanging out with Jeff and if he stayed up here they could go fishing earlier. He joked that he might just move up here.
We spent our last Easter together here with his family. Jeff had the apartment ready for the bathtub but the bathtub needed to be moved upstairs to the apartment. I think Patrick, Matt, Gabe and Jeff moved it and Pop supervised. It was kind of hilarious and a little terrifying watching them struggle with it but they got it done and Patrick was anxious for the apartment to be finished. Less than a month later he was gone.
Driving up here I was very aware that it was my first time coming here without him. The road is very windy and it’s a little scary if you meet another car. Luckily we made it with no mishaps. I knew that Jeff had just finished the apartment so I was excited to see it. I got tears in my eyes when I saw the sign on the door, “Pat’s Apartment”. Dina had also added Patrick’s portrait on a metal print. It was perfect!
We spent the evening enjoying good food and good company! We had a fire pit and even roasted marshmallows! When we went to bed Camille said that overnight First Friday was the best!
I’m so blessed to be surrounded by so much family! And tonight I am enjoying the outdoor sounds AND the comfort of a foam mattress, running water and electricity! I’m very honored to be in Pat’s Apartment. I wish he could’ve seen it. But Camille summed it up perfectly, “Maybe it’s better he never saw it because then he would have left us to move up here!” Which is exactly the kind of thing her father would have said!