To Martini Time

Walt and I are enjoying a Saturday night martini. It seems the week for it. This is not a cousins day frou-frou vodka martini, but a real gin-n-vermouth martini. I asked him to hold the olive (since I don't like green olives). Turns out we don't have green olives anyway, so the request was not necessary.

There were a lot of virtual toasts to Martini Time earlier this week. On Wednesday there was a memorial at a carioca bar in San Francisco for Ned's friend Brendan, who passed away suddenly a couple of weeks ago. This was Brendan at his best.

Brendan "Baddy" Bailey Memorial
from Titus Prime on Vimeo.

People who weren't able to make the memorial (like Jeri and Phil, for instance) sent messages via Facebook that said "to martini time," which has been a part of Lawsuit life for a very long time.

Then today we attended a memorial service for Jim Saum. We didn't really know Jim well, but his wife played in the orchestra for the Davis Comic Opera Company, when it was still alive and we always saw Jim around.

The Unitarian Universalist Church in Davis was filled with people who had known him. It was one of those services that you hope someone will have for you. I found I knew almost nothing (not "almost"...nothing!) and with what reverence and love he was held by the people who knew him. There were wonderful warm and funny stories--and tales of the impact he had on people throughout his life. What a lovely legacy to leave behind!

Jim grew up in Emmett, Idaho. He attended Oregon State College leaving to serve in the Army 1943-46. Following his discharge he completed a master's degree at Oregon State, then earned his doctorate degree at Stanford University. He worked as a professor of counselor education at Sacramento State College/University for 36 years. He was particularly active in legislative concerns related to establishing professional standards for counselors, helping to write most of the pertinent legislation. He was the recipient of many awards and much recognition for his professional and community service. He died peacefully in his sleep at an Alzheimers facility at age 89. He had suffered from Alzheimer's disease for several years.

(No, I don't have a great memory; I found an obit for him)

The memories of his family, friends and people who had worked with him were so touching. But the thing we enjoyed most was how much Jim liked his evening martini. In fact, it had been such a part of his routine for such a long time that the doctor prescribed a nightly martini for him in the facility where he lived.

We thought there would be a lot of DCOC people there, but we only saw three there...I guess DCOC is beginning to be more scattered (and old) than when the company was still putting on shows.

But we felt the need to come home and have a martini and toast Brendan and Jim Saum. (Of course, Walt made me my martini about 4 hours ago and I'm still sipping it!)

I got a couple of nice compliments on my new rainbow smiley sox at the memorial!