Two weeks ago, Patti, Casey, JD and I returned to Cleveland, where there was a dusting of snow on the west side of town and the snow got a bit deeper as we moved further east to the old neighborhood in Bainbridge Township.

We were there for a fundraiser thanks to the overwhelming generosity of our friends, Chris and Marlane Mykrantz. They are the owners of a cool bar in Brunswick, called Equinox. For a few years, Chris and I worked together at Watson Wyatt in Cleveland. And, after Chris and I both moved on to other opportunities, we continued to stay in touch.

Even when Patti and I were in Austin, Chris and another friend, John, a Canadian we call “canoe-boy,” would head south to Austin in early Spring from the northern climes of Detroit and Cleveland. We would spend a long weekend playing golf. Well, we ribbed each other constantly and occasionally would claim that golf would take place, too. But we had fun!

When Chris heard my diagnosis, he suggested we have a fundraiser. Many of the treatments that I am currently taking are holistic, or homeopathic, in nature and, consequently, not reimbursable from insurance. And, they are frequent and a tad costly.

We arrived at the appointed time and shortly after, others arrived, too. There were numerous friends from the old neighborhood, Pilgrim Village, where Patti, the kids and I lived. And, there were quite a few friends from Watson Wyatt who came, too.

It was a beautiful night. Catching up with close friends from work and home was exponential. For every minute I got to spend with friends, I wished I had had an hour or more. The night just sped to a much-too-quick conclusion. It was a glorious evening and Patti, JD, Casey and I so very much enjoyed catching up with friends.

My family joins me in thanking the folks who came out in the snow to spend time with us. We were truly humbled by our friends’ presence and best wishes for the future. Thank you all for your support and encouragement. God bless you all.

In another posting, we’ll share some of the pictures from the evening.