What a week.

I'm still reveling in the joyful vibes of our celebrations this past Sunday and Monday in New York City. Many friends joined us for the concert/fundraiser at the Living Room and for our toast at the Maritime Hotel--friends from near and far, from all corners of Mia's multifaceted life. When I was visiting Nina in Marbella this summer, she told me several times how glad she is that Mia shared her friends with her. I am feeling that too, now more than ever. Mia introduced me to so many beautiful people. Even in her absence, I cannot help but feel blessed.

One of Mia's friends who's here now is Raj, from Dubai. Raj and I first met a while back, sharing a great meal together with Mia at Peasant in NYC. He came to town another time, when I was away, and he and Mia ate at Il Buco. He took us to Nobu when he visited us in San Diego in March. (I know their friendship went beyond their shared love of fantastic food, of course, but that particular bond was strong--as anyone close to Mia can appreciate.) A few nights ago, Raj reminded me that he had gone to the clinic in Tijuana with Mia during that same springtime visit. They went down to TJ early so they could be sure to enjoy the breakfast buffet at a very nice hotel nearby the clinic. I'd been there with Mia many times, so I knew how she relished all the fresh fruit, the chilaquiles, the hand-made tortillas grilled into quesadillas, the refritos, the hongos, the nopales, the tomatillo salsa. Ai!

Lately I've been reading Annie Proulx's Fine Just the Way It Is, a book of short stories about hard people and hard times in the old American West. Proulx colorfully describes one pioneer who didn't survive as having gone to "the land of no breakfast forever." Wherever Mia's spirit is now, I'd wager anything and everything that it is not the land of no breakfast forever. Far from it.