It’s been a little over 3 months since Tim died. A lot of you have held back to give me space to grieve, and I appreciate that. I’ve also been well tended by many friends who check in on me, drop in and/or we go out to eat. I'm often comforted just being in our house with all the antiques and artwork that Tim and I collected over the years, as well as all the amazing drawings and prints that Tim made. It's such a pleasure to live in this wonderful museum of beautiful memories. I'm also enjoying spending time in our garden that we put so much of ourselves into. The gardener who is helping me out these days told me that this was the most personal garden she's seen in her career of over 30 years.

It’s hard to know what to say at this point. I miss Tim every day, and sometimes it just creeps in more than others. I’m also trying to forge ahead and live my life to the fullest (as Tim would have wanted). Every day has its own challenges amidst all the routine chores from housework to gardening to errands to maintaining our native plant website (www.total-plant.org). I catch myself still saying "our" for many things. Tim and I were a real team throughout our 38 years together.

My own health is good right now. I’ve gone back to the Y, and am trying to do frequent hikes in the Berkeley hills. I'm also gearing up for some bike rides. My monthly lab numbers continue to be very encouraging and stable. I don’t know how long my luck with cancer will go since it’s a bit of a crap shoot. My transplant at Stanford eliminates most but not all of my cancer. Some people do well for years after their transplant, others only a year or two.

My life right now is maybe a little too consumed with activity. Legal and financial stuff (thank goodness Tim and I were married!). I'm also spending a few hours every day checking in with my Dad back in Milwaukee. At 99, he's still amazing. Dad tells me that if it weren't for me and his social worker (Thank you, Meg!), he'd be in a nursing home. If my health permits, I'm hoping to go out to visit him since it's nearly impossible for him to take the 7-8 hour plane flight (including stopovers and plane changes). When Tim and I went out to visit him in April, the traveling took a toll on both of us.

Then, there’s the Celebration of Tim’s Life on September 7. Preparing for that event been a mixture of finding photos and mementos of Tim and constantly being reminded of how many wonderful times Tim and I shared. I'm fortunate to have good friends who are helping put this event together. If you haven’t RSVPd, please let us know... even if you’re not sure. And, if at the last minute you just show up, that’s fine too.

A Celebration of “Dr. Tim” Lukaszewski’s Life

A Celebration of Tim Lukaszewski will be held on Saturday September 7, 2019 from 1-4 pm at the Ed Roberts Campus in Berkeley. The Campus is located at the Ashby BART Station, 3075 Adeline Street, Berkeley.

Free parking in the BART parking lot (across from the Saturday Flea Market) as well as parking on nearby streets. You can enter from the BART parking lot entrance. [Please note that the building entrance from Adeline Street will be closed.] Beverages and finger foods will be served.

1-2 pm Doors open.
2-3:30 pm Program of Sharing Memories of Dr. Tim.
3:30-4 pm Party music!

Please RSVP to let us know if you can attend and how many will be coming.

RSVP by August 15 to Joanie at neveu.joan@gmail.com.

• Quokka (from our 2017 trip to Rottnest Island, Australia). This small marsupial was one of Tim's favorite animals.*