UPDATE (Changes to Saturday memorial): 6-month memorials and scatterings of Chip's ashes

Some days, it's hard to believe it's been six months since Chip died and it seems like he's only been gone six days. Some days, it feels like Chip has been gone for six years. No matter how it feels, the time has come to return more of him to the earth and to remember him as we do. Below are the times/locations for Chip's 6-month memorials on Friday, November 27 and Saturday, November 28:

Friday, November 27 -

1). 11:00am-11:15am - Difficult Run Stream Valley Park, Oakton, VA Difficult Run Stream Valley Park in Oakton runs along Difficult Run River. Portions of the Cross County Trail, which stretches approximately 6 miles from OakMarr Park to Lawyers Road along Difficult Run Stream, was traversed countless times by Chip with his dogs, Martin and Roo, with me and the dogs, or by himself as he prepared for climbing Mt. Vinson in Antarctica (16,050 feet) and Aconcagua (22,841 feet) in Argentina (He summited both!). He would put on his heavy pack, to simulate the heavy pack he would carry as he climbed, and faithfully walk the Cross County Trail on his self-designed regimen to prepare himself for the rigorous climbs. I will place Chip's ashes, in a floatable urn, in the stream near a tiny bridge, about 25-30 feet from the trailhead. The path is paved the whole way to the bridge.

How to get there: Set GPS to 10900 Vale Rd, Oakton (that's the house across the street from the trailhead). Once in the vicinity of this address, you will see the trailhead, which looks like a cement path. Plenty of parking is available alongside Vale Rd (trailside) as well as along the woods next to the trailhead if you turn onto Valestra Circle.

2). 12:00pm-1:30pm - Our home in Vienna

At noon, we will have a memorial service in the part of our yard that is in the parkland behind the house, at the rock along the path. The rock marks the spot where I buried some of Chip's ashes in our yard a couple of weeks ago. The spot where the rock sits can be reached by traveling on foot along the path that begins on Old Courthouse Road (vehicles can park there or up at our home). The dirt path which leads to the rock is about 50-60 feet from the road. We will gather for lunch after the memorial service.

Address: text me if you need the address!

Saturday, November 28 -

10:30am-11:00am - Hatton Memorial Beach, 130 Maple Lane, Severna Park, MD 21146

My wonderful friend Stacy from my Norfolk, VA days, who now lives with her family in Severna Park, MD, was able to get me access to Hatton Memorial Beach, the beach near Chip's home in Severna Park (before he moved to Virginia). I am so pleased that the memorial for Chip can now be held at the location that he described to me where he played with his sons, had cook-outs in the summer and shared good times with his neighbors. The gate to the access road that leads to the beach will be open for cars. People can also park at the top of the access road and walk down if they choose. We may need to be mindful of vehicles pulling boats out of the water (my contact-person Jeff, who will open the gate for me on Saturday morning said this is the time of year for that), but I'm certain the memorial will go off without difficulty.

Lunch following the memorial, 11:15-1:00: Cantler's Riverside Inn, 458 Forest Beach Rd., Annapolis, MD