Dear Monte,

You are the best of cousins. Your laughter and your joy in life have always been an example about what is important. You always live in the here and now. I could never have the right words to express my gratitude to you for always being there since Dad died. Thank you for mixing, lugging and pouring the concrete that anchors my beautiful smokehouse. Did you know that I wrote your name and mine and Mom's and Alfred's into the concrete before it set? Thank you for taking the time to dig the trench so that Mom and I could plant the lilacs. (okay, so it wasn't the other guys' fault for filling it in before we got to plant them:) Every morning when I used to walk to school, you would stop working on the crab pots to remind me to look up when crossing the street. I used to be so irritated that you thought I wasn't smart enough to look up from my book. Now I know it was because you loved me. Thanks for that. Thank you for becoming Captain and Skipper of the Silver Shadow. Thanks for waving at us gathered on the sundeck whenever you took the Silver Shadow out of the harbour and came back home into the slough past the pilings just like Dad always did. Thanks for always saying I love you. Thanks for bringing Shelagh into our lives. We love her and she is our family. Thank you again for unhesitatingly providing all the seafood for my first robe unveiling. You never hesitate. Thanks for your great imitation of Dad. Your impersonations of everyone, come to that. Thank you for singing and playing the blues on your many guitars. Thanks for being larger than life when I was growing up. Thank you for everything.

I am glad that you and Shelagh got to be Mr. and Mrs. Wind-in-their-Hair on your motorcycle trip.

You are an honourable man with a great and generous heart. You are exemplary.

My cousin, a brave and true Haida warrior, please forgive me for not being there to hug you close one more time.

You are a star in my firmament, an anchor to which I hold onto.

I promise to look up from my book both ways when crossing the street.
With all my love and respect for you Monte.
I love you.
Lisa Diane