from Rennea

I found Robert in the yellow pages and he became my family.

I needed a doctor to do the inmunizations for Skylr (6 mos).
Robert had plenty of openings and was close to my house, perfect!
A year later I received this letter that he was quitting!
I copy part of it:

"I think it is only fair to let you know that this decision was not made for trivial reasons. About a year and a half ago I was diagnosed with lymphoma, a cancer o the lymph system. As time has passed, it has become clear that I will need some sort of treatment. The dual responsibility of caring for myself and caring for my patients would, I'm afraid, result in divided and unsatisfactory attentio to both.
To those of you whom I have seen recently and with whom I haven't discussed my plans, I apologize for my lack of communication. It was not until the last few days that it became clear how and when this transition would take place. I hope you can understand that this was an issue I did not want to raise until it was a certainty, rather than a possibility."

I needed an appointment quick to give Skylr more shots
and buy some time before I had to find another doctor.

We talked about his sickness and his decision.
I asked him out to a performance of Sankai Huku,
one thing led to another and here we are...
still friends, sharing many interests, adventures, sufferings,
raising my kids, always attentive and ready to prepare a meal.

He was family to us Renie Joie, Avery, Skylr and me.
In turn he gained a large family: my mom Elizabeth Losada,
my five siblings Johanna, Susanna, Bethina,
Anabella and Daniel Couttenye who all come
with partners and kids. And my grandmother Josefina
who happens to be the same age as Robert's mom Selma.

Added to that, he became friends with my friends:
Raul y Ana, Carl, Heidi and Hartmut, Betsey and Wells,
Isda, Thorina, Beatriz, Graciela and more
who developed close relationships with him.

We all know he was a people's man


In my kitchen on Dolores St. (he found this apartment for me!)


At his home in Potrero Hill before he remodeled,
He brought me this little hat from one of his trips.



In Bologna we ate a lot of prosciutto and drank ciocolatto con panna.
He had a terrible back ache, little did he know he had fractured
two ribs from to a seizure he had due to his first chemotherapy.


on one of our trips to Boonville, good food, beautiful drive!

with Raul walking around Stow lake (while Skylr went on his tricycle)


what should we do today? every week we had another adventure!


here it is a John and Janets home in Ukiah, pasta anyone?

at Isda's home for Thanksgiving, Heidi in the foreground.

with Beatriz and the kids at Costco




Robert being and absolute BABY!