A face full of freckles topped with Bozo the clown fire engine red curls.

A cherub on the outside. A mad trickster on the inside.

A great back scratchier, starfish finder and friend to all faeries, especially the ones that lived in our chandelier.

He made a mean pot of wieners and beans. Swiss Chalet was his favourite treat, Cheesies his addiction.

He liked to hide and jump out and scare me for giggles.

He loved animals and bugs, especially butterflies.

His favourite show was Archie Bunker and Animal Kingdom.

He was a banker but really wanted to cycle around the world.

He taught me to swim and dared me to jump off the 60 ft diving board…hence the saying…”never dare a Lowry”.

He loved Sarah Vaughn. I took him to see her and he yelled out “I love you Sarah”!

We use to bury the fish that washed up on the shore at the cottage.

He played Santa Claus for children.

He loved to embarrass me in public by singing at the top of his lungs.

He wore bunny ears.

He yelled at the toaster. He wanted to kill the newspaper boy. And he cried for days when Tippy our family dog died.

He had a memory like a steal trap.

The first three words he scribbled after being in a coma for 4 months were “Elly, Patrick and Tuna”. The forth was Income Taxes.  He then proceeded to defy science with a quarter of a brain left and re learned to breathe, talk, walk, read, write, tie his shoelaces …all the while flirting with his nurses.

He was completely brilliant and wonderfully bonkers.

He had the imagination of a child.

He believed in magic.

He was a miracle.

He always called me Patrick.

He was my Yogi and I was his Boo Boo.

Two peas in a pod. I am proud to be my father’s daughter. The luckiest girl in the universe galaxy!

Miss you, love you forever Pinky.  xx Patrick

I think manners matter. I believe etiquette is an art form that showcases our gratitude and grace. As children we were taught it was the most basic reciprocation of respect. A gesture that acknowledged our appreciation for an act of kindness, generosity or support. Beyond the simple “p’s & q’s”; being grateful is kind of a “tag, you’re it” philosophy that keeps the love going and feeling strong. It feels great to be appreciated, to be acknowledged, and it feels even greater to give gratitude because it illuminates the abundance in your life.

All this said, after a wild world wind birthday celebration and in fact, after any given wild world wind Patty day, I want to express some serious SHANKS out to the world because I’m feeling massively grateful!  To all the peeps who love me and let me be me. Who show up every time with open arms and hearts; to my gang, my guys and gals, my tribe; you are an awesome sauce motely crew of Kings & Queens, Princes and Princesses, freaks, geeks, scardiation sneaks and fellow vortex wobblers in kind that I adore to the moon and beyond the stars. You are my heart and soul; my playmates and my safe place.  You are my velveteen rabbits and we are real for life.

To my peeps who inspire me, help me and make me want to be a better me; big juicy thanks for instilling magic in my heart and mind and proving to me that it is always in me and always out there to tap into.

To my superstar sister, your bravery is mind-blowing, you are a warrior and your gifts go far beyond the presents you spoil me with.

To my far away friends, you’re really not far away at all.

To my pets and all animals, bugs and birds – you fill my heart beyond capacity and I appreciate that you enjoy my Snerny Berny squeaky speak (the ecstatic, euphoric, enraptured sounds that translate into a hysterically high-pitched rhyming, nonsensical language spoken to and only understood by animals) –e most humans think I’m nuts…and I don’t care.

To my co-workers who indulge my daily insanity; to my morning coffee Gawd, the cute but very unhandy handyman who tolerated my impatience and finally finished the GOSH DARN DECK; to strangers on the bus that I strike up conversations with and the makers of cheese scones, chips, wine and cheese – thank you, you make me smile, laugh, and be happy!

To those who challenge me, thank you for teaching me patience, compassion, and not to judge for I do not know what you have to carry.

Oh and to my faerie friends in the chandelier… thanks for keeping an eye on me, sparkling that pixie dust on a path worth skipping down and holding out your wings to pull me back when I’m heading for the cave. Thanks for always being there beside me and proving to me that magic is real and we all have wings.

Big love & thanks to all.