tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6277313567524932904.post22338487884938358..comments2024-03-23T20:52:19.525-06:00Comments on An Alaskan in Yucatán: I Still Miss AlbertoMarc Olsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11289566244668566622noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6277313567524932904.post-72793370344441219632014-12-08T21:45:48.711-06:002014-12-08T21:45:48.711-06:00The last time I saw Alberto was at his house. He w...The last time I saw Alberto was at his house. He was but a shadow of himself after falling off his roof while cleaning some leaves or something. He had been in the hospital for a month and the fall had severely affected his mind. I looked at him and the long beard he had grown and he looked back at me with an empty stare insisting that he recognized me. With him were his grand daughter or grand son. I'm not sure, that could be wrong.<br /><br />The house had a new door. While he'd been hospitalized the house had been broken into and stripped. Nothing had been spared. All the utensils in the kitchen, the furniture, and most of all the paintings and sculptures. His life had been stolen and soon he would be gone to a better one.<br /><br />Don <br />flaco1999@yahoo.comDonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6277313567524932904.post-74837398720616864252011-10-31T16:14:09.365-06:002011-10-31T16:14:09.365-06:00Marc, thank you for re-posting this. It brought te...Marc, thank you for re-posting this. It brought tears to my eyes. I heard him saying, "Don't say thank you - say More!"<br />One day, many years ago, he came to my house and looked at the unimproved dirt space in back of my house (I'm not much of a gardener) and said, "I'm going to make you a garden." A few days later he returned with a bunch of plants - and it still stands today. My favorite plant was limonaria, which grew in front of his hidden front door and smelled delicious after dark.Beryl Gorbmanhttp://www.gorbman.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6277313567524932904.post-7158316530610467072011-09-20T16:35:23.673-05:002011-09-20T16:35:23.673-05:00I loved this post last year and love it still. I k...I loved this post last year and love it still. I know you miss your friend. How lovely that you had such great times together.lynettehttp://www.bigassbelle.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6277313567524932904.post-19296991474396918702011-09-18T23:43:28.505-05:002011-09-18T23:43:28.505-05:00I appreciate seeing this again. Alberto was a wond...I appreciate seeing this again. Alberto was a wonderful, charming, magical-thinking sort of man. His visions of people and the world came through in his painting. I'm not as skilled as you at expressing all this, but your words bring back many happy thoughts. Thank you!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6277313567524932904.post-49193053930156578822011-09-11T21:18:09.038-05:002011-09-11T21:18:09.038-05:00Thanks, Joanna. That means a lot coming from someo...Thanks, Joanna. That means a lot coming from someone who knew him well. I suspect that the Alberto tribute will become an annual repeat on this blog. It's funny how soon much of the world forgets. I don't want to.Marc Olsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11289566244668566622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6277313567524932904.post-18619945330441201392011-09-11T20:49:55.117-05:002011-09-11T20:49:55.117-05:00Jorge and I also miss Alberto. We were his friends...Jorge and I also miss Alberto. We were his friends in "the good old days" when he hosted our parties in his home and painted our portraits. Unfortunately Hurricane Gilberto ruined the one he did of our younger selves - he always said he'd do another but time ran out. Our last visit together was on our 30th wedding anniversay. He gave us a gong and told me, "Never stop calling your family and friends to your table Joanna." We loved him even though we missed his company in the final years. We are comforted that other wonderful people like you were with him then. <br /><br />I know Alberto, his mama, long-long departed wife, and everyone else who sits with him - drinking wine, painting, singing, and loving... wherever they all are... bless you Marc for such a fitting tribute to an extraordinary friend.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6277313567524932904.post-32065701080165861532011-09-11T11:51:32.231-05:002011-09-11T11:51:32.231-05:00Thanks, Cheri for the comment and for continuing t...Thanks, Cheri for the comment and for continuing to read the blog. <br /><br />You have joined others who have suggested I should share this post again. Perhaps it will become an annual event in memory of Alberto.Marc Olsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11289566244668566622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6277313567524932904.post-13362939214592271532011-09-11T08:40:10.257-05:002011-09-11T08:40:10.257-05:00Thank you for posting this piece again. I enjoyed...Thank you for posting this piece again. I enjoyed it every bit as much this time as the first. I hope you will share it again in honor of your dear, dear friendship with Alberto.Cherihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13068315472365496898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6277313567524932904.post-56034987616330684342011-09-10T16:21:38.096-05:002011-09-10T16:21:38.096-05:00Alinde, you are so right about friends. Sometimes ...Alinde, you are so right about friends. Sometimes I look at my "friends" online and realize I don't even know who they are.<br /><br />I always appreciate your thoughtful comments. I am glad you liked the post.Marc Olsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11289566244668566622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6277313567524932904.post-56503111078149477552011-09-10T13:30:43.654-05:002011-09-10T13:30:43.654-05:00Thanks for this, Marc! I was most touched, and wil...Thanks for this, Marc! I was most touched, and will re-read it several times. It's a lovely testament to a man, a friend, and his art. You obviously know what being a real friend means, and so did he.<br /><br />I'm can understand why you miss him very much. There are many "friends" in this journey, but fewer TRUE ones.<br /><br />AlindeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6277313567524932904.post-37924952938930206362011-09-10T10:06:49.279-05:002011-09-10T10:06:49.279-05:00unseenmoon -- Glad you like the kitchen. I designe...unseenmoon -- Glad you like the kitchen. I designed and built it myself, with a little help from a couple of good albañiles, antique fixtures, tile from Puebla and copper sinks I had made to order in Santa Clara del Cobre. It's my favorite place to hang out.Marc Olsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11289566244668566622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6277313567524932904.post-51927612362704962982011-09-10T09:26:38.853-05:002011-09-10T09:26:38.853-05:00Love your kitchen.Love your kitchen.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6277313567524932904.post-8259134373126989732011-09-09T19:35:04.388-05:002011-09-09T19:35:04.388-05:00Why thank you ~eric, that's quite a compliment...Why thank you ~eric, that's quite a compliment. As I reviewed the piece prior to reposting it, I was tempted to edit. It's always easier to edit a year later, but I left it alone. This piece was a labor of great affection for me, and although I experienced some formatting problems in the reposting and resized some of the images, I decided to leave the text as I originally wrote it.Marc Olsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11289566244668566622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6277313567524932904.post-76922253586639782442011-09-09T19:27:52.798-05:002011-09-09T19:27:52.798-05:00Marc,
Not only is this favorite post worthy of rep...Marc,<br />Not only is this favorite post worthy of repeating (annually!) — it is invaluable as art history. And the writing is beautifully honest, sublime.<br /><br />~eric.MeridaGOroundhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10762763242315951433noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6277313567524932904.post-18973150968794042062011-09-09T16:55:43.357-05:002011-09-09T16:55:43.357-05:00John and Alan:
This post is repeated from last y...John and Alan: <br /><br />This post is repeated from last year, but I thought it was appropriate to post it again. It's one of my favorites. The art I have of Alberto's is something that I will always treasure.Marc Olsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11289566244668566622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6277313567524932904.post-30504138423866354002011-09-09T16:46:05.010-05:002011-09-09T16:46:05.010-05:00Marc, what a great story and friendship. Also you ...Marc, what a great story and friendship. Also you have a wonderful collection of his art that will keep the memory of him alive.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00954933541900671235noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6277313567524932904.post-91113643897744530842011-09-09T15:58:48.426-05:002011-09-09T15:58:48.426-05:00Bob, Alberto passed away while I was out of town, ...Bob, Alberto passed away while I was out of town, and I didn't find out until I'd been home awhile. I couldn't stop thinking about the time he'd told me he loved me...as if he knew what was in store.<br /><br />Just another one of those lessons life teaches us: do the things you want to do, and say the important things to the people you love, now. Do not wait.Marc Olsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11289566244668566622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6277313567524932904.post-71554922695515159772011-09-09T15:54:25.683-05:002011-09-09T15:54:25.683-05:00Alberto reminds me of a great guy I was proud to c...Alberto reminds me of a great guy I was proud to call my friend when I lived in the Village of García in Nuevo León. His name was Pépe Fernandez. He was a fantastic guitarist and owned a restaurant that was the focal point for the community. He died suddenly while I was away on a visit to the U.S. and the last thing we ever said to each other before I left on my trip was "Te quiero buen amigo". I will never forget that. May God bless Pépe and Alberto. They are the salt of the Earth.Bob Mrotekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15016079751197723749noreply@blogger.com