When FOF Kathleen’s beloved cousin died two years ago, her grieving husband, Paul, came to northern California to scatter her ashes and visit with Kathleen. She tried to assure him that love would come again, but Paul couldn’t see past his grief and returned home to LA to try to get his life together and help his ill mother.
A year later, when Paul was making plans to go back to college up north, Kathleen’s husband was diagnosed with a terminal illness. She asked Paul if he’d help her care for her husband, in exchange for a place to live. He accepted.
When Kathleen’s husband died, Paul helped her through her grief. “We cried on each others shoulders over our losses,” she said. “We had all been friends for 32 years. After a while we stopped crying and just held each other. Then we fell in love. We both honor and miss our mates, but it’s not nearly as hard or lonely. We miss the same people and give each other the space to grieve, if we need to. Life isn’t perfect but we care for each other and have found joy again. We marvel at finding love out of the ashes of our sorrow,” Kathleen said.
“We just spent our first Christmas together and had so much fun decorating, gift shopping and sending cards. Paul plays the harmonicas and has a band named The Ferndale Blues Vendetta. We have some great parties with dynamite entertainment.”
An accomplished glass artist, Kathleen’s work has attracted the likes of John Travolta, who commissioned her to create a portrait of his plane. She’s also done pieces for Priscilla Presley and other celebrities. Her glass lamp shades are award winners.
Paul on the harmonica
An award-winning glass shade John Travolta's plane commemorated in glass
