Every vespers season when Casey comes to town I am reminded of all the wonderful, fun-filled times we’ve shared over the past twenty years.  Somehow, he reminds me of the “Peanuts” character Pigpen, but instead of a dust cloud hovering over his head, it’s a halo of love and laughter and memories.

Yesterday, as always, he took time from his performance to tell us how he missed all of us here in Oysterville and to remember those who are no longer with us – my mom and Virginia Holway among others.  He pointed out that his granddaughter, Eva, is the age that his daughter Meagan was at his first vespers and spoke of the years that his son Josh was studying music at the University of Arizona – the years that Casey was our postmaster.

After the service we visited some more.  Has it really been sixteen years since he and Cynthia had their wedding reception in our yard?  And how many years ago did Meagan join Shoalwater Storytellers to read the part of Medora for an Elderhostle class?

The big news, of course, was that Josh and Laura are getting married in February. The Killingsworth beat goes on!  I couldn’t help but wonder, as I sat listening to the harmonies of the Killingsworth Family, if Oysterville would be treated to their music and memories twenty years hence.  Somehow, I wouldn’t be surprised.

And, yes, I expect to get a load of commentary from Casey about my Pigpen analogy!  But… he knows what I mean.