Hi Abbigail,

It's been a strange winter here in Nelson. 

Firstly, in the past month my flatmate Jeremy died. We originally met in 2017 while working for a landscaping/service company. He was one of the few people in this town I could trust and call a best friend. We had very similar tastes in music, literature, and visual art; I reckon we taught each other a bit more about each of these categories, too. My flatmate Kirstin and I were thrown into a tail spin for awhile, but are continuing on here in the rental house until the beginning of 2027. Then we'll have to decide our next moves.

Secondly, one of my best and oldest friends just died. Simon. I knew him from my very earliest days in primary school at Leal School, in Urbana, Illinois. 

Jeremy and Simon were aged 68 and 60 respectively. Far too young. It's a blow to those of us who survive them. 

Love, Dad