for sam

Sometimes the skies of Rising Star in India were filled with dragonflies.
It simply added to the magic of the place.

(I think this little guy was actually dead, trapped inside our bathroom. Explains why he held so still as I clamored up onto the trough-shaped sink to get a close-up shot. At least he got to see the sky one last time?)

RIP Eva Hirt

... was the subject line of the email KJ sent out to announce the demise of our good friend Eva (and the party in her honor). When I say "demise", I of course mean her departure from California to follow a foolhardy dream called "Colorado", but SOME people (Todd Petersen) took it to say the OTHER meaning of "RIP", and... well, happened to freak out a bit. Oops. Then again, when I gave the pose instruction to "wave goodbye to Eva" for a photo at said party, he was also the one to answer by lifting up his shirt. Soo....

So Eva ISN'T DEAD (though we no longer speak her name), she's just gone. Gone. :( Gone to the land where kittens and cowboys roam free, and Trader Joe's is just a pipe dream. It hasn't quite hit me yet, and I'm in total denial anyway, but in honor of her and as closure for me (you leave me, our friendship is OVER), this blog post is dedicated to:

EVA JANE HIRT
2003 - 2009
Roommate, Travel Buddy, and Friend

Please enjoy the following sitcom/romantic comedy video montage of flashbacks and memories of our time together. Except, it's not in video montage format, not even a slideshow, so you'll just have to scroll through the images and read the captions as husky thought-bubble voice-overs. Oh, and for the sentimental background soundtrack, imagine me humming "Wind Beneath My Wings" or some similar cheesy lament that would make eva want to barf.

THIS ONE'S FOR YOU, PEEVES...

__________________________________________________

My life before Eva Hirt...

and Eva before I met her...

And then, our worlds changed at Kamp Krusty IV, Yosemite, 2003...!

Since then we've been fast friends, roommates twice (three if you count when I had a key to their Ohio pad), and travel buddies MANY times, including to TAHITI...

Moorea, French Polynesia

Leigh's two "wives", Tahiti

kayaking Moorea

claaassic eva-- grossed out by gross smells

NEW ZEALAND

Takapuna, North Island

Jet Boating near Hamner Springs, South Island

spelunking near Westport, South Island

eva gagging because some bird poo got on her, Akaroa, South Island

traveling with eva is good times because she supports the eating of a bunch of crap

meat pies, Christchurch, south island! (one of my fave pix of little peeves)

NEW YORK

we're both cheap... didn't actually go UP the empire state building

* * * * *

.... A WHOLE LOT OF OUTDOORS AND CAMPING....

HAVASUPAI

eva's much better at conquering her fear of heights than I am

Havasu Falls

JOSHUA TREE

DEATH VALLEY

you're not actually supposed to run out onto the 'Racetrack'... oops

and YOSEMITE, many, many, many times

* * * * *
GOOD TIMES WITH EVA

backyard campouts

hikes to the nearby Albertson's

disco skating for kj's bday

"Girls Just Wanna Have Fun-due" parties... (eva does not waste food)

Death Valley half-marathon

sneaking into the VIP party at Kevin Bacon Night

being really good examples at Girls Camp

80's Night at the Hollywood Bowl

halloween-- not afraid to look scary

and Eva's favorite holiday,
CHRISTMAS

dragging our tree across Huntington Drive... doesn't everyone carry their own tree home?

SELECTING OUR TREE FROM THE FORESTS OF HUNTINGTON...

(not sure why I'm talking with a lisp in this clip)

* * * * *
WHAT I LOVE ABOUT EVA

she was born on our nation's bicentennial AND she loves Tim Riggins

deathly afraid of bears

says she's from Alaska (though her snow-shoveling skills suggest otherwise)

sometimes hates biking (and reeeally hates ocean swims) but triathlete-s anyway

loves to EAT

has no shame

LOVES her FRIENDS :)

and she can kick -- stretch -- and KICK.

You are the wind beneath my wings, peeves.

miss you already :(