March 21, 2006

Ron Etergino - Tessa Ray camera.gif

Rose,

You won't remember this, but we had our first Guinness /milk together playing a game of backgammon with your father and Chuck at Liverpool Lil's. After your father and I sent Anthony back home from our motorcycle trip, your dad grabbed you, the baby sling and the backgammon case and we were off.

As we walked into Lil's, we took the open booth to the right of the door. Your father plopped you down between the two of us, you sat contently and your dad proceeded to refresh my memory on how to lose in backgammon. In between the laughs, and the pints your father doted on you. He always did.

I spent several days with you and your parents on that trip and one of the things that always stuck with me is how excited they were to have you. They shared and experienced life with you. Your dad took you everywhere, including the fly casting pools at the park, working on Yankee, and to some of the best Indian restaurants in the city. He loved you and lit up every time he spoke about you, he made being a father look so easy.

Our daughter Tessa Ray Etergino was born on 2/10/06. She started off life a bit anxious, born 6 weeks early and spending a few in ICU. She is one tough little girl and shows the same passion for life as her namesake did. I think Ray would be proud of her.

See you in the summer,

Uncle Ron