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Bread, Honey, and Paint


We hadn't baked bread at home in a long time. The kind we usually make is a heavy, multigrain loaf, perfect for a satisfying breakfast. It's not fluffy, but it's the kind of bread that leaves you feeling full and happy any time of day. A slice of this toast is wonderful with butter and honey, and even better with a couple of fried eggs on top. It might not sound appetizing to everyone, but I love it. Sometimes I'll add a slice of whatever cheese and salami I can find. Livia enjoys that savory toast too, but Raquel doesn't care for it; she's a waffle girl through and through.

The recipe we've always used for this heavy-grain bread calls for honey, but there's a note from Christina next to that line: "Use sugar instead." Her bread was always wonderful. The aroma of the bread now fills the house as it bakes, and I'm waiting for the timer to go off so I can take it out and let it cool overnight. I'm really looking forward to a slice.

Over the weekend, I painted the living room window frame—a project that was long overdue.

Before Christina was diagnosed with cancer, we started painting the inside of the house. She planned everything meticulously, taking photos of the walls and discussing colors with me and a close friend who is an interior decorator. I loved her selections, and we started painting together. The new colors give our home such a warm feeling.

After her diagnosis, the painting project was put on the back burner as our focus shifted entirely to her recovery. In the summer of 2020, after her first surgery and a long course of chemotherapy and radiation, we picked up our brushes again. We finished all the walls, but the living room window frame remained undone.

Now, it's finally finished. As I stand and admire my work, I can almost hear Christina's voice, "It looks great, Jose. Thanks for finishing."

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