My name is Emily Adams. I moved back to my childhood home in Brooktondale in 2015 when my mother passed away, bringing my Dutch husband Paulus Dominicus with me. We lived (until recently 😥)  with my father, Barry Adams, who decided after my mom passed that he didn't want to give up his cats, his bird feeders, and his books to go to assisted living. We built him an apartment instead, where the family garage used to be, and now Paulus and I are busy remodeling the main house (while also living in it) to make it entirely green and eco-friendly.

The cooperative extended-family arrangement suited us all! I pursued many community and political activities from home, where I could also be nearby if my father needed anything. Paulus has adjusted well to life in America, and works in the "gig economy" as a handyman and painter. (Until recently) Barry loved his new electric car (he caught the green bug from us) and continued to attend and teach classes at Lifelong.

My wonderful father passed away on December 31st, 2024. The funeral was held in January. This coming July 26th, we will be holding a Celebration of Life and Community to honor him, and also my mother Molly Adams, and our community.

The emptiness and grief have been hard for me to process. I wasn't sure how to manage it, but I found myself signing up for voice lessons, hoping I'd be able to sing my way through it and maybe even sing something at the Celebration of Life. I've always been too anxious to sing FOR someone, solo, and I'm sad that I never sang for my father, knowing that he was such a big fan of opera and Gilbert & Sullivan and music in general. I am working on a song now, by John Dowland, that my teacher Marty thinks I will be able to sing on July 26th. He has a few more lessons to get me ready. I love the words to the song -- they remind me of my father. We are humble people, but we all have our strengths, we make a difference even if it seems imperceptible, and "love is love, in beggars and in kings."

Below is the invitation to the Celebration of Life and Community. If you plan to come, and especially if you would like to say some words or make some music in his honor, please RSVP at this link.