Happy Christmas to Bill, Emi, and all my fellow Nelsonians around the world!

It is with a heavy heart that I share news of the passing of my friend and fellow Nelsonian, Gavin Baker, on Monday. I met Gavin here, in the Dreamsville forums. (It has been so long, I can't recall his screen name here, though I think it was simply "Gavin Baker".) We had short exchanges in these forums, mostly, until I finally made it to England for Nelsonica in 2008. I was walking through the hall at the Park Inn hotel, wearing my tie-dyed t-shirt, when a loud voice said, "Hey, Jerry Garcia!" I turned to see who had said that, and came face to face with a large, bald man with a smiling face. He introduced himself, we sat down and had a chat. That was the only time Gavin and I met in person. His ill health would never allow him to travel far. All of our other communication was online, either here, or via FB. For years, we chatted and just stayed in touch. Gavin was in ill health, with histoplasmosis, a disease he contracted from prolonged exposure to pigeon droppings. He actually lived much longer than expected. He was a giant of a man, a former weight lifter and wrestler. He played the guitar, and quite well. He was a devoted husband and father. Gentle (and yet fiercely protective of his family), self-deprecating and kind, he was just a good man. The world is a lesser place without him. Rest in peace, my friend.