In my thoughts

(Just one of many memories of PTC II)...

When I was younger, I always felt a connection to Philip: I wore his hand-me-down ski jacket, rode his old bike, and played with his toys stowed away in the trailer at the farm. But it wasn’t until college when I really got to know him as more than just the elusive “big” cousin who skied and played hockey in Michigan. For my birthday one year, I got a call from my mom asking if I wanted to have Sunday brunch at the farm (one of the many perks of going to Mount Saint Mary’s was its close proximity to the Farm and a homecooked meal). It wasn’t hard to gather a group of friends to join me—remember, we were broke college kids who would have been happy with a bowl of instant oatmeal and a piece of toast. But Philip, who happened to be at the Farm that weekend, took it upon himself to whip up one of his classic meals: eggs Benedict, French toast, bacon, fruit, the works. My friends and I sat at the long table in the farm’s dining room and just inhaled that meal. From then on, Philip became famous among my friends as “Sarah’s cousin, the awesome cook.”

A few years later, Philip took it upon himself to serve as my consultant as I planned the menu for my wedding. From imported cheese platters to chocolate fountains, I was a little overwhelmed with all of the choices. And those were just the appetizers! So Philip sat with me and advised me on the menu. “Don’t get the mini quiche,” Philip told me as he shuffled through the
reams of catering menus I’d printed out. “The quiche is always frozen and reheated. Trust me.”

So I did. Although he wasn’t in the kitchen, our wedding meal was another Philip creation. His support and insight came at a
time when I needed it most. He didn’t have to sit down and help me with those plans, but yet he spent hours with me on them. And then he and Aleta overwhelmed all of us (including Mark's extended family and our friends) with the most amazing post-wedding brunch the following day. I’ll always be thankful for everything Philip did, especially that time we shared together.