Mortal Kombat 2 - Up on the Roof

It happened that their room at the hotel in Ayutthaya, Thailand had a lovely rooftop patio...well, they made it so when they added a few pots of flowers and couple lounges chairs, what more can you ask for to relax on an afternoon.   

Pat was working, Mom was getting to know Thailand, I was taking the picture, visiting.   

Show Biz, look where it takes you, right?   

Pat Prepared for Anything...all on one chair

When Pat was on the set, we all know he had his director's chair.   Sometimes it said Patrick Blymyer on the back, sometimes it said Rip Torn or The New Rip Torn.

It always had a pocket for very important documents - could be the callsheet, could be the Enquirer, could be fruit or snacks.  At one point I gave him a Hand which he screwed onto the chair that could hold a drink.   This particular picture he seems to be prepared for everything, rain, dark, confederates, etc.

Can you figure out what some of those other things are on his chair?    I've been trying .   

Love,

Xochi

Incredible Shrinking Mom

So, you hit the green call button on your skype choosing Mom and Pat and the computer starts to ring...Pat answers, sitting up nice and tall, says 'What it be?' or "Hola" or something like that...

Then in walks Mom...and she sits down...and you wonder, "Mom, are you shrinking?"  What's up?

Now, they can see themselves just like you can see yourself in a little picture on screen.   Next thing you know all we're doing is laughing, no talking just laughing and Mom is sliding down her chair, which was lower yet somehow she'd continue to shrink throughout the call.   Yep, easy laughs about little things.   Not sure we actually talked about anything on those calls but they sure were fun sometimes laughing to tears.   Love, Xochi

A Spring Brunch in Ajijic

I just received this photo from Mom and Pat's friends, Sascha and Steve, who live in Ajijic too. They all had brunch together last spring one day.

Pat all dressed in his pretty blue suit and Mom in her flowers. Quite the dashing pair out on a lovely afternoon.

I'm just assuming Pat had the matching blue pants on...could have been shorts?

How cool can you be?

I'm not sure how this wasn't Pat's director's chair all these years, he looks so comfortable in it don't you think?

I believe this was from a movie called "Gaily, Gaily".   How you dressed behind the scenes has changed a little since those day.

But I thought a neat picture.

Xochi

Kazoo Pat

Did you know that Pat could play the kazoo?  Did you know that he had a few kazoo bands in his day?He loved the kazoo.   It's easy to play and you can play any song.

Seventy Six Trombones was a favorite from "The Music Man".   

There was a time when Pat wanted to learn how to play the violin, I still have the violin, none of us learned but it was good idea at the time.   

So all you have to do is hummmmmmm.

Sunday, Sunday

It's hard to believe the last time I spoke to Pat was 7 weeks ago, the last time I saw him.   It seems like it could have been yesterday.  Sundays are the harder days for me knowing what comes on Monday morning.   

All I know is thank goodness for skype.com.   Since Mom and Pat moved to Mexico, I saw them more than ever, at least once a week it was as though they were in my living room having a visit.   If you've got anyone out there you need or want to see more than you do, get it together and set up each other, it's easy, free and like I said, I was lucky to spend time with my mom and dad more than ever.   We're all busy but no buts and  no regrets.  I have these memories.   Love, Xochi

Top Hat Pat

I don't think most people know that a top hat can really be worn pretty much anytime, you just gotta have the right attitude.   

Pat might add his white scarf and cane as well if it was a night out on the town, special occasion or he just got the urge.     That was another Patism.   :)  

One of My Favorite Pat Pictures

I can't be sure but I think when I met Pat (I was 5 years old) he looked something like this...casual, handsome, cool, coulda been a movie star.    

Mom, when was this taken?   

I think this was South Dakota about 1970.  Love, Mom

Scooters are good for Everything Pat thought.

Out on a long stretch of highway for Another 48Hrs. work had to be done.    When possible Pat would put his scooter to use.   The scooter was also used to get to the caterer fast, race to the truck at wrap, endless benefits to having it on the set.   I even saw him let the Grips use it to carry C-Stands...yes, even the grips.   :)

Can you believe our Hollywood Legend of a Gaffer?

Yes, a long time ago in Beckley, West Virginia this cute young boy kicked up his heels on Westwood Drive, I'm sure lighting up the neighborhood with his antics...

Many years later, he was lighting up Hollywood and our lives.

A ride in Zippy

For Pat's 70th birthday, he treated himself to Zippy, a beautiful royal blue golf cart with all the bells and whistles he wanted...

On the narrow cobblestone streets of Ajijic, it was the perfect vehicle to cruise and do errands.

Of course to make it even more a Pat vehicle he added a couple pinwheels at the perfect wind direction, one small rubber chicken, an Ooooga horn, a rope for Mom to hang on to just in case, a basket for Ramsey to sit and a handheld mirror to use to see behind him.   Oh, and clipped on the steering wheel he kept his GPS of Ajijic (a simply drawn paper map folded in half) just in case he needed directions).  The flowered floor mats helped keep the dirt down and added that extra flair.   :)

 

Pat's Memorial Celebration - March 29, 2009 - 1P

PAT BLYMYER'S 

MEMORIAL CELEBRATION

We gather today to honor and celebrate Pat's life

Sunday, March 29, 2009 - 1P

Los Angeles River Center and Gardens

570 West Avenue 26

Los Angeles, CA  90065

One of Pat's requests whenever this day came along was that 

we all wear colorful clothes, shorts and no black!

A Valentine Anytime is okay

For Pat, it didn't have to be Valentine's Day to tell Mom he loved her.  When they packed up for Mexico we found many memories tucked in all over the house.  This was one of my favorite things I brought home for safe keeping.    I'll have to check and see if this was a "just because I love you I'm going to cut a piece of wood into a heart for you"?  7/14/83 - that would have been the middle of a busy summer at the Snowvillage Inn.   Oh, Pat...

Did you ever realize how artistic Pat was?

One day long ago, Pat decided to try his hand at decorating Mom's sun hat for her. One hat turned into many creations, depended on his flowers, butterflies, and other ideas he had for the next artistic moment.  Each one is different from the other but always bring a smile to peoples faces as Mom walks down the street or drives by, especially the children who never judge but appreciate the fun with which they were created.    Spreading happiness in so many ways, out of the borders of what is considered normal or safe or acceptable.   

Grilled Cheeses and Chocolate Malts

Mmm, mmm...we had grilled cheese sandwiches and Chocolate malts one night in Ajijic...Pat's the master on that meal.   He even scouted out the stores and found the Carnation Malt we needed.

Pat's Pinwheels Spinning

Colorful pinwheels spin in the breeze, pause for a moment and then spin again.  Like colorful Pat always moving.

Pat, friend man and pig.

One-of-a-kind. Right. What's that mean?
All the one-of-a-kind people (isn't that an oxymoron) (I can hear Pat now having something to say about the "moron" part) ... that I know ...have something in common. They seem, the sane ones, of course, to have a gift. They distribute the gift equally and specifically. They seem to have enough sense of security in their own worth and value to want others to have that, too. The opposite of squeaker-wheelers, similar in some deep part of their spirit to contented four-hundred pound pigs, contradictory to the self-righteous, self-pitying and self-centered-fearful. Captains of fairness. Leaders who stand at your side, not in the back lines or high on some distant hill with condescending binoculars and vague destructive directions for the loyal but ignorant. They want people to grow, not wither. They are healthy, their immune systems fend off indulgent negativity, they are here to educate others in the ways of happiness and constructiveness, perkiness and jokery; they generate and tolerate over negating and berating.
In Pat's case, his nuclear strength spirit was not even overcome by alcohol; when he'd had enough, he'd had enough and that was it. So let's raise a toast of carrot juice to the rainbow man. The man of colors and shorts, not jetblack, starched, arched pretensions. The man who left joy in his Will and life where someone might easily have ended up bleak and lost. These are the undying suns of the universe, these one-of-a-kinders. They just get kinder and kinder.
love to Pat,
William

Last Days in Ajijic

Well, today has been our final day (for now) in Ajijic.    Old friends have visited, we had lunch at a new favorite place, one that Pat didn't have a chance to eat since it has recently opened but I'll bet he would have thought the food there quite tasty.    A stroll down the streets, in and out of some favorite shops.   I took a walk at sunset to the lake to see the progress made since the park there was flooded.   The walk along the water is now lined with palm trees, it's going to be beautiful again when they are finished.   And yet another beatiful sunset off the lake, you can see it from the end of the garden at the house too.  The house was a special place, the garden unbelievable, life is changing but there was at least this moment in paradise.  I was lucky enough to have Mom and Pat here so that I too could be part of it and being with the two of them made it even more special.     

Tomorrow, I fly home and Mom, Laurie and Ramsey begin their drive to California with visits to friends and family along the way.    And Mom begins Act III as she is calling it.  Love, Xochi

Rainbow Pat

We were trying to get the rainbow on Pat's face, see the left side of his face...the prism is outside with the sun shining through it.  He loved hanging the crystals and seeing the light play.    The only reason he looks serious is cause we were trying to catch the rainbow.       This was an afternoon project.   Things to do on a beautiful day in Ajijic.  :)