My feeling is that the bench will be monumental for Leonard's 80th birthday and leaves plenty of room for more life and more monumental acknowledgements for his milestone birthdays [or more often, if desired]. The cigarette idea is cute; however, for me, it doesn't represent the core Leonard. The cigarette is secondary to who he is and all that he's accomplished, at least a number of those years without a cigarette. When I think of Leonard, I don't think of cigarette in hand. He may still decide not to smoke when he turns 80. No guarantees on that until his 80th year has passed... until he's 81. Leonard's admiration for Lorca would make a bench in the Lorca square, facing Lorca, feel quite appropriate.
Well, anyway, that's it for now, as I've gotta leave
. Maybe I'll comment more later on this. At least you're bringing more thoughts to the table during our waiting period for approval! And ideas that can hold up for 90th and 100th birthdays, though, I feel his birthplace of Montreal would be best for at least the latter. I like Hydra as a commemoration site because it will be more common to more people coming there from all over the world as a kind of 'pilgrimage' to where Leonard once lived and produced so much.All the best,
Lizzie
