Aging Disgracefully

Earlier this month  I celebrated a milestone birthday.  As I advance into a new decade of living, I choose to ignore the number associated. After all, many fail to make this much progress in years. I struggle constantly with technology. I refuse to accept that it possibly has passed me by.  The newer large font size is a testament, that I can still see clearly, but just don't want to squint. 

I thrive in chaos I suppose.  I am now the sole owner of two companies. My son runs both and has accepted the weight of responsibility I have dumped on his shoulders. 

I really just want to sew! I am adapting my dining room to serve as my sewing space.  The china hutch will soon be filled with colorful swatches of fabric. I no longer need to store china and crystal...but what to do with it?.?!  I could sell it or donate it, but for now it is packed and stored in a garage cabinet.

I suspect Ol' Abner would not be surprised by any of this, but I can almost hear him gritting his teeth, saying "Now what!".

I am Back

Has it really been over a year since I have felt like spouting my thoughts, opinions, concerns and frustrations?  Clearly the blank spaces and my search to figure out how to even log into this blog would confirm that truth. Widowing has kept me much busier than I could have imagined. Living in a home with lots of manly toys requiring care and maintenance has provided some serious challenges.  My sprinkler system is still not functional, but I'll have to tell you about that later.

My children have adapted to having only one parent now, although they sadly remind me occasionally that Dad would have  taken care of that issue with little effort. One child suffered through a mid-life crisis, changed jobs, then asked me to form a company with him.  It wasn't enough trauma to have watched a dog die just before losing one's own father, then a terrible accident totally destroying the most favored vehicle of all time, a marriage that just fizzled in the midst of personal wilderness, followed by the sale of the house that made him feel that he had "arrived". I had to write that all in one long sentence because I choose to discuss it no further.

The other child boldly confronts health issues as she goes about her busy life.  She provided me with three grandchildren and all have left the nest now.  She and spouse are celebrating the empty nest by moving to a new nest. Convinced that they have evolved from the hands-on parenting habit into re-creating a house built soon after they were born. Both habits spring from hope to develop an end product that will never really end.

I checked one bucket list trip off my list with journey to Israel early this summer and I am considering embarking on another trip next year. That is still up in the air.

About the company I was asked to form with my son. He is working really hard and the company may show a real profit soon.  Meanwhile he has fallen in love, and she brought along two dogs.  The jury is still out on the critters, but the girl is delightful.

Peace In, Nachoed out!

Yesterday we marked Ol' Abner's passing, It was one year and a day ago.  I had anticipated the approaching date with a bit of dread until a friend's comment surfaced in my memory. We needed to go find those Ten Pound Can nachos he had so craved. As a crowd of forty or more friends gathered at the place he had only seen from afar, we enjoyed being up close and personal with all four versions of those Ten Pound Cans of nachos! I sat on a bench and munched, strolled around the room visiting and sharing memories with many who loved this man. Today, I am feeling very much at peace in my sweet solitude.