Sitting down to write a BLOG about this date causes me to rejoice and cry. Sixty-six years ago, in my parents’ living room, I was married to the love of my life. I promised to “love, honor, and obey.” OBEY! I am usually not and have never been a liar – but, full disclosure – I lied! I obeyed my parents, but had no intention of obeying another human being. Much less, someone who was six months younger than I. But, I wanted to marry this man – so I lied!
My journalist friend Mary Jane who lives in Nebraska sent the picture included with this BLOG. One of the places she and her son have visited on their vacation is Theodore Roosevelt National Park. She has some great photographs of the area, including the one of a large prairie dog town. Daughter #3 says that it is an extensive town built by these animals. Because I’m still dealing with COVID (I thought after having a negative test, I was “over the hump,” but I was not); so, I would use my e-mail response to her photograph.
How many days does a person need to isolate when tested positive for COVID? How many days does a person need to wear a mask after isolating because of a positive COVID test? I didn’t know three days ago, but I do now. You may know that about three times a year, my body tries to get pneumonia. Every year after coughing for two or three hours, I knew that I was headed for a bout with pneumonia. There was no cold. No chest congestion. Nothing but a cough. Occasionally, I’d end up in the hospital with pneumonia. Then my PCP recommended that I take doxycycline twice each day and, ColdEze when I coughed. This regimen of meds has kept me out of danger from pneumonia and out of the hospital for years. Not once have I had pneumonia or been hospitalized with pneumonia since following those orders.
This is the week of remembering. Remembering the devastating events that occurred on 9/11. Where were you on 9/11, 2001? I remember where I was. I was in the air on my first trip to Europe. Completely oblivious to the worldly happenings.
Empty-nesters; almost. That’s what Daughter ‘#3 and Husband are. Last week, they took their youngest west in their state and left her at her new lodging. A college dorm room where she will spend the next many months getting her first taste of college-level classes; and being away from her folks for the first real time in her life. Indeed, she did have a one-week camp experience, but she knew that they were very close and could get her, if necessary, in short order.
It occurs to me that this “empty-nest syndrome” affects the the young ones as much as the parents. Her older sister attends college in the same town where her folks live. So, she can get to her parents quickly. Of course, as I write this article, she is spending a semester in New Zealand. And, if her weekly communications (the Weekly Kiwi) can be believed, she is having a great time at Auckland University. All the while taking math and science classes that I didn’t really know existed until she talked about them. She just returned from the Cook Islands; a field trip sponsored by AU. I think AU takes very good care of their international students!
At her University of Wisconsin school, Grand #2 will be delving more into computer stuff – “stuff” because I’m not sure what to call it. If I’m understanding correctly, she wants to create computer games. Another puzzle to me, since I don’t play computer games.
So now that Grand #2 is out of the house (for the time being), mom and dad will find themselves thinking unusual things. Such as, someone needs to pick up a daughter from school. No, she’s not at school. Or, I wonder if she could do a small grocery or pharmacy run. No, she’s not in the house.
It also means that the mom and dad activities will have to change. Only mom and dad can decide what this new experience will be. What will be the topics of conversation? Will we continue to have Friday night PPP – pajamas, pizza, and picture show?
It will no longer be necessary to call either daughter to breakfast, lunch, or dinner. What will be the conversation at breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
Can part-time work, away from home, become full-time work? Will it take a shorter time to get to work because no one needs to be delivered to school?
Will mom and dad have more time to talk to mom’s sister and mom, and dad’s dad – and to each other? Will they end up paying more attention to the pup? Now, there is no daughter to help with walking the dog.
When traveling for some long distance, will one of you make a list of discussion topics to cover the journey?
As I said, this time period is a “sort-of empty” nest. It will be a relatively short time for daughter and husband. Both college students will be back for summer and school vacations. So, maybe, just maybe, they will treat this period as practice for the real thing, when it occurs – because in time, it will come!”
Be Safe and Be Well.
The Cranky Crone
Thoughtful comments are appreciated.
I can’t remember a week that I’ve learned so much so fast. Last week after writing my blog about getting a new phone – a “fancy phone,” I sent an e-mail to friends and relatives asking for help with my need to buy an up-to-date phone. An iPhone. I just didn’t have any experience with these flat phones. Flip phones are my favorite. However, as I said last week, I think it is time for me to join the twenty-first century. But knowing and understanding those flat phones was not in my history. So, I asked.
When I pull out my flip phone to make a call, my good friend, Lois, rolls her eyes. SHE has a wrist watch phone! Shades of Dick Tracy!! Then, I watched the former Governor Cuomo say that his daughters really wanted him to get a “fancy phone” (his term, at that time, not mine). He pulled out his phone from his pocket. A flip phone! And, on an episode of the television show, “Star Talk,” hosted by Neil de Grasse Tyson, both of his guests pulled out their flip phones saying, “This is my phone. If I want a computer I use this other phone (a fancy phone).” I thought Tyson was going to fall off of his chair. I’ve known for some time that I will need to succumb to the fancy phone craze. I’ve resisted. Boy, have I resisted!
We all get calendars. Every year, we get calendars. From charities. From foundations. Sometimes, and these are the ones we keep, calendars with photographs of our children. I am no different. I get calendars. One of my favorite “throw-away” calendars had two-to-four word sayings on them. I don’t know who writes these statements. Or, where they came from. Maybe, somebody’s mom or dad said it at some time, and the calendar creator remembered the saying and decided to put it onto a calendar. So, I cut the sayings off of the calendar and thought I’d use them here. Most offer very sage advice, if we take them to heart.
Watching “Sunday Morning,” the Sunday morning television show is one of the things I do on a regular basis. A few weeks ago, Mo Rocca interviewed a poet who has lived into her nineties. Ninety-four, to be exact. During the interview, Mo Rocca commented on how busy and engaged this female poet seemed to be. He asked her if she was aware that so many people in their late eighties and early nineties did not make new friends.
Dear Readers:
I know we’ve all heard this before, many times. But, when it actually happens to you – me – it makes all of the warnings worth while. Below, I’ve placed a copy of an e-mail that I received, this week. I’ve redacted portions of it for privacy; basically, it is a copy. And, I have added some comments of my own in caps.