As I was saying

Obviously I am out of synch with this blog. Retirement is a busy busy place.  Or is it being a retiree is a busy busy place to be.  Regardless, I’m over busy.  Busier than I was when I was working full time.  However, everything I’m doing is something fun. Something I want to do.  Something I’m making time for. So there’s the difference. And what a difference it is.  However, I still need to find balance.

And what exactly have I been doing?  Exploring the world and my surroundings.  For instance, Sally and I went to the Pittsburgh Botanical Gardens.  A short 20-minute drive and it’s like an oasis of beautiful nature.  Right in our backyard.  A nice 3 mile hike around it.  Seriously I want to live there.  We’ve also being doing other hikes.  Some in our (her) backyard of Sewickley, which has always been a beautiful place to be.  I grew up in those woods and now I’m appreciating just how beautiful and fortunate I was to grow up there. I’ve also been on this rowing (crew) team.  This however has not been my favorite thing to do.  The river is dirty, our boat gets overcome(?) by waves from other boaters going by.  Physically I love it.  It’s a great workout, but am I going to sign up again?  No. I’m going to move on to Kayaking.  I think that will be more my pace.

Let’s see what else.  Puzzles.  Puzzles are my new obsession.  So much so that I forget to eat.  I called Zachary one day thinking I was having a heart attack as I was so dizzy.  He asked if I had eaten anything, to which I replied no thinking it was only around noon.  But alas, it was 6:30 at night and I neither looked at the clock or thought to get myself away from that puzzle long enough to eat.  I ate and all was well.  But puzzles.  They have to be good for our minds with all that geometry and color matching and seeing patterns and what not.  But, I’m putting them on the back burner for now cause literally I miss too much of life.  I had two appointments yesterday that I skipped because I was too involved in finishing.  That’s bad.  But it certainly shows I’m focused.  Zachary has suggested adult paint by numbers.  He wants me to paint him a Van Gogh.  I’ll do it.  I loved paint by numbers as a kid.  And well when a kid asks you for something who am I to say no.

Now I know that you working people are rolling your eyes over the basic fun things I am doing (which I’ve not even mentioned half) BUT these are life affirming to me.  One day I was doing this self-help (or whatever they call it these days) exercise where you write your perfect day, or your perfect life, write it down, and well I realized I am living my perfect life.  How about that?  I want for nothing and I love what I’m doing and if I try for something else and it doesn’t come together I’m like “oh well” – been there done that and I know it’s not meant to be because when it is the right thing, it comes together.  OR falls apart.  Whichever way.  And I just don’t worry about it.

Here’s something else I’m knee (maybe ankle) deep in.  Ancestry.  My brother was just here for a visit.  Drove across the country.  He decided on his way back to California he was going to drive through Beardstown Illinois as that is where my Grandmother’s (on my mother’s side) family is from.  We had spent all our childhood visits to Virginia, which is where my Grandfather (mother’s side) was raised.  So all our history and relatives were focused on Virginia relatives, quite a lot about the Civil War.  However, my grandmother and her family have years and years of history in this town called Beardstown.  It’s sad when you think about how we just lost touch there.  However, there really weren’t any relatives left there after my Grandot left and her mother died, my great grandmother.  My great grandmother died in February of 1958, before I was born.  So there was no one left in Beardstown anyway, as far as relatives.  Grandot had one brother and he lived in Chicago. He didn’t have any kids.  We never visited him either.  I never met him.  For years they sent us each $3 for Christmas and maybe birthdays.  I really liked getting that $3 but somewhere along the line they quit sending that I think because we never thanked them.  Which seems like that’s wrong because my mother always made us send thank you notes.  That Uncle’s name was Merle.  He was married to Irene.  I remember as a kid I never knew who was the Uncle and who was the Aunt.  I think I called him Aunt Merle and Uncle Irene.  So even though we, as the grandkids, had no connection or knowledge of this place called Beardstown, I am now learning allll about it through my grandmother’s memories.  We (my brother) managed to save a whole bunch of memorabilia from the house.  He was the last one at Opus (the Virginia house) and managed to grab these ancient memories that we are now looking at.  Talk about a rabbit hole.  I spent a whole afternoon reading about Grandot’s childhood, her high school boyfriend, her life.  And that was just ONE of the scrapbooks. I mean what a woman.  What a story.  And what ever happened to Ray (her boyfriend)?  Her boyfriend Ray Glenn was the senior class president and my Grandmother was the class Valedictorian.  And then at 17 years old she was traveling the country as a pianist in Vaudeville.  17 years old. And then she ends up in New York City, on Broadway.  I mean her life was freaking amazing.  And her parents so great and loving towards her.  I have it all in letters, in Western Union Telegrams, in photos.  So many photos. But the photos don’t always say who is who.  On the back of my Great Grandmother’s family photo, where she is a kid, all the names are mentioned but not who is who.  It’s making me look around at my family photos from when I was a kid and wondering if I need to start putting names of who is who on it for future generations.  I’ve attached two of the newspaper articles onto this blog.  And those are just two of the hundreds to go through.  They also must have cut out every article of friends they knew in the town.  My mother did that too. She cut out Susie Williams engagement/wedding announcements and Mary Lynn Delimbo wedding announcement.  In 100 years people will wonder who they were.  Do I keep them?

Scott (my brother) drove through Beardstown and it doesn’t seem to be the thriving Midwest town it once was.  There is a funny story about him walking through the graveyard (a large graveyard) looking for all the family graves. We were on the phone a bit while he was looking around, but hung up after he was close to giving up. I told him he had to send out a little prayer and ask them where they all were. Just as he was giving up he walked over to a tree on the edge (I hope) to relieve himself before the drive back. Guys do that I guess. I mean I’m assuming he is respectful of where he does that kind of thing. I hope this story doesn’t get him arrested. Anyway, pees on a tree, turns around and there were all the McKenzies. LOL. (that’s the family name). So they did direct him! As for the town though, the town and houses are all in a bit of disrepair and that is just sad.  Like life, you know?  We have a lot of towns around Pittsburgh like that too.  Once thriving because of the steel industry and now mostly boarded up. Just sad.  And what does it all mean?

Alright, speaking of cross country (I did mention that in here somewhere didn’t I?) I am off to dog sit the baby Rooney (beagle) dog-son of Jimmy for the last weekend.  Why is it the last weekend I am dog sitting?  Oh, funny you should ask.  Because he’s moving to San Francisco. That’s right, he’s moving 2,572.7 mi away.  Sure I was in Florida away from them but that’s only 1000 miles away, a 2 hour flight and if you go Allegiant $100 round trip.  Or a two day drive (one for those young-ins).  California is a 4- or 5-day drive and THREE times as much in airfare.  BUT I have a lot of company in fellow parents whose kids live around the world and/or across the country. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention how it’s killing me on one hand but on the bigger hand I’m so excited for him. I’ve so loved having my little family together – the 5 of us, when we do get together.  And not that we won’t still get together because they will come back, but the dog may not be able to make the trips back and forth. I mean I KNOW the dog won’t be able to make the trips and that’s sad to all of us.  Dogs these days are more than just dogs.  They are our kids and grandpups and I will miss that little effer.  Sooo, I just have to go visit San Francisco, often, that’s all. There are airplanes and I’ll be on one of them frequently I feel sure.  Jimmy and Emily are in L.A. right now as they had this trip planned for months attending a friend’s wedding.  But what timing when they are moving the week after.  But that’s what mom’s are for.  To pack while they are vacationing and help them on their way.  I was able to soothe a lot of their fears by reminding them of my moving prowess. I am the queen of moving.  So now I know why I’ve done so many moves, and so many last-minute moves.  All to bring me to this point of helping my child out of the nest and spread his wings.  I am confident that this move will be in his (and Emily’s) best interest and looking forward to seeing him evolve into adulthood.  Doesn’t mean I won’t be in mourning for who knows how long.  Better plan a lot of hikes.

So look at this, a long rambling like the old days. I didn’t think I had anything to say and here it is. Blah blah blah blah.  So much going on, yet nothing work related.  This is what life is about, and I’m living it and loving it.

The End (for now).

Xoxox