More Life Stuff

    I get caught up in my own issues, stress, glimpses of happy, I too forget life is going on for everyone. 

     We had, still have a scare with a younger adult member of the family. He ended up hospitalized with some sort of small intestine infection, was sent home multiple times as "just a bug"  from Sunday to Wednesday when finally admitted. I don't  know so won't go into details, but the early news was so scary, and regardless, he's got a long road of healing ahead. 

     My good friends, hubs best friend, went on a cruise the last full week of March. It was their first long vacation without their beloved dogs, having lost one two summers ago, and the younger in the fall. They had a good time, but while gone, her daughter delivered her baby three weeks early and she missed her first grandchild's birth. Baby and mom are doing well, but she's sad, and so's her daughter over the missed shared experience. I know they'll have many more experiences to share, and grandparents aren't always around for many reasons. I still feel for them both. 

      I met my recently retired colleague Thursday night for dinner. I miss working with her but she's not turning back- loves retirement. More nudging to make the move sooner. Her son's getting divorced, after just 6 years of marriage and only 33. A Covid marriage casualty she presumed. He's trying to keep the house alone so working a second job on top of his already grueling work days as a care home administrator. She shared that two other youngish women lost their husbands in the last 6 months, very similar circumstances, right before or right after retirement. I hurt for them as I know the heartache and all the paperwork nightmares on top of the grief they'll face.

     My son's been researching, making contacts, and doing his own life admin. I feel for him trying to build a social network too as he's not lived here since 18 and old friends are no longer in the area. He's close with a few cousins, so with them and their friends, hopefully he gets out a bit. My younger daughter is starting a recreational soccer club this weekend, definitely out of her comfort zone since she doesn't know anyone on the team. My older daughter has a few friends near, but not many, but keeps busy running, working out, and her yoga classes; of course grandpup too.  She just ordered seeds for her herb and zen garden area of her yard. I think we all are looking forward to some sort of summer gardening. Perhaps need to be summer gardeners is even an appropriate description. 

     And there's back to me. Thursday I officially filed the property transfer paperwork to move the house under my name alone as the surviving owner. It has to be done within three years, so didn't have urgency. But, with the fence, and other projects, utilities, etc. needing to be under my name, I figured it was time. I shed a few tears in the car. I also dropped off and paid for the fence permit Thursday and had it emailed back, with receipt, by Friday afternoon. I'm learning to be strong, just get things done and process after.

       Wednesday the tree guy gave me an estimate I couldn't refuse. Friday they arrived at 5:00 p.m. and by 5:45 he and his crew had trimmed four spruce, removed a errant ash tree, including the stump, ground two stumps in back, and one in the front. All limbs and debris were hauled away. It was amazing. I think of all the labor when my husband took down the tree in the front, plus my neighbors last summer with the lower spruce branches. DIY is sometimes just not the better route, but who knew this would be so affordable and fast?

     Restarting life after death, moving, graduating, divorce, financial setback, or any other jolt isn't easy. I just want us all to be ok. We will be, but dang, life takes a lot out of me some weeks.