So many changes this year, not only due to the pandemic. The pandemic made 2020 very different from all other years, but it didn’t have the same affect on this year, since we’re used to what the pandemic has wrought.
The changes that have affected my husband and me, personally, this year are in a less world-shattering category. We got a dog, my husband had a stroke, we retired, we have our first grandchild; the more common kind of life events. Let’s examine them in chronological order.
We acquired Buster, the “Boston Terror”, in March, as I’ve mentioned in previous posts. This wasn’t strictly speaking a catastrophe, but there were several weeks at the beginning where I thought it might be. Everyone talks about how cute puppies are, but they forget to emphasize how destructive and insane they are, too! People always say, oh, that part goes by so fast! Well, when you’re in the middle of it, it seems never-ending. Dave and I had many moments of looking at each other and thinking, what have we done? More accurately, Dave looked at me accusingly and I thought, “What have I done?”, since the whole thing was my idea. Left to himself, Dave would never have gotten a puppy. He craves freedom now that he’s retired. He wants to stay in Mexico for two months every winter, that kind of thing. My thinking was, yes, but what about the rest of the year? No dog in the evenings to cuddle with? No puppy to play with? No dog to demand that you take a walk or two every day? Unfortunately, these two “modes de vie” don’t mesh well. Unless you get a tiny dog that can go everywhere with you in a handbag. For some reason I found in a decision tree I concocted back in January, this didn’t happen. We ended up acquiring a medium-sized dog that not only probably won’t fit under the seat in front of us, but can’t ride in cargo either, because he’s got a smushed-in face that makes it difficult to breathe under stressful or hot conditions. We’re kinda effed on that front. My only hope is that he won’t grow beyond 22 lbs., (it could happen!!) and will actually fit under the seat..
Despite the issues with travelling, I’m happy we got Buster. He’s a sweet dog and will just get more mellow with age, like any good wine. Even Dave has to admit he’s not that bad, despite what he said when he got out of the hospital: “It was so nice not having a dog!” I really think Buster’s growing on him.
That brings me to the next event. Dave’s stroke happened on June 8th, just as we were getting over the worst of puppyhood with Buster. The timing could have been worse, but it’s never a good time to have a stroke. I described it all in a previous post, so if you haven’t read that, you can click here. His symptoms are decreasing all the time, which is a huge relief. On the other hand, Dave has said that there have been good sides to the aftermath of his stroke. He says his brain is a quieter place with fewer negative voices and he’s more at peace with himself. I’ll be sorry if, as his brain continues to create new pathways, those annoying voices find their way back. I guess he may have to take the good with the bad…
Dave and I retired,—I’ve talked about that in a previous post, too. It’s only going to sink in when I don’t have to go back to work in September. If I continue to get weekly emails from the OSM administration I can delete them with only a curious glance through to see whether there’s anything there that I regret missing. I suspect there will be one or two concerts that will give me a pang to miss, but on the whole, I think relief will be my main reaction. I can’t wait to have the freedom to do whatever I want without worrying about getting time off, etc. Maybe we’ll travel again, too.. That being said, I feel privileged to have played in such a great orchestra for so many years and with such wonderful, talented colleagues. I’ll miss them very much and I plan to go back to listen, if not to play, from time to time!
And last but not least, we have a new grandson!! Our very first one, maybe the only, despite Travis’s and Allison’s plans to have 8 kids. My guess is that when they go back to work they may have different ideas. By the way, the only thing more surprising than Travis choosing “Ignatius” as the baby’s name, is that he found a wonderful woman willing to agree to it! He’s been saying for a long time that he’d love to name a son Ignatius, but I never took him seriously. Now I have no choice and I’m actually starting to like it, especially the nickname, “Iggy”. It’s lovely to see Travis and Allison get comfortable with their parenting roles. They’re doing so well, it brings a tear to my eye. Iggy is the cutest and we plan to be the best grandparents evah!
So those are the 2021 main events so far in a nutshell. We are looking forward to more, mostly positive events, like Travis and Allison’s wedding in October! I hope your year has had lots of fun stuff and not too much of the bad stuff, that’s all anyone can ask.
I love to hear from you!