Subj : Re: Family To : Avon From : Gamgee Date : Fri Feb 03 2023 16:01:00 -=> Avon wrote to All <=- Av> Seems to be a time of change in our family. Av> My youngest son is moving away to another city and leaves today. Av> This is his first time living outside he spent most of his life Av> growing up in and will be at the other end of the country i.e. Av> you need to fly or spend several days driving to get from us to Av> him. I will miss him when he leaves. At 22 and with a girlfriend Av> and a job to go to, he's off on his next adventure. Av> My parents just had their 58th wedding anniversary yesterday. Mum Av> is now in hospital level care with dementia in a rest home and Av> her health is failing quickly. It's hard to imagine what it was Av> like for them yesterday with the knowledge that this may be their Av> last anniversary together. I talk to my Dad each day, he also Av> lives a couple of airline flights away from me. Video calling has Av> been a saviour in being able to support him from afar. Av> My wife and I will visit my parents in a few weeks. I suspect it Av> will be the last time I will see Mum alive. My rational brain Av> gets this, this train has been rolling for a few years now. My Av> emotional brain gets it too... but at times it gets it less... ah Av> emotional brain... how you can pop up out of nowhere at times and Av> remind me I'm human :) Av> I write this on a warm, blue sky, sunny morning... summer is in Av> full swing here, we actually are in the mid of a mini heatwave Av> for this part of the country over the next several days. It's Av> clam outside, the dog is lying on the floor next to me. I'm Av> waiting for my son to come back from his flat inspection so we Av> can have a final few hours together before he starts his 3-4 days Av> drive north. Av> Do you think there are times in your life where it just seems Av> there's a ton of change that seems to happen almost all at once? Av> At the moment that feels the way for me. New manager at work, Av> many 10+ year work colleagues leaving or have left, family stuff Av> (mentioned above) and on it goes. Yes, there certainly do seem to be times in life where that seems to happen, probably to everybody. I have been through a couple of those periods myself, one of which involved losing a parent to dementia, also. Having the kids "leave the nest" is also difficult, but should be seen as a positive step forward, I think. It means you've done your job well. ;-) I feel for what you're going through, and hope you come out on the other side of it as well as possible. I think you will! Av> I'm not complaining, just a bit exhausted. I think many of us are Av> after the last few years. It's nice to have a hobby you can Av> dabble in/out of when you want. Keeps things fun and helps you Av> stay sane :) Yes, many people are tired out from world events the last few years. 100% agree on the importance of having something like a hobby to give one a break now and then. Hope you can stay positive and move forward through the difficulties. You have many friends in this hobby that are always "here". .... Don't wait for your ship to come in - swim out to it. === MultiMail/Linux v0.52 --- SBBSecho 3.20-Linux * Origin: Palantir * palantirbbs.ddns.net * Pensacola, FL * (21:2/138) .