Empty Nest

Over the past 21 years I always thought about the day we would become empty-nesters.  Well, the day is here and now.  My husband and I found ourselves in the last few years doing quite a bit on our own so we had time to "prepare".   Now, we can run around the house naked...will we?...probably not....there are neighbors.  lol.  We can skip town at a moments notice....will we, probably not...we have jobs!   What probably will happen is this:  I clean a sink full of dishes and straighten the house before work and when I return...the house is still straightened.  :-)  I will now do laundry for 2 instead of 4 and probably can get it done in about 3 loads instead of 10!  :-)   When we buy stuff at the grocery store...we will actually have the opportunity to eat it.  :-)

Everyone says...don't get too used to it...they come back.  LOL.  I am sure they will.   But for now....at least a few days anyway...I will feel a bit sad that my kids have grown so fast and at the same time very proud that I have two boys attending 4 year schools.  My heart is full of pride and joy.  

Fair or not fair?

This summer has been a rough one.  With my hubby undergoing radiation treatments and not feeling good mostly all summer...we had not taken any vacation as of yet.  I did not want to go when he was not feeling well.  So now I am officially on vacation and he is feeling pretty well.  As I was departing for my 2 1/2 weeks off....My boss told me that taking off this long is quite a disruption.  A disruption?  I just went through hell with my husband this past summer....I've worked there for over 20 years and I work for one of the most difficult people in the whole place that no one else wants to work for and it's a disruption?  I have never taken off this long in a row in my whole time working there.  My thoughts are this is a special circumstance and concessions need to be made.  Am I being fair?

Neighborly...

I've lived in my community for my whole life and I have lived in my neighborhood for 22 years.  My neighbor has decided to rent out the house next door.  Up until now it's been OK...all the people have been nice to as...and we have to them.  That's how we operate.  In the dead of winter when that huge snow comes...and my hubby gets the snow blower out...he helps everyone on the street.  When my next door neighbor was away from home for 2 summers because his mother was ill and had passed away....I mowed his law all summer long.  When the neighbor on the corner needed help carrying something...my husband was there.  This how we are...this is how we were brought up...be kind, be caring and most of all think of others before yourself.

So a new rental neighbor moves in.  We say hello welcome to the neighborhood.  My adult children are home one weekend and had music playing loud...instead of walking over and asking if they could turn it down.....which they would have....they call the police.  When the police arrive there is no loud music present at the time but they still come to the house and tell my boys that the neighbors complained.  My kids are not the kind that would talk nasty to a neighbor or anyone else asking them to do this.  They don't talk to older adults that way. That's how we brought them up.

The other night about 1am my older aging dog woke me and needed go out.  My son was still up so I asked him to please let the dog out.  He lets the dog out for about 15 minutes.  The dog barked to come back in a few times.  He lets the dog in.  Sits down and looks up and there are the police at my door.  The neighbors complained about the dog barking.  My son told the police officer he is an aging dog that needs to go out frequently during the night.

Argh.  Really.  You know I am a very tolerant person but these people are pushing me over the edge. When you already have so many other things going on in your life...namely my husband's health is a constant worry...then having neighbors like this just makes you want to move.  BUT wait...I have lived here for 22 years and have always been a good neighbor.  I do the right thing...I am considerate...and now this person wants to rock my world at a time that is already very stressful.

We called and talked to the police and especially given the fact that when they arrived both times...there was no noise and there was no barking going on, they seem to agree that this is harassment.  One more call and we will file charges against them for harassment.  I don't need people like this in my life at a time like this.  We are good people and will help anyone when needed.  Why do people have to come and do things like this?  Why, why, why!!???

Faith

Sometimes you start to lose faith...faith in what you've believed in your whole life.   I guess that happens after having been dealt a few raw deals and then you ask yourself...how could this be when I have been nothing but a decent person my whole life.  I am not mean to people.  I wasn't losing faith in God but I was questioning what I always knew in my heart was true and that was ....spirits do exist.  A few words from naysayers and a few bad things happen in your life...and you wonder, you question..you doubt.  But then...a friend of mine told me about something that happened to her...and it restored that faith that I always felt so close and so grounded to.  Her father passed away this year...suddenly in her home.  The other day she came home and her Dad's towel and comb were sitting on her table.  It's only her and husband in her house now and neither one of them put it there.  Her kids, who are older, said it wasn't them either.  Wha...lah...faith restored...spirits exist and now and again proof that they are here with us comes to light.  I feel better now.