Hello again.
I was curious to see what was going on here after such a long time.
The app has changed significantly and curiously my site is picking up a half dozen views every day which is just bonkers.
Here in the UK we are winding down from the last few years of madness. It’s not over and it’s no consolation to know that it’s settled at a level a bit worse than flu.
The family are excelling as I look at retirement.
The eldest is affianced and (drumroll) is “expecting” in September. Fab news for them. L has really become part of the family and Ashley loves him.
Honourable no.2 has settled into her new job and is even being touted for manager positions. She’s still at home but is saving to leave as she approaches 21.
Ashley is now at Special College and is having a blast. His speech is clearer and his boundless love of life and loud laughter fill our days.
The baby C is now 14 and doing so well in school. She has a mob of friends and has actually taught me a lot about their transitions. Her intellect and acceptance of difference are inspiring.
I’m still working for a large chain supermarket and looking at retirement with eager eyes.
The biggest event in my life recently has been the death of my Mum last year. Alzheimer’s finally took her one Saturday morning in May as I sat holding her hand. It was apt as my brothers had done nothing in the last few years to support her. I got to arrange the funeral which was just as she would have liked it. I’ll write a separate piece later.
Again I’m sorry it’s been so long but I do intend to get going on this thing again. My typing hasn’t slowed me down which is a surprise (muscle memory?)
I’ll jump on your blogs and drop some comments soon.
Dave's Daily Drivel 
I’m sorry to hear about your mother, though I’m glad to hear she passed with you holding her hand. So many elders died during the pandemic without their family able to be with them in their last moments because the hospitals wouldn’t allow people from outside into the ICUs and other critical spaces. My younger son-in-law said goodbye to his father via an online link on his laptop: Los Angeles at the time was hit by a surge of new Covid cases, so even if son-in-law could have traveled to his father’s bedside in time, they wouldn’t have let him into the hospital ward.
Hopefully extended family didn’t give you more grief as you arranged her funeral. I won’t go into the preparations for my mother’s funeral, but it would have been much easier if everyone hadn’t insisted it had to be done “this way” when I knew my mother would have hated it.
Your family is growing! Good news about the kids, especially Ashley. It’s good to know there are opportunities available to him that a while back weren’t open for young people with disabilities.
LikeLike
Thanks HG. Yes the funeral would have been a lot harder if my brothers had taken an interest. Even more so if her remaining family had bothered to turn up – agitators.
Visiting Mum was limited to me and just as she was in the last decline they opened it to two.
We tested as we went in and wore protective gowns so I’m not sure if she always knew it was me.
Saying Goodbye “online” must have been awful for your son-in-law. My sympathy.
LikeLike