My Plans For the Rest of My Life

First, the mundane. Drive back north next week. Spend one restless night in Ashland, Virginia; anxious to get home. Dave Matthews will be my co-pilot. (The live versions of "Grey Street" and "Lie in my Grave" figuratively blow me away......)

Next, a labor of love. Pool Boy on the job; at your service.

And then, the sublime. Armed with my latest Thrift Shop treasures, a catcher's mitt and 8 slightly used Little League baseballs, we will charge the practice field. Play ball! Miles and Landon; I can't wait to see you!

That's the plan for the summer. The pool, the boys, the barbecue will compete for my time. Maybe I'll run a 5K race.



Long term, I plan to keep it simple; as simple as can be when you have two domiciles. When I'm in Florida, I'll continue to spend lots of time at the beach. In New Milford, I will enjoy the comforts of family.
Wherever I am, I'll continue to walk, exercise and take care of myself. Wherever we are, Geeg and I will take care of each other.


I hope to continue to enjoy new discoveries. This year, as previously recorded, I found Dave Matthews. I also developed an insatiable appetite for avocados. Mmm, so good, and good for you too!

What's next? Don't know. I would have never predicted avocados.
Maybe sardines.



Is it mind over matter, or am I simply out of my mind?

Here's my thinking on sunblock. Something is better than nothing, and nothing is probably enough at this stage of my game. So when I purchase said product at a Thrift Store with an SPF rating of 15, should I be ridiculed because the rating is so low it's useless? And if it is uesless because of the low rating, does it matter that said product had an expiration date of March, 2008?



It is with this type of logic and thought processes that I continue my journey.

I plan to celebrate many more birthdays; dance at many more weddings.


But.....decades from now, if I should ever find myself old and alone, I promise not to be a bother.
Please, just provide me with a small room with a window and a radio.

If the sun is shining, I will bask. If there is a ball game on, I will listen, and pray for all the wrong reasons. When the game is over, I will turn to music. Whatever moving parts I have left will dance.
And when the sun goes down, I will close my eyes, count my blessings, and reminisce.



And I will never grow old.
And I will never be alone.

WHAT IF?

When I was in my late teens, John, Rusty, and I would sometimes make believe we were reunitng 20, 30 years in the future. I had already met Pat by this time, so my scenarios were always pretty positive, though, truth be told, never as bright as reality turned out to be.

Now, I occassionally play the same mind game, but in reverse. I wonder what my life would be like if certain significant events were altered. I look back, never with regret, except when I think how easy my life would be if I had grown up a Yankee fan.

What if I had never met Pat? I try not to think about that. Too depressing.

What if I never had kids? I never think about that. Too scary. For one thing, Geeg would never have been a mother, a grandmother; and that would have been a terrible waste.

Okay, so there was a time my children were a source primarily of stress and deep angst, but that time lasted way less than a decade. Now, it's all lollipops and ice cream.

Pride. Joy.

When I see Julie parenting our grandsons, I see our influence. I like to think we set a good example, but I recognize that Julie learned from our mistakes as well. Still, I see Geeg's patience, her lessons, her nurturing. (I like to take credit for Julie's grocery shopping skills.)

When Sara deals with adults in both social and professional circumstances, admittedly I see a poise far beyond any level her parents ever possessed. But when I see her as "Aunt Sara," I see "Aunt Patty," playful, caring, always teaching. Respected and cherished. Loved.

When Amy tells us about her lifestyle, I'm not always sure where she came from. I know I'm something of a rube, but I consider someone who takes cabs weekly as "worldly." Yet, when Amy speaks of her mentoring of students, of her concern for the homeless, of her visists to the eldery...........she radiates her mother.

My children honor their mother thru the lives they lead, by the women they have become.

I couldn't be more proud.

Happy Mother's Day. Every day.