Chapter One
An Ending and a New Beginning
In the Summer of 2023 life at our home of 31 years was as perfect as could be.
Granny was 78, Grandpa John had just turned 81 in June. His heart was sketchy - a long term issue that had turned to congestive heart failure for which he had some medications that kept things under control. He had hardware in his chest, a pacemaker/defibrillator, to help keep that heart under control, too.
Granny wasn't walking very well, a combined problem of a 50 year old groin injury and a three years ago stroke. Grandpa John drove her to do the marketing if it was a 'big' order. He always was there to help unload the car and stow away the groceries.
Yet, despite the signs of our ageing, we kept the house pretty spiffy -- had it painted that June and installed new exterior lighting. We had the third overhead door installed on the barn, and planned the painting of the barn for the summer of 2024.
Summer of 2024 was also going to be a major house project, expanding the downstairs half bath to a full bath, and renovating the dining room into a master bedroom to move most of our daily living to the ground floor. We were planning to accommodate our ageing parts, make daily life easier on ourselves, and settle in to grow old together in our home of more than three decades. Life was filled with hope and a vision for our future.
We still played some golf that summer, having reduced to nine hole rounds during the pandemic. Together, we mowed our clear 4+ acres once or twice a week, an easy and fun chore that usually ended up with a Sam Adams or two on our renovated and very cozy porch. We bought a new dishwasher and a new fridge in July (with a dynamite ice maker).
In that best of summers, the one of 2023.
Grandpa John and I doted on our calico kitty, Willa, who turned 8 that August. She was and is still the most spoiled kitty on the planet. Every single night she would come to me for treats and then to Grandpa for pets. Every. Single. Night.
In short, it was a sublime season, the Summer of 2023, for an ageing couple who could still take care of the business of living in a big house with a big barn and a lot of grass to mow.
The Fall of 2023 clouds gathered. Grandpa wanted to schedule elbow surgery over the winter so he could play better golf pain-free in the spring. As fall turned to meteorological winter, we buttoned down the place in our usual way, covered the 1968 Mustang, and prepared the mowing and yard equipment for the winter ahead. We moved the brooms and shovels to the back porch.
December 19, 2023: Grandpa John died having that elbow surgery. Part of Granny died with him.
Granny was left to care for an old eight room farmhouse, a three story barn, and six acres of land in the boondocks. Her constant companion an eight year old Calico Kitty named Willa who was also devastated at the loss of her Papa.
In late January 2024 it was clear that 79-year-old Granny was not up to the task of caring for any of those things except Willa.
In February the hot water tank dumped its contents on the cellar floor, making it more clear Granny was not up to the task of caring for an old house.
In March, Grandpa John's least-loved nephew made it his one focus to destroy Granny's little bit of peace and take possession of many of her things at an extremely and unfairly low prices.In April, Granny traded both her car and Grandpa John's on a new car. But that same week, Granny broke her leg trying to get up from the floor after retrieving a dropped SD card. She could still drive her new car, but couldn't walk anywhere when she arrived.
On May 1, Granny signed a lease on a sweet little cottage within the geezer farm next door to her lifetime farm. A mere 1000 yards bedroom to bedroom, it would be a safe place for her leg to heal.
Mid-May brought the death of her sister-in-law next door. So much death. So much sadness.
Willa (surprisingly for a kitty) adapted almost instantly to a mere three spacious rooms with tiny kitchen, two baths, and a large walk-in closet to explore. She laid claim to one bathroom and the small bedroom for herself and her stuff. No more stairs; fewer hidey places. Her bedroom also houses Granny's exercise bike.
July and August were devoted to leg healing and loving on Willa, although in August Granny was mobile enough to try eating a few meals at the main geezer house, thought of as the Big House. That was a dietary disaster for a later post.
Early in August, Granny sold the old farm to her two brothers-in-law. Three days later, the one who had lived next door, the recent widower, died as a result of a fall. So much death. So much sadness. The remaining brother will be moving into the place where Granny and Grandpa John lived together for thirty-one years.
September came. Granny's leg still needed a little more rehab, but it was no longer braced. It tired easily still.
In October, Grandpa John's nieces helped secure the porch furniture for the season. Granny began massage therapy for the leg issue. Granny faced the coming winter with cautious optimism.
November also brought Thanksgiving. Her daughter Becky and her friend Clark joined Granny for a turkey dinner at the Big House. It was a surprisingly good meal.
Advent and December. Old neighbor Pam brought the Christmas tree she had stored for us.
The new electric Advent wreath was a pleasant surprise. Granny's leg became stronger using the exercise bike nearly every day (at last!). Willa demanded the fireplace every night for her warming pleasure.
On Christmas Eve, Granny's daughter, her friend Clark, and her two grandchildren (home from college) visited with presents and food. It was by far the best day Granny had in over a year and a half.
Facing her 80th birthday in January of what is hoped will be a much better year, Granny needs purpose.
And so we begin this adventure in anticipation of finding the seeds of another book. Perhaps one that doesn't take ten years to publish like the first one did .... The working title is "From Granny's Desk at the Geezer Farm".
Please travel the path with me.
