It has been a wild couple of weeks. We have successfully transported all our belongings to our new log cabin home in a country-ish setting. We have a glorious view of the new snow cover in the woods that is our backyard– it is stunning. While it may become less awe-inspiring as the winter inevitably wears on; for now it is a humbling reminder of nature’s power and beauty.
We had been expecting to spend these weeks sorting out our new home, purchasing some furniture and ‘nesting’… however… there have been a couple unexpected turns. Day 2 in our new home, my 88 year old father was visiting and took a tumble in the unfamiliar terrain of our living room. One does not bounce back from a hard fall at the age of 88. He has had two surgeries to re-locate and re-assemble his broken shoulder/arm; and is currently recovering in a skilled nursing facility.
The week between surgeries dad was at home– by himself. My brothers and I tag-teamed to ensure someone was with him for several hours each day; during that time we became increasingly concerned about the wisdom and safety of his living arrangements. (Side note: I have awesome brothers. Side side note: my sister has her awesome moments as well–but for purposes of THIS story, she lives too far away to be of any real help. ) For now, dad is getting the level of care he needs; we anticipate difficult discussions and decisions ahead.
The second unexpected event that put a damper in our new-home glow was the last-minute collapse of the deal to sell our prior home. I won’t go into details (my lawyer has advised the less said the better). That home is back on the market — just in time for the holidays! Looking at the bright side: while we currently have two mortgages, we are not in dire straits; although there will be fewer Christmas presents than usual around our tree this year.
On Thursday morning I attended a work-sponsored event that stressed the importance of resilience in our modern lives, and in the afternoon I transported dad to his temporary home in the rehab unit. The timing of the two events served to reinforce the messaging of the morning: Appreciate beauty where you can and keep your sense of humor.
This morning I am reveling in the beauty of the snow fall and hope that Dan can find his sense of humor while he is blowing out not one, but two driveways.