A TGB READER STORY: On Being Alone
Old? No Problem. Live Like You're 20

Surprise!

This hardly ever happens to me, that I don't have a blog post ready to publish, but it's happening now.

However, I do have a good reason. Yesterday morning, my son's wife came to visit. We had planned it for an hour starting at about 10AM. I had some cheese and crackers and fruit ready for us and coffee, but Kathy brought her own – coffee, that is.

And then we talked. And we talked. And we talked some more. We forgot about food or anything and together, I think we solved all the problems of the world. Well, that's an exaggeration but we covered most of the important ones.

And we did not finish until 4:30PM.

I'm telling you this because of my predicament. I don't want a blank page to give anyone reason to think something happened to me. I'm fine, more than fine after a great day with a lovely friend I don't see often.

Maybe I'll post something tomorrow, Thursday, which is usually a day off. Or not. Meanwhile, if you are so inspired, you are welcome to talk among yourselves in the comment section below.

Comments

Those long in-depth talks are a balm for the soul. My wife and I solve the problems of the world about once or twice a week ... but there are plenty of problems to go around.

It made me smile to read about your lovely day spent with a friend! Thank you!

How wonderful for you and for Kathy. Thanks for sharing with us

What a lovely reason for not posting - you are forgiven. And kudos to your daughter-in-law!!

A marvelous reminder that joy in the moment is always possible -- and thanks for sharing it!

A great reason not to write an article! Sounds like a great day.

I am thrilled to hear of your wonderful experience yesterday.

Thank you for all the years of joy and knowledge you have shared.

Glad to hear that you had a wonderful day with Kathy, your daughter in law, engaged with fixing what is wrong with our world....I will just mention that my on-line purchase of last week may be the weirdest one any of my fellow commenters have heard of.

After a baby raccoon entered the garage through the cat door at 9 pm and subsequent ker-fluffle...husband having to chase it across
the workbench where it was pawing at the window to get out, and me having to clean up the mess it left in the water bowl, washing up the area and calming down the cat. I spied the mama raccoon with another baby, a twin ! outside on the patio by the garage.
She quickly left just as baby inside was able to exit.

A telephone call to Animal control only educated me that they do not trap but suggested I should purchase coyote urine and spray it around the avocado tree because that is why they visit our urban city back yard.... So I did - I ordered it on-line and it was supposed to be here already but - who knows when the store will notify me to come in and pick it up.

Maybe my favorite of all your posts! I'm so glad you had a lovely day. Nothing better than good conversation with a friend.

Best post imaginable! Thank you for the SAS (safe and sound) info and for the knowledge that you had a lovely long day. Best gift ever!

To Joan... I tried the coyote urine, I darn near past out from the stench. It didn’t work to keep the raccoons away but I sure stayed away from it. Good luck.

What an unexpected treat, to have so long talking with a friend.

What a wonderful way to spend a day!
In the late 60’s, we never imagined you would
have a day with your son. What good fortune!
I am so happy for you! Xxoo Mary

Your visit with Kathy gave me a "lift of spirit" also, Ronni. Thank you for sharing it here.  I feel cheer, happiness, goodwill spreads like the ripples from even a small pebble tossed into a pond beyond our sight.

  I have found even though I might be planning a needed nap and get a visit from my son or a neighbor, the fatigue fades.  It is rejuvenating to me.
 
 I love feeding the feathered and furred in my backyard, yet while they are great listeners, they aren't great at conversation. Our kindest words...to and from...are the best medicine and a balm for me at this age and living alone.  Your Kathy added a plus to my day too! I hope she reads TGB today.

Hi everyone, especially Ronni,

This is a great post from Ronni, on this day of my return to TGB. There's a good deal of catch-up in the coming weeks. And beginning with this upbeat writing today, I'll take in the feelings she conveyed effortlessly and freely following a classic, loving day.

I swear, Ronni, you are without equal, you amazing and giving woman.

Chocolate covered strawberries and champagne for lunch. Atta girl.

Oh I'm so glad for you! My heart's all tingly-happy.

I agree with John!
I also loved reading your post this morning and also I got a smile on my face while reading it.
😊

FANTASTIC day for you both. :-)

I'm all tingly happy for you as well. Thanks, Salinda, for just the right words! May such conversations be the balm of your life in the coming weeks, Ronni. Blessings.

Lovely post, Ronni🤗

Oh this gladdened my heart to read such joy and connection with your wonderful daughter in law. It's so rare to get the soul-speak. I treasure it any time it happens for me.

XO
WWW

So very happy that you had this wonderful day!

Love the other comments, I too will add that how lovely it is to talk with family, and have a sit down and share in these days of Covid19 and worries. Maybe you will share some of the conversation tomorrow, or have Kathy write some of her take, solving the problems of the world... fantastic... (yesterday at a book club, that I can now share again, with friends in Miami, we reviewed The Immortalists, by Chloe Benjamin, about kids who are told the date they will die. I shared your name and Blog info Ronni, and thoughts on being able to get meds, most of us are in Florida, where we have noEnd of life, legislation, ) so glad you are sharing with us.

It turns out that you had a post, after all! What a marvelous post! Thanks for sharing your day with us.

Yes! Lovely and so cherished those kinds of visits are! I wish I could do a big heart emoticon here. This is the best I can do: <3 <3 <3

The joy for you of yesterday spilled over on us all! Thanks, Ronni.

I would have brought a cat (or two) along....

Thanks for the joyful post. My favorite treasures are those days I got/get one on one converstion with family. Such a great treat.

Ronni,

Once again you have generously shared your life and made so many of us happy with you.. I am just about glowing to hear of your lovely day—By the way, thanks so much for solving the world's problems. U had been a tad worried. Now I can relax.

I really envy you that conversation. And I've been wondering what's happening with your son; if you've mentioned him lately, I've missed it. I'm glad for your good day.

Oh lovely, Ronni!

Every week both my daughter in Texas and my sister in the UK (Isle of Wight) telephone me--or visa versa. We talk until are tongues are stuck to the tops of our mouths or one of us needs to pee!

If politicians could only listen to us the world would have no problems...and there would be no problems in our gardens either.

Thank you for sharing this lovely day instead of hugging it closely to your heart.

What a great post! I was almost there with you, your telling made it so real.

Picking up again on raccoons, there used to be a large raccoon in the neighborhood. and for weeks it ate my cat's dinner on our porch floor where Fancy Feast cat food was served. The cat, Carlotta, still a large kitten, was marked with a mask sort of like a raccoon, and she had thick fur with dark tabby stripes and and a big bushy tale. I believe Carlotta believed the racoon was a cat and vice-versa.
Every night the cat would quietly watch the raccoon eat her dinner from the side, in awe at seeing such a large cat, it seemed.

Thanks, Ronni, for sharing such a lovely day!

Best love and gentle hugs,
Page, formerly Tucson, now Santa Rosa, CA

Ronni, you just made my day by sharing yours. My day will be better because of you and your daughter-in-law.

Much love to you, my friend for so many years, even though we’ve never met.

What a perfect post. It was a delight to see into your meaningful connection..............

Yes indeedy! You’ve posted something quite delightful!

I love surprises! Happy ones, that is. Thank you for sharing your day! I’ve loved reading the responses...such an articulate group.

Thank you for thinking about the anxiety we may have experienced if we had seen no post today. This was a great one though!

Thank you for letting us share, vicariously, your visit with your daughter-in-law. Days like that can be rare oases in this time of isolation and worry, and I hope it brought you some comfort, lightness and peace that stays with you for a good long time.

I am so glad you had such a delightful day! This is a perfect post! We don't need more than to know that you had this wonderful connection!

I thoroughly understand how uplifting it can be to spend time with family! Happy memories of family gatherings stay with me for a long time.
On the topic of wildlife unexpected and not welcome visitors, my sister and I (we live together in our retirement) have experienced the presence of a bat in our house! We finally managed to encourage it enough to get it to leave through an open door and are now trying to discover where it got in and how we can prevent this from happening again.

A special visit with a special person is a great perk!

I am very happy with that post. Your posts impressed me a few days ago,as I am French and in France we rarely speak about death, we consider ouselves as immortals !!!

Ronni and Kathy,
3 cheers friendship.
You two had a perfect day.

A serendipitous day for you & your son's wife. Wonderful. I am so happy you had such a lovely day.

Found this song on a site I enjoy called End of Life Navigation.
It is by an American country group the Avett Brothers called “No Hard Feelings”. Hope all of you enjoy it.

Sounds like a great excuse! Happy to hear it.

Thrilled to hear of your visit. That makes for the perfect blog post. ###

Sounds like a great day, and thanks for letting us know.

Nothing like a personal visit amidst all the ZOOM meetings.

Sounds like a day well spent!

I'm so happy you and your friend were "able to solve all of the world's problems!" I have a few friends with whom "the world's problems have been solved" on occasion! Love both the expression and that you and your friend had such a wonderful visit.

Good for you and your day off. What a joy that you can spend such quality time with your daughter-in-law. Not many can do that. And you so deserve time off to solve the problems of the world.

Yesterday I was working on the rocky shore in front of our cabin when a canoe trip stopped for a rest. Seven paddlers and a dog in four canoes. It turned out they were from the town where I went to high school. I got caught up a bit on 65 years of history. They were not born when I left and I haven’t been back much. Not six and a half hours like you,Ronni, but a memorable conversation nonetheless.

Good to know you had a great day! Hugs

Hi Ronnie and all-
I missed a few days and took today to catch up. Enjoyed the Saturday posts and had a great time listening to Peter's music selections on Sunday. Got a little exercise waving my arms around directing. Now your post on your terrific day. All in all, a right pleasant time amid the ugh! Dump convention.

Oh my gosh, this post made my heart sing so I can only imagine how happy YOUR heart must be! There is nothing better than a visit like this. It's good for the soul.

Yay!

How wonderful that your daughter-in-law = friend!!

The normal equation between a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law is that of hostility or indifference.

Your happy posting made this reader's day - thank you!

My best lesson about getting older was when I realised I could pretty much do what the hell I wanted. There's no one giving me deadlines, nothing to get ready by a certain time (unless its making sure I get to the hospital in good time!) So this afternoon I was tired and had a sleep.

There are things I still enjoy doing. I write but have no illusions anything will ever get published. I make art in various forms - if it sells it sells, if not I won't be around to see it go on the bonfire.

I should have added a quote that seems to govern my life these days from Marcus Aurelius -

You may break your heart but things go on the same.

What a wonderful friend to have.

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