Kind of a downer day.
Last year, friends of 50 years (one is a former lover) made plans for moving out of state. They are concerned about their recent health issues and worry that they will not be able to enter an assisted living facility if they present sick. Once they move into the facility, they can transfer to nursing care if/when they become seriously ill.
They are now spending every free bit of every day painting, getting rid of most of their possessions and prepping the house for sale.
Side bit of information that gives me a smile thinking about it. As I said, Mrs. and I (open marriages) were lovers. This was for 15 years. I was a teacher in a neighboring town that was a 10 minute ride from their house. I had my teaching schedule arranged so that I had 1 1/2 hours free during the middle of school days. I would drive to her house where she would have lunch ready for me. Then we would have a "matinee" and I would go back to school with a smile on my face.
I will miss them. They will be within say, a 1 1/2 hours driving range but I don't know how often I will make that trip. I don't expect they will drive back here. I like to drive but they don't.
They have lived in the house for 55 years and are active in their community and U.U. Church. They have said many times, they will miss their friends and activities.
Its sad, knowing I will lose them.
Then, this morning, my cousin announced that he has a buyer for the building from where he runs his business. We grew up together in neighboring towns and knew we were friends when I was three and he was two years old. As we grew up, we called each other once every night....talking about tv programs, our parents, girls, school and on and on.
I didn't have siblings and he was as a brother to me. I guess the same for him, although he had three brothers.
He bought the business property in 1972. I had teaching jobs that allowed me to see him either every morning before school or afternoon, after school. I would bring coffee or whatever and we would talk about everything or nothing. We did road trips with other friends.
Anyway, he came to the realization that technology has passed his business by -- that and the problems of the economy and physical ailments. Today he announced that he found a buyer for his business property and will spend at least half of his year in his house in Vermont.
I will miss him, too.
= new reply since forum marked as read
Neighborhoods change and it is inevitable. It makes us sad; we like the good things to keep going.
I had some close friends move away and I was very sad too. We stayed in touch but it wasn't like the old days.
We must remember them, and cope as best we can.
