End of Year 2019

Like most years, this has been one of many ups and many downs.  There were some parts I wouldn't want to go through again but the worst of all was losing Donna.  It was more or less unexpected because we all thought she'd have her heart surgery and then go on with her life but a bad mix of circumstances stopped that.  Donna was a brittle diabetic and she started having serious problems with her foot in the fall, getting an infection that just wouldn't heal.  I think the stress of that took a toll on her heart and it began acting up, too, and needed surgery but first they had to clear up the infection in her foot.

I think a "catch 22" situation is when you're damned if you do and damned if you don't so that's what happened here.  Doctors held up the heart surgery too long by trying to heal the foot infection.  By the time they decided to amputate her leg, it was too much for her heart.  It was the most difficult death I ever had to deal with and I wondered why until I realized that Donna and I had been friends with no arguments or issues for all the 62 years we knew each other.  It was an easy friendship and I miss her terribly.

I was quite sick all last winter and think I really should have been hospitalized just before coming home in April.  That was a sort of reminder that I should be worrying about my own mortality.  My mind is still fairly young but my body isn't keeping up.  A lifetime of poor eating habits, no exercise, and an affinity for sitting on my butt instead of working hard have become my downfall.  When I die, I'll probably be alert enough to keep asking questions.

I've enjoyed a lot of family time this year and I'm very happy I decided to spend my Christmas at home instead of in Florida.  I'm also very happy that we got the trailer sold and I'm going back to the park but to a brand new rental for the winter.

These are my twilight years and I really haven't got much to complain about.  Life has given me three wonderful daughters, eight intelligent and hard working grandchildren, and two (to date) greatgrandsons...time will tell how they make out!  I had a lot of sadness in my earlier life but it seems the fates tried to even that out by giving me a darned happy life in my old age.

Anyway, I'll drop in and see Cindy and hers on Christmas Eve, then go over to Nick and Bev's with Kim.  Kim and I will have Christmas dinner at Nick's and the boys will be there, too.  Matt is in Florida already.  Boxing day I'll come home, tidy up and do a final laundry.  Kellie will come down to spend the night and we'll leave for Florida early on the 27th.  On the 28th, I'll see my precious Shelley, John, Jake, and Matt.  On January 2nd, I'll head over to the park for the winter.  Yes, this is a happy old age I've been granted!