Aging in Place

I'm really not as sharp as I once was. I used to remember dates and times with no assistance from calendars. No more. The other day, my sister and brother in law made a lovely picnic for my ancient mother and me. We had bagels and lox in a gazebo near Mom's building. My brother in law mentioned that he and my sister might go to the Keys for Labor Day. I said I'd like to tag along. I went home and told Wifey, and she reminded me that I had organized a get together of D1's friends and parents on the Thursday we were going to the Keys, and the following night we had a neighbor's daughter's wedding. Holy crap! I'm really getting old... Speaking of old -- today is the anniversary of Hurricane Andrew. It was 20 years ago today that we truly feared for our lives, as our house blew away around us. My mother was a very old lady, and was with us. Ha! She was 72. D2 was 6 months old, and D1 was 3 and 1/2. As the ceilings collapsed from water, we made our way into the car in the garage. I figured at least the steel of the roof would give us a chance if that celing and roof collapsed. Fortunately, as the garage was on the northwest corner of the house, it was farthest from the winds, and we made it through. But the house, as D1 told everyone, was "MIS-stroyed." Andrew set in motion a most tumultulous year and a half. We moved to a condo on Brickell, and then to my inlaws' house in Kendall, and finally back to our rebuilt place nearly 2 years later. The storm also taught us that things were crap -- and anyone caring too much for possessions was an idiot. All could be lost in one storm. The people you love are everything. 1992 was also a year when all changed financially. I settled my first multimillion dollar case, and the insurance company paid us for our losses -- a LOT. In 1991 I had one house with a mortgage, and not much in savings. By 1994 we owned our house outright, and another that we rented out. We started funds for the Ds. Many who did well with insurance settlements ended up calling the storm "St. Andrew." If I'm honest, I have to agree... So I guess it's time to start doing crossword puzzles, to retain whatever brain function I have remaining. Nah! I think I need to drink more.