How Many Year Do You Get?

 So we spent a nice Saturday up in Shorecrest. I wanted to watch the Canes game, which was on the ACC Network, which we, as UVerse people get, but D1 and Joey don't. Alas -- Paul had bought a subscription to FUBU TV and shared his info with me, and I watched our victory over Pitt in high def on my IPad. Wifey happily played the whole time with the grandson.

After his nap, we took a family outing -- to a small nursery right on Biscayne in MiMo. No one was there, and the plants were double price what Home Depot charges, but we bought an orchid and a pony palm for Wifey. It was our first outing, albeit distanced and brief, since the plague began.

Back home, we took the baby for a stroll in his beloved blue car. The 18 houses were almost all decorated for Halloween. It was lovely. We left for home some very happy grandparents in the USA.

At 7:30, we had another treat - a Zoom cocktail hour with Deb and Norm. We caught up on all the news of life, and our kids' lives, and spoke about Max, one of my heroes. Max is 93 and a true patriarch of his family -- with, I think great grand kids in the teen numbers, and a LOT of grand kids.

If I can have a life like Max's in my ninth decade, I'd be thrilled. Sadly, he is such an outlier. For my Mom, father in law, and ancient mother in law, the quality of life is much lower.

As I have long known, it seems we either die too young, or too old. It's rare that, like Goldilocks, it's "just right."

Sunny did have joy up to the end, but her family fell far short of the devotion Max enjoys. She had 4 great grandchildren -- I think they saw her only 2 times in her final year. Her oldest grandson, her favorite, was "weirded out" by her declining appearance, and never visited her in the nursing home during her last 11 months. She used to ask me about him, and at first I would lie and say he was "incredibly busy," but later on I just changed the subject.

Still -- my dear friend Mirta visited Sunny often, and feels privileged. She says she was more impacted by that 92 year old than anyone else -- how Mom always kept happy, and optimistic, and appreciated small things.

When you'd walk her outside, she'd exclaim how wonderful the sun felt on her skin. We'd wheel her to a gazebo that had an ice cream vending machine, and buy her a chipwich, which she'd unfailingly say was "the best ice cream I've ever had."

Norman and Deb realize how lucky they are to have Max. Norman speaks to him nightly, and they share distance meals once in awhile. I really wish I could speak with my Dad.

Today, our life is going to get a bit more busy. D2 and Jonathan are dropping off Betsy, the enormous puppy, for a stay with us. They're headed to a local hotel for a much needed change of scenery, and we'll integrate Betsy into our dog world for 4 nights. She is so tall -- nothing is off limits to her inquisitiveness. She is very sweet and energetic. And she is very big.

Other than that, the days pass, each to each. I thank the Big Man for each one he gives me, and will give me.

If they're healthy and full, it'd be nice to get as many as Max.