The year is now 2017. I am in my seventh season at Parks and Recreation. I am now vested in the Public Employee Retirement system. I no longer for the schools as an educational assistant. Given the deep and long-lasting snows of the winter, I was relieved not to have to worry about answering the phone.
Doug and I now live in an apartment.
Years ago, when this complex was being built, we would drive by, the joke was that when all went south, that's where we would moved to. And here we are. It has a nice lawn behind it, that we look over when we view the canal and the landscape out to the north, northwest to Awbrey Butte. No windows look at our place, except for cars speeding by on the Parkway. I've tried to look at our place when driving by, and all you can see is that the place exists, so we have privacy. Inside, there are angles, as there were at the house, which is nice and comforting. There's a porch for plants and the rocky horse that Lindsey bought long before I entered the family. We are at the far end of the complex, where we can see our garage, and where few people drive. The south windows look down on lawn and the parking lot and over to windows and porches of other buildings. I've used the exercise room, visited with friends in the lounge, and swam in the pool.
The cats went to a friend's place, and she let them live there. Toby never did go into the house, but hung around like a feral cat, keeping a schedule of showing up in the afternoon to eat, and eventually didn't show up any more. I had a dream of him, which was so real, I could feel his weight in my arms, and I held him and petted him, and he turned his face to me, and I could see that he was dead.
Bobsworth died a few days after the dream. Soon after the move there, he worked his way into the house, made himself at home, demanded to be pushed around on the floor while lying on his back. Bossy thing. I saw him weekly. When he died, he was found under the dining room table. I got a cardboard box for his coffin and took him to the Humane Society.
My husband is working. The company accommodates his physical limitations, and we have health insurance and are working on our savings. I am very grateful for the Judsons and others who mentored his becoming an electrician. The construction here in Bend is booming, and there is a shortage of skilled labor such as his, so we are hoping to get through this period of time okay.
My daughters became adults. One has her master's degree, two are married, and the first grandchild is expected tomorrow. One lives with her husband in Virginia, the other two live in Utah. They are healthy and doing well. Our mothers are still alive, still able to physically take care of themselves with some small assistance from our siblings who are there with them--driving them to appointments and such.
I still have my medical bills, but they are down now to less than $3,000. I anticipate having them all paid off by the July 31st paycheck. To celebrate, I will bring doughnuts to work, maybe a fruit tray too, and make sure that the trailer gets a box.
Some lunchtimes, I'm at Pine Nursery North, where there is a fishing pond. I sit in my rig and watch the water as I eat. Some days the water ripples a little, some days there's a breeze that makes crests that run across the surface, and some days the water looks flat and grey, reflecting the clouds, and some days it's blue and white, with an occasional splash from a fish.
We are in a good place. What more could I want, but this? Today I am wealthy.
Doug and I now live in an apartment.
Years ago, when this complex was being built, we would drive by, the joke was that when all went south, that's where we would moved to. And here we are. It has a nice lawn behind it, that we look over when we view the canal and the landscape out to the north, northwest to Awbrey Butte. No windows look at our place, except for cars speeding by on the Parkway. I've tried to look at our place when driving by, and all you can see is that the place exists, so we have privacy. Inside, there are angles, as there were at the house, which is nice and comforting. There's a porch for plants and the rocky horse that Lindsey bought long before I entered the family. We are at the far end of the complex, where we can see our garage, and where few people drive. The south windows look down on lawn and the parking lot and over to windows and porches of other buildings. I've used the exercise room, visited with friends in the lounge, and swam in the pool.
The cats went to a friend's place, and she let them live there. Toby never did go into the house, but hung around like a feral cat, keeping a schedule of showing up in the afternoon to eat, and eventually didn't show up any more. I had a dream of him, which was so real, I could feel his weight in my arms, and I held him and petted him, and he turned his face to me, and I could see that he was dead.
Bobsworth died a few days after the dream. Soon after the move there, he worked his way into the house, made himself at home, demanded to be pushed around on the floor while lying on his back. Bossy thing. I saw him weekly. When he died, he was found under the dining room table. I got a cardboard box for his coffin and took him to the Humane Society.
My husband is working. The company accommodates his physical limitations, and we have health insurance and are working on our savings. I am very grateful for the Judsons and others who mentored his becoming an electrician. The construction here in Bend is booming, and there is a shortage of skilled labor such as his, so we are hoping to get through this period of time okay.
My daughters became adults. One has her master's degree, two are married, and the first grandchild is expected tomorrow. One lives with her husband in Virginia, the other two live in Utah. They are healthy and doing well. Our mothers are still alive, still able to physically take care of themselves with some small assistance from our siblings who are there with them--driving them to appointments and such.
I still have my medical bills, but they are down now to less than $3,000. I anticipate having them all paid off by the July 31st paycheck. To celebrate, I will bring doughnuts to work, maybe a fruit tray too, and make sure that the trailer gets a box.
Some lunchtimes, I'm at Pine Nursery North, where there is a fishing pond. I sit in my rig and watch the water as I eat. Some days the water ripples a little, some days there's a breeze that makes crests that run across the surface, and some days the water looks flat and grey, reflecting the clouds, and some days it's blue and white, with an occasional splash from a fish.
We are in a good place. What more could I want, but this? Today I am wealthy.
