It has been over five years since I Blogged. A lot has happened in this time. The primary event has been the loss of my wife and life mate of forty five years to Alzheimer’s disease. She is actually still alive but exists in a semi-comatose state with very little or no interaction, other than to accept food. I don’t believe she recognizes family any longer. It has been a major adjustment in lifestyle but I am beginning to recover a zest for life and have chosen to move on rather than linger in the past.
The greatest change in lifestyle included sale of my property including vineyard and orchard. I now own a small town house located in a residential area, about 4 kms from the old homestead. I am able to easily walk to grocery, auto repair, hardware, and most other conveniences. The area is an established, former + 55 zone, and a very quiet neighbourhood, adjacent to a small park.
As her mother went into decline, my eldest daughter and her family from Montreal, came to live with me in the old home. For five months I enjoyed their company. It was great to connect with my grand children, age 5 and 8, but they have since gone back to Montreal and I’m alone for the first time in 45 years. Needless to say, some serious mental adaptation on my part has been mandatory…and fairly difficult. However, recently a very pleasant lady , a retired psychologist, has come into my routine, and helped me immensely with the dramatic changes in my life. I have things to look forward to and it is with her encouragement that I have resumed this blog.
Look for a resumption of my writing in the near future.
Oh Brock, it was with great sadness I read your blog. Margaret was a giving and loyal friend and even though we haven’t seen each other for decades, I will always treasure the memory of our warm friendship. I remember her dry wit and the twinkle she would get in her eye. Mostly I treasure the memory of how we loved and mothered our children together.
I wish you peace and joy as you move forward with your life.
Hugs, Cornelia Slotiuk.