WEEK 4

May 19, 2019

My former neighbor, Irene, now 84 yrs. old and the first person to welcome me to the neighborhood 42 years ago. I had an occasion to see my old neighborhood yesterday as Irene’s house was next to mine. I hardly expected the range of emotions I felt when I turned down the road I lived on and drove past my old home. What happened to that great feeling I thought I would experience after we sold our home and were debt free for the first time in our lives? Perhaps my expectations were too high. After all, who grieves for a home? Do we even belong in an in-law apartment right now?

Adjusting to a new home and location is not easy, and I hope I become more comfortable here as time goes on. I am living in the middle of nowhere, with a diner two miles from my back door named “The Middle of No Where Diner”. I even entertained the idea of getting a puppy, so I know I must be losing my mind. I feel lost and lonely, and my daughter is only a door away. John took a new job ,which all but killed my chances of travelling anywhere this year. So this is the golden years??? I guess I was deluding myself when I thought that John would change. He always told me he did not like to travel, but I was convinced that once we had the time and extra money this would all change. Now we have the extra money, but John cannot take the time. The question on my mind is whether I should go without him. There must be many wives, and probably husbands, that are asking the same question. What would you do?