This will be a quick drop in. I've been gone so long I feel like it's been a month. My desk looks like a bomb exploded on it. It's a little overwhelming, given that I've had new business calls that need to be squeezed in this week. That part of my life is going well, at least.
The estate house closed last Wednesday. I'm tying up the loose ends now. It had its own drama, none of which was welcome. But at the very least, there is little left to do there. Just in time for the holidays.
While I was gone, my D20's BFF house/cat sat for me. She texted me a photo of my mailbox yesterday. Apparently, in the wee hours of the morning Saturday night/Sunday morning, someone took a baseball bat to my mailbox. WTF? It's completely stupid. I might post that photo on the alt. Now I need to put that on my list of things to do today. Like I needed that, LOL.
The past 10 days have been bittersweet. I'm so glad I went. My D17 and I first flew to Hoboken to watch my D20's volleyball team win regionals to advance to the Elite 8. We then hopped a train (well, a 2nd train because we missed the one I had booked) to DC. While we were enroute, my sister called me to let me know that my brother had passed away peacefully. My dad picked us up at Union Station and just hugged us. He and my cousin were with him when he passed; my mom left the room about 15 minutes prior.
I spent Monday with them making arrangements at the funeral home. I'm SO glad I could do that with them. Logistics, as usual, dominates this process; so we're having visitation, the funeral and his burial the 12th and 13th of December. So I'm flying out again for that. I feel like I've been in planes, trains and automobiles constantly since the middle of October. I'm really, really tired. And I'm trying to forget that I have to schedule time to shop really soon. Like now.
We had lots of visitors, lots of food, and I think we were all grateful for the distraction of heading to the VA Beach area for the volleyball championships. It was a good 4 days that took all of us out of the grieving mode (for the most part). There were moments, for sure. But all in all, we had a good time aside from that. Keeping busy helps me. But I got on the plane last night, and for the first time, had time to think, and then it hit me. Hard. I'm glad my D17 was sound asleep next to me and the overhead lights were off. I had a headache when the waterworks finally stopped.
In the meantime, our TG plans are going to change. D20 decided she couldn't risk the weather preventing her from making a big test upon her return, so she decided not to come home this week and is going to her BF's house instead. Bummer, but I understand. I don't know what Mr. W., D17 and I will do now. He mentioned seeing what his GF is doing, and I'm fine with that. I could use a little alone time this week anyway.
Kat, I will call you this week if you're around. My brother paid me a "visit" the night he died. Funny, but he also showed up for his stepdaughter and my dad as well. We all had the same types of messages, but mine was far longer and more detailed. He spent a lot of time with me.
So that's my news for now. I've got my eyes on 2015 for more peace and smoother sailing.
Blessings to all of you-
Betsey
"There are only 2 ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle."
