This past 18 months or so have been cRaZy! In April last year we purchased a squat of dirt and began the process of building a soda shop for the Quench-It franchise we bought into. Well, weeks shy of 18 months later and we are not quite done....
In that same time frame, I worked a ta office building with 44 individual suites where I managed the building for those tenants, ran the phones and mail, and basically covered whatever the issue was--from printed connections, to toilet clogs to a construction caused fire sprinkler emergency that left the basement flooded TWICE! Of and 20 more office suites were being added as I finished my reign there.
I learned a GREAT deal, made many new friends with the tenants and discovered there really wasn't much I couldn't do if I thought hard enough about it. But I haven't been sad to be away. That said, since our building WASN'T finished like we thought--or at least in the time frame we were hoping for--I will be subbing for the girl I trained to take my place the day after tomorrow. I think I can face that as I know it is for one day only.
Genius Golfer has been a ROCKSTAR as far as figuring out what, how, and where to adjust things for the building. He has done more manual labor than many of the subcontractors, I am sure! He is such a stud!! I certainly wouldn't be doing this with out his incredible support and help and knowledge PLUS his willingness to just figure it out himself. Once we are open and it is passed to me, I hope I can do it as well as he has been these past many months!
The other BIG deal that has happened it that my dad died at the end of January. He got Covid and suddenly couldn't breathe on January 14th--just a day after fixing the neighbor's driveway gate for her and that day after their 58th wedding anniversary. Because of his kidney transplant 10 years ago now, he fell into that immunocompromised group. Seeing as he and mom didn't really seem to believe Covid was real (thanks, Fox News!), they refused to be vaccinated and therefore had no extra protection. He was in the hospital about 2 weeks with a steady and foreseeable decline--and died on Sunday, January 30th. I spoke with him Friday, the 28th for exactly 8 minutes and said all the things that mattered. I could tell he knew it was the last time he'd speak with me on earth. That was a harder day actually that the call that he was gone.
My sisters was there with my mom--but because of Covid restrictions neither could go in with him at the hospital. Mom and Sister had planned the funeral while I had taken the role of spokesman for the family as I shared each day of his illness and passing with the friends he had on Facebook. The daily updates were answered with SO MUCH love and concern for him and for each of us. Dad and mom agreed they felt prayers holding them up and the comfort from those prayers and love was tactile.
The Girl and I spoke at the funeral on Feb. 8th. The Gilroy chapel was full and the cultural hall was nearly 3/4th the way full too. So many people came to say goodbye to dad and to share the impact he made in their lives. It was astounding to hear some of the things I hadn't even a clue about from the people that felt Dad's influence. It was the most exhausting day since our wedding--but it was so filled with love. I wouldn't have been anywhere else.
It has been an adjustment without him though. Every once in a while I still have a question or thought pop into my mind and think "I should call Dad and tell him..." before I remember that I can't. But the memories are comforting and I'll always have those.
And today, Queen Elizabeth II was laid to rest after dying 10 days ago at the age of 96. While I realize that I have no connection to her--I'm not a Brit, I am not a royalist or a monarchist, I certainly have LOVED the UK and quite rightly, I believe, think of the Queen as one of the last true public servants. She committed herself to serve her country for the whole of her life--at the cost of quite a bit of "normal" life--and did just that without ever giving her view as policy or demand her way as her ancestors might have in previous reigns.
I've thought a lot about how in America we cannot even get elected officials to serve faithfully and dutifully without seeking personal gain and power mongering. Yet, this little lady was never in the original line to be a monarch and yet, when things played out that she ended up Queen, she really did the best she know how and kept doing it to the very end.
She was a calm, even, steady presence who knew she was the "face" of England, the UK, and the Commonwealth and just kept on keeping on. Our political leaders and elected officials could learn many things from her life of dutiful service and sacrifice. Here's hoping they do.
