2017 Redux

I think I will remember 2017 as the year I got old.

This isn't exactly a glowing memory for the year. Maybe its just the empty nest syndrome talking, I don't know.  That could be it.  I think that both of my boys are now off making their way in this big, wide world.  I don't think they will be back here to live.  Nick is in  Winona and Joe is in Moorhead. As of now, it's a world I do not trust.  It does not feel like a safe world, but we will do what we can.

As this is written, both boys are home for Christmas.  It occurred to me today that this is probably one of the last times we will all be in our home together, as the family we used to be.  We all have changed so much.  The boys seem to take so much glee in laughing at their old fashioned parents.   Now that is the polite term I have chosen.  They seem much more harsh about it. The first few days are quite tough when they are here, and I wonder if my own parents went through this.  I suppose they did, but I like to hope that I never made them feel this way. I like to think that my kids are special and above acting like savages and things are  finally settling down a but for the first few days it was college kid chaos around here.

  Soon the house will be empty again and the quiet routine will descend upon us for the horribly long MN winter.....

This is the year that I have had back pain ALL  year long.  I have been doing what I can to get rid of it.  It saps my energy, it saps my drive, it saps my ambition.  I have had a few days every now and again with no pain.  That gives me hope that I am going to be able to work my way out of it. This is a slow process, but I think I will be able to build the strength and counteract the effects of the sedentary job that I have.

I am a week away from a failed attempt at giving a little brown poodle a home.  I gave him ONE day here.  In retrospect, it probably wasn't fair to the dog, but I probably didn't need another dog anyway.