Michael,
Sounds like you are doing ok, and have things pretty well worked out for your future. I think you told me at some point about building your new home. I have forgotten how large your property was and that it could be sub divided to accommodate so many more homes. Will new homes crowd you and take away that private wilderness feel you have always had, or will you welcome new neighbors? The plan for your new home and rendering of it look pretty cool. Single level, barrier free and room for a care taker. How nice. I have thought often about when and where to move, but never have come up with any definitive answers. Given it is an older home, I have done as much as I can to make it safe and comfortable. Rails and grab bars everywhere. A chair life for Carter that may serve me well one day. And my studio could be a future care takers home as well. I always felt as long as I was working in a commercial sense I didn’t want to move. But all that may be abruptly over now. And even if things do really open up again soon, will I want to go back to work? My assignment work has always involved working with people in close quarters. Will I want to do that anymore? Time will tell, I guess. For now I lay low. But like you, this pandemic hasn’t really changed my life much. We have been social distancing since Carter’s falls almost 2 years ago. I saw my work diminishing and prepared for life on a fixed income by paying off debt, and cutting monthly household expenses. When the stock market was high, I converted some stocks to cash to survive a dip in things. So it seems I did all the right things at the right time. And oddly enough, it seems the value of my home has been steadily going up. So I guess I feel safe, physically and financially at the moment. Of course I can’t say I am prepared for Carter’s future needs. But will probably have to address that when the time comes. Somehow being in a retirement home doesn’t seem like a safe place these days.
I am glad you have Luca too. He seems like a good kid and will be around to provide you support as you age. I am glad you seem to being well also. Crazy as it sounds, I still want to visit you again someday. Maybe while you build your house. It has been almost 10 years since I was last there, which I find hard to believe. But it seems time flies faster as we age. Remember this photo from October 2010? No social distancing there, eh?
Be safe,
Mel
