Much like the Gary Chronicles, these are the musings of time spent, ridiculous happenings, fun things, infuriating things and things that never could have happened had I not gotten divorced. I'm so thankful for that one thing. For many reasons, but one of the most important is that my house is open to my family and friends once again.
The X and I called it quits. He moved out in June of 2020. I sold our house in July 2021 and moved to the condo that had been my MIL's right across the sidewalk. Yes, that MIL....where all the chronicles originated. My life has been a series of chronicles, it would seem.
July of 2021 equaled my dad calling me at 5pm on a Saturday and saying,
Dad: "Hi, baby. What are you doing?"
Me: "Nothing, just sitting here with Noodle"
Dad: "I'm going to come by and see you."
Me: "Ok, see you when you get here." or words to that effect.
This Saturday night call wasn't just for the evening. It was him coming over for the evening for about a week. He would come over, we would shoot the shit, get something to eat, talk until the wee hours and snuggle with Noodle. He probably came and did that about 1-ish times a month.
If someone had been man enough to take care of me and not to cheat on me, I would never have had this time with my dad. Well worth it. 100% the better outcome all the way around.
Dad would always drink to much and listen to the TV on 7000 decibels and talk about the old days. Some stories I had heard before, some I hadn't. I'm sure they were embellished, but it was his right to embellish. Some stories I would recount he would remember and other things he had never been told before or couldn't remember.
My sister is a saint. Straight up, heaven bound if there is such a thing. She's in easy! Dad was sick about 10-12 years ago with an abscess on his spine. It was the beginning of an odyssey that lasted until Feb 1 2022 for her. After he had been sick he moved in with her and my BIL's family. He was hard on her. He was something. Woke my mother up EVERY morning at 4:30a and said, "Brenda, have you seen my keys?" Every. Day. I don't know how she didn't smother him in his sleep. Truly. His eccentricities changed, came and went, got better, got worse. It was a new day every day. Kristy had to manage that for 12 years. She'd do it again, probably. That doesn't mean it wasn't herculean. Because it sure was.
This is the place where I tell all of you that relief is not only ok but a reality for just about anyone losing someone they love. Especially if they have had to take continuous care of the person. It just is.
And so I was able to have dad around more often. He had a room, a bathroom to himself. He knew he was welcome anytime for as long as he wanted. Some times he stayed more than one week.
And that is the real beginning of the Dad Chronicles and these intersecting with the Gary Chronicles.
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