There is no need for me
go on about the downsides of this pandemic, as all reading this
already know. It is important for me to reflect and tell about the
blessings this generally dark cloud has brought my way. Let me start
with a personal habit.
For years, my body clock
has me waking about 3:45 – 4 am. everyday nearly without fail. In
many ways this is a blessing in that it allows me to have
accomplished a great deal, sometimes before other’s feet have hit
the floor. Now that I am retired, it is pretty much a curse. I
diligently tried to change this when I first retired but finally gave
up. I could not make any progress, so I decided to embrace it. More
recently, this virus came along and created havoc with our routines.
Meetings, connections, deadlines, schedules were non-existent. It
was almost like waiting to exhale. I can’t deny there are major
downsides, but also, there are positive changes. My body just seems
to know this without me telling or trying to coerce it. The past
couple of days I have not hauled my sorry carcass out of the sack
until 6:30 or later. This is a major, positive change for me. I
feel almost decadent.
Other changes include a
softening of my edges in my ability to notice things as I am out and
about. Things like the first chipmunks, the sounds of the first
robins days before I actually saw them, the cacophony of the flocks
of red-winged blackbirds just arriving out by the bike trail, the
emerging scilla along the wall across the street, a couple of lonely
wooly bears trying to warm in the sunshine. Oh, and the wonder, joy,
and absolute blessing in being able to spend time with young
grandboys.
Now, just for the record,
and in case you didn’t know, I am very involved with my grandboys
and my life is much the richer for this. However, the past couple of
days have been even better because the pressure of school, athletics,
and a myriad of other community activities has been lifted. Again,
it is like exhaling pent- up breath, tension, and energy. It is
welcome. It is good. And I am in the right place at the right time.
So, on Tuesday, we had
TJ (10) & Emmit (almost 8) all day long. I could tell the boys
were different when they arrived at the house on Tuesday morning. To
be fair, not all of this was rosy. The boys were out of their normal
routines and, let’s face it, we all like and depend on those
routines. They are our security, our homeostasis, our comfort. And,
those things were knocked around. Thus, behaviors were a bit edgy as
that anxiety of the unknown played out a bit.
But then, we got into our
activities. There was some cognitive time, lessons, reading time, and
discussions about what our schedules should be. Then came a few games
of giant spoons. Oh, what fun!
Do you remember the
outstanding feeling of being an almost 8 year old with a brand new
bicycle just begging to be ridden? Well, this was Emmit personified.
He has been riding for a number of years and is pretty accomplished.
He has had a couple of bikes but always hand-me-downs and never a new
one of his own. His early birthday present was a new Giant hybrid.
Great bike for him and you might have thought he was at the wheel of
a Ferrari. Of course, he was champing at the bit to mount up. He
planned an in-town route and I told him I would go with, but I would
walk as it was still pretty chilly. The wild abandon and
unadulterated joy of a new bike is like nothing else. I feel it as I
enter my 7th decade and Emmit brought that feeling to life
for me just by watching his little body and that bike take off. I
remember my first new bike but that is the stuff of another post. Of
course, he really wanted to ride on the bike trail and for me to be
on my bike with him. I wanted that also, but I wanted it just a bit
warmer. We agreed that pedaling the trail would be first on the list
after lunch. It was only mid-morning and Emmit decided he wanted some
inside time.
TJ had been out in our
woods working on his mountain bike trail. Both boys had been working
on the trail. They brought their special hammocks with them –
you’ll seem them hanging between the trees near their trail in the
pics below. After showing me a couple of jumps he had perfected, TJ
decided to help me bring a few wheelbarrow loads of firewood to the
basement. He’s a great worker and I was happy to have the help.
We had a great discussion about how his dad uses the bucket on their
tractor to carry firewood. He also remarked that he thought the
wheelbarrow was easier than transporting the wood by toboggan which
we had done when the ground was covered with snow. His big question
was which was better, a round log or one that had been split with
flat edges. Those of you who work with firewood know that there is
no simple answer to that question as there are many variables to
consider.
After that activity we
ignited a fire in the woods fire pit. Sue was pulling all the winter
cover evergreen branches (I could tell you how see obtained these but
that is also the stuff of another post) from her plants and window
boxes so a small fire seemed to be the best way to dispose of them.
Ah, a boy and his fire. You’ll see some pics later.
Finally, lunch time but,
even better, bike trail time. Emmit donned his biking gear and
wanted to know what I was going to wear. You have to understand
Emmit’s great interest in clothes to understand the next few
sentences. He watches everything that I wear with great detail. He
went to my closet with me to help make my selections. He wanted me
to wear a very colorful bike jersey I picked up in Fruita, CO (a very
biking town) last summer. Its visibility makes it a great choice for
a biker. He remembered me wearing it when Sue and I returned from our
trip to southern Utah & Colorado. Sorry to digress (not really)
but I enjoy getting biking jerseys as souvenirs from some of the
places we visit. That particular jersey is short-sleeved. I thought
the temp too chilly for short sleeves so chose a heavier long-sleeved
jersey. Emmit did approve that one as a second choice. He told me
that it was quite bright also. Water bottles wouldn’t do for the
boys today, they had to have camelbacks, so that delayed us for a bit
to dig those out and ensure they were working and adjusted properly.
We also had to choose the proper snack to carry in our bike jersey
pockets.
Finally geared-up, Emmit,
TJ, & I headed for the trail. Our access point on Storrs Lake
Road is just a mile from my garage. The boys raced all the way out
Storrs Lake Road but slowed a bit when we hit the trail. It was
beautiful out. Emmit was in seventh heaven on his new bike. I was
feeling pretty good also, being out with these two guys. Emmit said
to me, “Pop Pop, this is great. We should do it together every
day.” Now, there’s a statement to get one’s attention. We
crossed Bowers Lake Road and cruised down to the Klug Road cul-de-sac
which we had to circle a few times. We determined that our next goal
was the bench a couple of hundred yards further on. We sat on the
bench and munched our granola bars. TJ recalled that this was the
spot where he and Sue repaired the fence sometime last summer. He
had to inspect their work which was still holding. We were right
next to a harvested corn field so the boys engaged in a wild corn cob
fight for a while. Emmit was thinking we should head back but we
decided to go on to the Otter Creek bridge which we could see from
the bench. That was a good choice as the boys parked their bikes and
headed down under the bridge to throw stones in the water. I finally
had to roust them out as I think they would have stayed all night.
We reversed and headed south. Of course, we had to ride down to the
lake on the way home and see if anyone was fishing. There were a
couple of young men there, but we didn’t see any fish.
We arrived home tired
with some sore muscles but also with big smiles and a great feeling
of accomplishment. We proudly clocked 9.5 miles.
We had just stowed the
bikes and gear and started some baseball when, wouldn’t you know
it, mom arrived to take them home. I sent her on home and told her I
would bring the boys later. This would give her time to go for a run
or a bike herself and unwind a bit.
So, the close to a great
day. Bonding with two great boys, sharing a small fire, building a
bike trail in the woods, biking on the Glacial River Trail, snacking
on a bench on a beautiful afternoon with roller bladers and runners
passing by, capturing a wooly bear, throwing stones in the creek, a
bit of baseball, giant spoons, and memories to last a life time.
So where did I start with
all this? Without the pandemic, Emmit, TJ, Sue & I would not have
had this day - this very special day - with things a bit more
relaxed and slower paced. I am not happy about the pandemic and I do
wish it were not happening but I can't control that. What I can
control is my reaction to it. While taking it seriously and
following recommended precautions, and complaining about the upset to
my life and routines, I am also embracing and trying to make the most
of those changes. I am blest beyond measure to live in Milton, to be
in the same community with my daughters, their husbands, and their
boys. God, in his infinite wisdom, removed responsibilities and
commitments from my life and gave me this day. It was a good one.
#cruzan4milton#WAM
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