Moving on to 2026

 Life happens…with or without writing about what goes on, time passes. Without writing, most of it is forgotten or runs together, and chronology becomes indistinct. At least, that is the case for me. I enjoy writing, and yet I rarely do it anymore.

Someone and I played a shit ton of golf last summer and fall. Bit by bit, I became less able to walk, hike, or do anything I love doing. On December 10, I had another hip replacement. The left side was replaced in December 2019 (just before the infamous Covid shutdown), and now the right side, December 2025. I am 5 weeks post-surgery, and almost off the cane at this point. My life is just now starting to feel normal again. The pessimist in me wonders which joint will go bad next. Time will answer the question, but for now, my goal is to visit the driving range in February and be back on the golf course and hiking trails in March.

Where I want to be

I will babysit my granddaughters again in late March. It is a lot, but I love everything about my time with them. To visit for a few hours is one thing, but to stay with them and make them do mundane necessary things (eat, bathe, brush teeth, use the potty, go to bed, be nice to each other, etc.) …is an entirely different experience for me, the grandmother. It causes me to wonder if I was ever an effective mother based on my ineffective performance with these tasks as a grandmother. I must have been a tyrant mother because my kids obeyed fairly well.

Now 4 

Will be 2 in a few months

Things will happen in 2026. Our sweet dogs are getting old and feeble, yet, Someone and I will do some traveling because we are also getting older and more feeble. Nothing is planned yet – I’m researching. First up will be a trip (for me and any of my girls who can go) to Florida to visit my mother. Flights were booked for December 2025 and then postponed because of my surgery date. It’s time to reschedule for March sometime, probably early in the month.

Gracie

our Mick

The next trip(s) will be for me and Someone. Perhaps we will go to Arizona, or perhaps to Tennessee, and most likely we will go to Myrtle Beach again this year because that’s Someone’s favorite place on this Earth. Someone also wants us to cruise somewhere. I’ve been watching videos and trying to get inspired about cruises. I know the ships are huge and there is plenty to do, but it looks so isolated and artificial to be at sea on a massive floating city ship. I don’t care about fancy unlimited food, laying in the sun, gambling, shopping, or exciting night life. I do like a good show, but not every day. Someone talks about how “fun” it will be to eat, play slot machines, and work out in a gym every day. There is zero enthusiasm from me thinking about those activities. Although, perhaps we can play golf on some little exotic island somewhere. Perhaps we can hike or get in a canoe or kayak. It never hurts to stretch horizons and see something new, so perhaps that is how I should imagine a cruise, rather than focusing on living with Someone and his sweaty gym clothes in tight quarters for ever how long the thing lasts.

It's hard to envision travel dates with so much to happen in 2026. We expect Emily to graduate this year because she expects to defend her dissertation this spring. I refuse to miss her graduation because not only is it a big deal, I did not see her graduate as an undergraduate because the ceremony was on the same day and time as Erin’s. Someone attended Emily’s ceremony with his parents and Sarah accompanied me to Erin’s ceremony. Neither girl had a graduation ceremony as graduate students because of Covid. Fuck Covid! Not only did it kill people, its damage goes beyond measure in more ways than we will ever be able to count.

Old KyLady has new interest in fitness now that she’s had two hips gone bad and repaired. Perhaps she will find a trainer and make a commitment to visit the gym. #goal  For now, physical therapy visits continue for another few weeks…until I can walk without limping. #anothergoal