A Small Earnest Question

Last day

/ J. F. Riordan / 24 Comments

Our adventure with our eldest grandson began August 26th, and now we’re down to our last day. We had a quite splendid Christmas holiday together with his little brother and mom. As my daughter said, we are lucky to be a family who all like one another. Not everyone has that.

This morning we are going out to breakfast at a place our grandson likes, and the afternoon will be spent doing laundry and packing, and resting for the thirty-plus hour trip home. The boys’ dad is planning a big welcome home party for New Year’s Eve. I hope the boys can stay awake for it.

Tomorrow morning we will take them to the airport, and when we come home, the house will have an emptiness that even Auggie and Eli can’t fill. I’m not quite sure how it will feel. But it will take me a few days to recover from the mad energy of boys.

And then will begin the slow un-Christmasing of the house, which, depending, can be either depressing, or a fresh new beginning.

I used to have a cleaning lady who took down the Christmas tree for me. Oh, how I miss her.

And now for your gratuitous dog photo.

Winding down

/ J. F. Riordan / 24 Comments

The French retreat officially happens on Saturday morning, so we have three days left. Tomorrow is the family birthday party for our grandson, so I have things to do, but my enthusiasm for big extravaganzas is at low ebb. We are keeping it simple: birthday cake, champagne, and sparkling cider. AFTER dinner.

The weather is making it a challenge to keep the house clean. There’s been nothing but rain and mud for weeks now. There are splashes of mud on the wall in the back hall, and the little corners of the toe moulding need to be cleaned wherever the dogs have walked. I had hoped to convince myself to let this go, but I can’t.

We will not discuss the bedspread.

Knowing my boys, they will want to come pick up the cake (notice I did not bake it myself) and buy fresh flowers, and maybe even use the last of the Christmas cookie dough to cut out cookies. Tomorrow grandpa will take them to the bounce place to get everyone out of my hair.

I have loved having everyone here, but I am tired, and need the long, uneventful days that are my ordinary life. Next week my real work begins, and in contrast, the full days of writing will feel like a vacation.

But there are a few more days of happy chaos to come.

One thing: I think we can be fairly certain no one at the party will strip to the waist to play hide and seek in the dark.

Moses: In Memoriam

/ J. F. Riordan / 30 Comments

Four years ago today was one of the worst days of my life. We were flying home from seeing our new granddaughter when Moses went over to our dogsitter, put his head on her arm, gave a deep sigh, and died. He was seven years old, and the canine love of my life.

In the photos I can see him grow from a tiny fierce-eyed puppy to a loyal, intelligent, and fearless companion. It’s also clear from the photos that Pete was the boss. I miss them both.

You can read the story of my love for Moses in my latest book, But Still They Sing.