Life in the Condo
Living alone and lonely...
Living alone and lonely...
This is My Story...
This site is all about me.... My Story. I am a late 70's widower living alone in a condo. I am a retired engineer, manager, network admin with time on my hands. I have time because I am grieving the loss of my wife of fifty-two years. In 2020 we decided to sell much of what we owned and travel the country as RV nomads. But in 2021, she was diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia, a form of dementia that not only includes loss of memory and cognitive skills, but includes Parkinson's symptoms. It has been a difficult journey. She did not want to be left in a nursing home, so I was her full-time caregiver at home. She lost her battle with the illness in June of 2024. I have been told that being her caregiver was special, even extraordinary. But I don't see it that way. I made promises when we got married and I was just doing what I promised. Since that time, I have been living alone in our condo. And I have concluded that living alone sux.
The reality is that I am very blessed. Pam and I had three daughters and they have five boys between them. Why am I blessed? I am blessed because our girls are loving, caring, honest, hard-working members of society. They have done an extraordinary job raising their boys to be the same. While we experience some of the same bumps and grinds that other families do, they all understand how much I value family. If I am in need, they are there for me. Pam may be gone, but she (we) left a legacy to be proud of. And I am very proud of all of them.
And just a little more background... I was born in New York, but raised in Milford, Connecticut. From the age of seven, I knew that I was going to be an engineer. I received a degree in aeronautical engineering. I worked as an engineer for several computer companies and eventually got into engineering management. In 2001 I lost my job as Assistant Vice President for Corporate Quality after the company was bought out. I took on a second career as a network administrator for a large Maine school system. I finally retired in 2020.
NOTE: Please keep in mind that this entire site is a work in progress. It is not complete. Check back often.
Our family gathered at noon on Christmas Day for the usual exchange of gifts and then Christmas dinner. Pam was honored, as her prized Santa collection was prominent by the tree.
As the New Year hour approached, our neighborhood was filled with fire and police vehicles. One of our neighbors had a significant house fire. Fortunately they were not hurt, but the same cannot be said of their condo unit.
With the holiday decorations put away for another year, a major renovation of the walk-in closet began. More of that in All About the Condo.