Dear JJ,
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| JJ with Pup Club 2021 |
You will find when you are a dad that sometimes you think you will write things or blog things and you end up living life instead. So, this has been an “interesting” year. And, if you have heard me at all, you know that “interesting” is never a good word.
We Moved:
I worked hard to get a job in California and somehow it all pulled together so in the first of 2020 we moved from our house - the only house you ever knew - to a new place that we are renting in Ventura. I started to work with another weight los surgeon, out of his office and it was great. I was working pretty hard and pretty long hours, but loved it.
A pandemic:
COVID19 hit our shores by the end of January. I had to take a trip back to Phoenix and was so worried I drove instead of flying. Since mom and dad had not come with us it was a great chance to see them both in their assisted living home, and mom in the memory care center. I didn’t know that it would be the last time I would see my mom alive.
The Bad
My mom died - she died the day after Valentine’s Day in 2020. I was lucky enough to have seen her two weeks before she died. She had suffered from dementia. So I made a quick trip back to Phoenix where we arranged for mom’s cremation, packed up dad, and then dad went with Ron to Oregon for a couple of weeks before coming back to Ventura for five months.
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| Little did I know this was my last time with mom and the last time I would see mo many dad together |
California:
Because of the pandemic your school stopped except for online. Mom became your teacher, mother, and her favorite job - gym teacher taking you surfing. The hard part was you were just starting baseball and getting to know people and then it was all shut down.
Arizona visits:
Thankfully our friends from Arizona came - and that and FaceTime with them made your life easier. You miss Arizona a lot. You miss the house, you miss your friends, your school. Mom doesn’t miss Arizona but I do miss it - I had lived there since 1991.
Hawaii Cut Short:
We went on a trip to Hawaii, were there for three days when we had to leave because of COVID19. The good part - you got some scuba gear on in the swimming pool and were a natural at it. Taking off. When we arrived back in California the state had issued a “shelter in place” order - the freeway was the most empty I have ever seen it.
September
School reopened in Fourth Grade with an exemption for you in September. You started to enjoy school a bit and found some new friends. You don’t like typing, cursive and you and I do math together in the mornings.
December the end of 2020
On December 31st my job ended and I started being a solo-doctor again, but covering with Dr. Billy.
2021 Starts
I began doing some wound care out of town - and really enjoyed doing it. The great thing was I could come home at night and not worry about a phone call from the days activity.
Most elective surgery was stopped because of an uptick in COVID cases. But slowly starting again in February.
Pup Club
In the middle of the pandemic you organized our neighborhood dogs - who you got to know. Every Wednesday they come to our end of the street and have treats, play with each other, and we get to know the neighbors. We are all masked, but it is amazing you did that - it has saved our neighborhood. All the folks on our block on Foster love you and love watching you.
You are Growing
You test us sometimes - but you are so nice and sweet and happy. Your mom and I could not be more proud of you and the young man you are becoming.
We Found Golf
For months here I didn’t golf - then somehow you got me out to the public links again and you and I enjoy our time. Funny, I don’t remember those long cases I did, but I remember our golf games. You still want to drive the cart - I guess I have to see this as what is going to happen when you get a drivers permit.
We love you JJ. You bring joy to us every day.
Dad
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