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Life Without Ken
Today, I am so very lucky to have Barbara here with me since Ken died (December 28, 1995), after he spent a good part of the year 1995 in bed because of his tired heart. I miss him very much, but I had him for 66-1/2 years, so I was very lucky. And he was lucky not to have had to suffer all that time. I had lots of help and we did fine. Barb had lost Norman way back in 1973, so we are together and she is so good to me as are Ken and Shannon, Kelly and Susan, and lots of good will from Karen.
For many years I had a bridge foursome each Friday at the Bird Key club, to which I still belong. This bridge foursome has been over since Ginny Brabeck left and Anna Marie had a bad fall that damaged her a bit. So, Jennie Freeman and I have lunch on bridge days and we enjoy being together. We’ll hopefully get another bridge group going soon.
Another thing has changed also. We belonged to the Longboat Island Chapel for many years — over 25, I think. then of course when Ken got sick we didn’t go. I’d been watching the church of the Palms Presbyterian every Sunday on television. Even though Barb belongs to another faith, she took me to the Palms a few Sundays, so now I’ve joined it. When I can’t go I can watch it on TV.
I watch a lot of television in the evenings and some days. Barb does all the laundry and Essie cleans once a week (we don’t get it very dirty). Last year I had it all redecorated, so it is sparkling clean.
Once a week on Thursday, Barbara and I have lunch with Sue; one week in Sarasota, one week in Venice. We all enjoy it a lot, I think. Sometimes Ken and Shan have joined us and we love that. Then in the evenings in the Fall and winter and Spring we have dinner with “Uncle Pleto,” my dear brother-in-law, widower of my sister Marilyn, either in Venice, or Sarasota, every other week. In the summer he is in Lake Geneva and close to his three lovely daughters and their families. They take turns coming down to visit him in Florida. We’ve been so lucky to be with them all at different times. They are a wonderful family and it is a shame they have to be without their beautiful mother.
It was difficult losing my sister Marilyn, then recently my darling sister Gwen, whom I saw very little in the past years, since she was in California. I miss her so, along with Uncle Howard (Ken’s sister Helen’s husband), who is now gone as well. He was having a very sad time since Helen passed on. Before he died I heard from his family that he had dementia, so it was a blessing.
This story is being given to everyone who attends the celebration of my 90th birthday. The party will be on October 3, 1998, in my 91st year.
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