1998

Year's End

Thanksgiving, aways a time of family gathering, was a bit awkward. Julie's sister, husband and two kids came up from Atlanta and their father came over from Delaware.  The sister and family stayed at Julie's place and their father stayed at a hotel (which he always did when visiting).  We had Thanksgiving dinner at my place, so everyone was there most all day Thursday.  Friday they all came over again and Julie's two cousins and aunt came over.  On the surface Thanksgiving seemed pretty normal but it did seem a little strange to have everyone gone at the end of the day, leaving me alone.  In some ways it was nice, to get some peace and quiet after they all left.  A few hours with kids are about all I can take.

The winter solstice and Anne’s birthday came on Monday then my birthday the following day, the first day of winter. I went into work as usual and then came home to an empty house, just another disappointing birthday.  We did “celebrate” Anne’s and my birthdays by going out to dinner on Wednesday, but it was more somber than celebration.  Thursday, Christmas Eve, we got an inch of snow making it quite beautiful, but it didn’t seem much like Christmas Eve without Julie and Anne in the house, and I didn’t put up our usual Christmas decorations or Christmas tree.

I took the week off after Christmas, spending it alone. I spent New Years Eve alone watching the ball drop at Times Square on TV. What started out as a pretty good year ended with me alone and sad.

Mom’s Diary

Grandma Junior Parkinsons had progressed the past year such that she was completely bed ridden.  In April Mom wrote in her diary, “She is getting weaker and weaker.  She doesn’t talk much anymore.  She won’t get out of bed, eats very little and is almost skin & bone.  It so sad I could cry when I’m there.” Mom and her brothers and sisters took turns feeding Grandma each evening at the nursing home although come December Grandma had pretty much stopped eating.

The last entry in Mom’s 1998 on December the 29th she wrote  “Another year has ended.  It’s been a good year for us but a terrible year for poor mom.  We pray that the Lord takes her home soon where she will be out of her misery.” Her prayers would soon be answered.

1999