(Written a few weeks ago. Clearly I haven’t managed to move on enough to stop writing about Pam, and my loss of her love and companionship)
Moving along my new life without Pam includes writing posts about other subjects whether they be additions to previous categories such as travels or music, or something totally new. I have a category built in for politics, but I’m thinking I might not want to go there. “Musings” is my catch-all category for, well, almost everything I post.
But which direction should I go? I see travel and music in my future. I am preparing to hibernate over the winter months. That time is reserved for practicing my music in hopes of recording several songs while readying for public performance next year. The plan is to drop new recordings in this site as I complete them. I am also transitioning from daily walks to a rowing machine and other indoor exercises to be prepared to “hit the ground running” (not really running) when the weather warms next Spring.
Nothing big. But those preparations dovetail with travel plans. I still have a desire to drive around, short or long distance, asking local cafĂ© and bar staff if I can play my music in a corner of their establishments. Something I looked forward to doing with Pam during our retirement years. They may say yes. They may say no. They may say “oh hell no” after listening for a bit. I also hope to combine performing with camping, a direction I have been and want to go again.
I have, however, received encouragement recently that boosts my ego enough to continue in this direction. I realized that I am a one-man garage band. My garage venue is positioned across from a city pond that brings parents and children, people with dogs, runners, walkers, old and young, and fishers to enjoy the area. They hear me and see me. I’ve become such a fixture that many wave to me in passing or ask why I’m not playing at the moment. Once while I was walking around the pond a couple stopped to say they would miss my playing, because I too was walking. Just last night a woman who I didn’t even recognize asked me “No music tonight?” as she was jogging by. I answered that I just finished. She motioned her disappointment. I gave my thanks.
One of my reunion classmates recently surprised me at the main event when he walked in and said “I remember you.” Unfortunately, I didn’t recognize him. But I asked why. He answered that we were in the same home room and that I once brought my guitar and played for the class. Fifty years later he still remembered. What a compliment. I told him his words were great to hear at this juncture of my life, and thanked him.
During a time of personal uncertainty it helps to have plans and goals, directions in which to go. Without them, the days would be endlessly sad. They are sad enough as is. So I look forward, as I review the past and live for today. I am confident that Pam would approve.
