Rekindling the flame

I'd really like you all to think of me as a Saint!
But that wouldn't really be truthful, now, would it?

I could be like my dear brother Rob and insist that, "I'm a delight!" But that's not always true either. MOST of the time I exude delightfulness but I think my lovely bride can confirm that I do succumb to moments that are best termed as "delightless", especially when you factor in my new compulsion of cycling and the many hours I spend in the company of me, myself and I.

This pandemic business has, for a rule follower like me, been long periods of just Joyce and I enjoying each other's company and conversation, punctuated with visits with people that we chose for our bubble like her mother Pearl, my other Andrea, and our daughter Maddi + fiancee Chris. We occasionally get a short visit from our son Keaton, but with him living in Guelph, those are rare. We dutifully stick to the magic total of 10 or less for the bubble.

Recently, with apologies to #fordnation, I decided that there was a need to expand the bubble to include my 3 brothers. We used to visit quite often, but recent years have seen that happen less than any of us would like. That is partly because we used to go to our childhood home to help our mother with the upkeep of such a stately manor (giggle) but also because we have allowed ourselves to become pretty busy with lives filled with loved ones, children, businesses, jobs, and a host of other pursuits. Lastly, the notion that we should have a pandemic bubble is burst pretty quickly when our families number well into the mid 20's if we all show up at the same place.

I have written about Dave, Rob and Mike in previous posts, and if you need to refresh your memory, you can click https://coachpsperspective.blogspot.com/2019/12/he-aint-heavy-hes-my-brother.html. With the edict that we watch who we spend time with, it's been the better part of 4 months since we actually spent some time catching up, so I decided to take the initiative and arrange a get together, just the four of us. One of the better "watering holes" in the city is Doc Malone's, just down Bradford Street from the site where Barrie Central used to sit, and the site of many a Friday "Mayor's Meetings" when I still taught there. Doc's rep as one of the better places in the city for quality chicken wings weighted heavily in the decision and all 3 brothers quickly replying to the group text that they would attend. I am very pleased to tell you all that we had a great visit, put a dent in Doc's Jameson stocks, satisfied our yearning for grease and giggled quite a lot. 

The night was declared a tremendous success ...
by me ...
without an audience to argue ...
and I was the one who organized, so go figure!

I'm really not sure why we let such a lengthy time pass before doing this. Many families have made heroic efforts to stay connected through this pandemic, and while I applaud their efforts, that is not to say that I am disappointed with ours. 

Quite the contrary, actually.

While I have written at length how retirement is treating me, my brothers are really, really busy:
Dave owns an Apple warranty business that is very busy as the world holds tightly to on-line life, and even has found time to venture into the world of YouTube with his prop design/manufacture business.
Rob is a supervisor at DeCast Concrete, and has only recently become an "empty-nester" with his young lads finding a place of their own.
Mike works in the freight forwarding business driving a 5-ton for OMS, winning the "I work the most award" for our family with his 60 hour weeks. 

I would like to publicly state how thankful and appreciative I am that they heard the sense of longing in my messages and cleared their schedules to be there. I would be remiss if I didn't also thank our wives for being agreeable about 4 lunks sharing adult beverages on a beautiful autumn late afternoon PLUS trusting we would each be responsible in our actions. I would like it known that I rode my bicycle to Malone's and back with helmet, lights and caution on high alert with no incident.

My brothers are very, very important to me! As my brother Dave pointed out last night, and our mother wears like a badge of honour, we four are all very different people. I see that as a tremendous blessing rather than a family tragedy, and I genuinely enjoy spending time with them. 

I am extremely blessed have been raised by two outstanding parents with such wonderful brothers,
to have married my best friend,
been gifted two amazing children,
to have loved my career choice,
and now have the health to enjoy this incredible retirement thing.

I'll say it again, to echo my cousin Tim Burtch, LIFE IS GOOD!
And I still think I'm more saint than devil.