It’s been a hectic couple of months. After many ordeals to
qualify and finally get an apartment in Charlotte, I left Lilburn, Georgia.
Regrets, none, except for leaving my cousin and family and new friends that
were so kind to me. That year in Lilburn allowed me the time and space to sort
out things that I needed to discard, and others I needed to keep. I finished
transcribing my mother’s and aunt’s memoirs of their family and translating the
life of don Andres, the Pellerano Alba cousins’ grandfather.
This new place, located in a town called Pineville, southwest
of Charlotte, is just what I was looking for. It’s an independent living
facility with a few apartment buildings. Mine, on the third floor, has four rooms:
a kitchen, a living area, a bedroom and a bathroom. The kitchen is quite spacey
and well equipped; the living area has a space for my small dining table and
chairs; with the best feature: a huge window which gets the morning sun. My
bedroom also has a big window on the same side, and I have to close shades for
the sun shines through all morning long. Now that it’s winter, it is lovely. We’ll
see how it is in the summer. The bathroom has enough space for a chest of
drawers, a closet for clothes and one for linen, etc.
Due to the Covid-19 virus, I have not been in touch with
other ‘inmates’ although I’ve met a few at an exercise class twice a week.
Apparently, there are many activities during normal times. We shall see how
that goes. The staff is friendly and attentive. I have no complaints. I do laundry one floor down, which allows me
to walk up and down the hall three times, at least. And, I also walk 56 steps
to dispose of my garbage. So I move, in lieu of two sets of stairs in Lilburn.
After a few busy weeks, I have almost finished organizing
everything. No more boxes or baskets filled with photograph and frames! I got
rid of a lot of things I was attached to. So far, my days have been spent
putting things away so that I can find them later, no small task. I’ve also created
a filing system which lets me find things easily. I’m really proud of myself.
I’ve kept in touch with my friends, but will not see them
until I get both vaccine shots, and they get theirs. The same goes for my family,
although I’ve seen Florence and Brian, who are careful, but still it worries
me. This new strain of the virus is very contagious. I am scared of getting it
and then having after effects.
I’ve delivered two packages to my son, one for Christmas and
one for his birthday. He acknowledged the first one only. So that has left me
with the determination not to contact him again, unless an emergency comes up,
as he still pays for the car insurance and the mobile phone.
I told one of my cousins that I have no future. She could
not understand. See, those who are lucky enough to have children and
grandchildren close, take it for granted. I figure I’d have a future and I would
be able to look at the life ahead for my son, and my grandchildren. Now, as it
is, I just wait for mine to end.
