This Wheel's on Fire

If your memory serves you well
We were going to meet again and wait
So I'm going to unpack all my things
And sit before it gets too late
No man alive will come to you
With another tale to tell
But you know that we shall meet again
If your memory serves you well*

July 14, 2018.  If your memory serves you well, that was the date of my last blogpost.  So I’m going to unpack all my things, and post again before it gets too late.  And there is a lot to unpack.

1. Movin’ & Shakin’ – Officially, my wife and I moved from our home of 34 years in Pittsburgh to our new home in the Borough of West Chester in May 2017.  We undertook several major projects at the new place in 2018 including a new roof, a small deck (“steps replacement project” if you talk to the building inspector), a Sunsetter awning over our hot tub, and re-landscaping of the backyard.  In August 2018 we sold our Pittsburgh home to our youngest son.
2. Addition and Subtraction – Technically, our grandson Miles was born before my last blogpost (May 17, 2018).  Anticipating Miles’ birth, my wife and I leased a studio apartment in Queens, and we spent nearly every Wednesday through Friday providing daycare for our grandson so our son could continue to stay active as an entertainer and our daughter-in-law could continue working as a fashion designer.  Our lease ran till the end of April 2019. Knowing we wanted to continue to be an active presence in our grandson’s life, we purchased a studio apartment in the same building in May.  Then in July 2019, our first granddaughter Ilona was born in West Chester, bringing the number of our grandchildren to three.  Often with great joy comes great sorrow, and in January 2019, my dear, 93-year old uncle took a bad fall and spent the next 6 weeks between hospital and personal care home, only to pass away in early March.
3. Writing – Though I haven’t posted anything on my blog in over a year, I have not stopped writing altogether.  I wrote a couple of articles for the newsletter of the antique car club I joined.  I also participated in a writing workshop in June 2019 at Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia.  I continued to work on my novel, “The Letter,” and submitted several chapters for critique by professional writers.  Many of the comments I received were helpful; some, not so much.  Perhaps the biggest project over the past year has been my chronicle of our time in New York.  I may post some of that on my blog.
4. Blog On – There’s a lot that needs to be said.  While there are many other voices saying much of what I want to say, I feel I should add my voice to the conversation.  Since my last post on gun violence, there have been countless deaths from guns, and Congress refuses to do anything.  Since I last wrote about global warming, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has increased significantly, and the average temperature of many areas of the earth has increased beyond the 2°C level that will cause major problems for future generations.  Yet the Trump administration continues to roll back environmental regulations put in place to slow the dangerous build up of greenhouse gases.  We live in the world’s greatest democracy but can no longer feel sure that our election process is secure from tampering.  I want to talk about these and other important contemporary issues.

So, I am re-activating my blog. I plan to post new material at least once a month.  Some will be opinion, some will be discussion, and some will be just for fun.  Just count on the fact that I will come to you, with another tale to tell.  You know that we shall meet again, if your memory serves you well.

*This Wheel’s on Fire, Words and music by Bob Dylan and Rick Danko.