Monday I had scheduled a ride to the dentist, so I got to meet a nice county volunteer driver, who even gave me some tomatoes from his garden. Later I went over to Avdi’s.
Monday was S’s first day at day camp. There are counselors who can help him with his special needs. We went to pick him up, and he seemed quite happy. He has his new friends from down the street, and their Mom Joyce, whom I met at the lemonade stand the other day, and we all hung out in the park, hiked down to the spring, and rode home with them. Joyce has worked with neurodivergent kids and older people, and understands S. We’re all getting to be friends. She came over later and hung out. Avdi is thrilled to have another essentially single parent nearby to commiserate with. It’s the beginning of our local “village”. I’m seeing how such communities form organically, one person or family at a time, starting where you live, literally.
I slept over, so I could help Avdi with all the “festivities” yesterday, Y’s 11th birthday. He took S to camp, then Y downtown to the city museum, and later shopping. Meanwhile, free of kids, and with J’s borrowed car, I went shopping for party supplies, got gas, and stopped in at my apartment. My nice neighbor S and her adorable little daughter named Hunter (the one who always hugs me) needed a jumpstart, so I was able to help with that and talk with them. They happen to be Black, so I finally have some Black friends here, as pathetically white as that sounds!
I returned to Avdi’s and got the dining room set up and decorated, coordinated the pickup of the homemade cake J’s daughter E was commissioned to make, and picked up S at camp. He actually looked euphoric! His really nice counselor Dom said there were no issues at all. Then S and I drove over to pick up the cake and back home, where he eventually dropped off of exhaustion. I even had time to harvest the rest of the carrots.
A and Y got back, mission accomplished, and later we had cake and ice cream with our new neighbor friends over, which really made Y’s birthday, and Avdi’s week. Then I drove back to my apartment to collapse.
Today I actually had both a car and the time to schedule some overdue medical appointments, a couple today, and some for later, along with setting up rides. It’s complicated when you don’t have continuous access to a car. Eventually I’ll get caught up.
As silly as it sounds, my main accomplishment this week has been meeting other local grownups. It’s not something you can force, it just has to happen naturally in its own time. I consider each person I meet as a potential acquaintance or friend, or at least someone I can learn something new from.
