Once in TN. I was able to live in my brother Frank's home in Trezevant, since he and his wife were in Alaska for another year or so before they would retire and wanted someone to be in their house. I got the plans and found a builder and almost immediately started getting my home built with all its many headaches.
While the house was being built Brenda and I would meet almost every day there, look at the progress (or lack of progress) and shop for wallpapper, curtains, etc then have a late lunch together. Afterwards she would go back home to her home in Alamo, and I would have about an hours or more, drive back to Frank's home, where Minnie and I were staying. while getting the house completed. In August about 6p.m. right after we got in our cars and went our seperate ways I almost met my Waterloo. I turned left and suddenly there was a pickup truck right upone me and when I saw it so close, I put on my breaks real fast, but it was to late. The next thing I remember was seeing a policeman directing traffic and a boy from the ambulance trying to get in my car. My thought was that they sure got there fast. It wasn't until later that the cop told me that it took them about 10 min. to get there, and I was out cold when he first got there. I remember telling the ambulance guy not to break my window, but he broke it anyway and as they pulled me out of the car, I let out a scream that could be heard for 20 miles, I bet.
They took me to the nearest hospital and after many hours of xrays and just waiting around, they finally let me go home. My only thought during this time was that my poor little Minnie was at Franks all this time alone and in her cage at that. Brenda came to the hospital to see if I was alive or not, and all I wanted her to do was go out and take Minnie out of her cage. She said after seeing my car, she knew in her heart that I had to be dead, and here I am just worrying about my dog.
It took about 6 mo. to get the house ready to move into, and I had my furniture delivered from storage in November; and Minnie and I started getting settled in.
We made it through that winter, and in the spring I was finally able to get a lawn and trees planted. It really did look beautiful when it was all completed, but I was not happy. I didn't like the changing weather, all the rain, the humidity, and all those bugs. I felt that all I got out of being there was a sore neck and back that has bothered me ever since.
So in July I called the wife of the builder, who was into real estate and ask her if she would like to sell the house for me. She was shocked that I wanted to sell after only living it it for a few months, but was happy to get the listing from me. We listed it and in 3 months it was sold, and I was on my way back west.
I stayed in CA. with my son and his wife, for about a month, and then moved to Nevada where I swore I would be until the day I die, whether I like it or now. Well, it has been 3 1/2 years since I moved here and so far I am liking it very much and my new life style.
I will always have a big hole in my heart where Mike was and still love him so much, but after five years I have decided to try and move on and live life again. It had finally come to me that no matter what I do or don't do with the rest of my life, Mike will NEVER be back here. I also realized that he would not have wanted me to just exist the way I have been doing, going through the motions, but not actually living or enjoying anything in life.
I had always used the computer for work and at home and spent hours surfing the net. I got on ICQ, at my sister's insistence, to be able to chat in real time with her and find out about the rest of the family. Since I have started using ICQ I have talked to lots of new people around the world, but mostly in the U.S. The thing that I am beginning to realize is that there are so many women and men out there in my same situation. We all are alone, and wanting to find someone to share life with, but it is not going to be easy to start over.
