What a year this has been… for the world. Hurt, loss, grief, change – I believe most have experienced at least one of these things this year.

For the ever dwindling Lombardo household, change was the BIG one. Loss of a kind of life we’ve been living for more than 30 years has been the catalyst for that change. Retirement, then moving away from most of the friends and family, both the blood-binding type and the bound-by-similar-circumstance military family, is not for the faint of heart. (I admit, most days I am faint of heart!) I miss everything and everyone. (Melancholy much?)

I’ve said it before, but a military retirement, then moving away is like love in the time of cholera (or moving in the time of COVID-19!)!

T and I have kept busy, him- by finishing out a 30 year, 5 month and 18 day career in the Air Force, then following me out to Ohio, where we are making our home, for now.

I am still in the kitchen most days… at least those days that haven’t seen us knee-deep in some home renovation project!

This last project brings the basement/garage renovation to a close. We knocked out concrete, taken down mold-infused wall board, scraped, sealed, painted, then rinse and repeat until today.

We’ve enjoyed finding ways to re-purpose odd bits into something beautiful and useful. This old sink was living in an old house that was renovated with all things new. The base was from an industrial factory in Cleveland. With a little elbow grease and some imagination, the two together are now the utility sink in our basement… sure beats the heck out of that stained, plastic “Utilitub” that was there first!

I know this is a different kind of Christmas than a lot of us would rather have, but count your blessings, take a walk, breathe in a lung-full of lovely air (and thank God you can do it), hug whomever you can, within reason, and have a wonderful day. Friends and family, I love and miss you more than you can know. May 2021 bring us peace and good health.