I’ve found a new gap that needs to be filled. The empty bedrooms of a recent empty nester. Glenda’s last child moved out of the house three weeks ago and she misses them dearly. The house is too silent. Enter Beth of fresh air. I am sleeping in a teenager’s room full of magazine pages ripped out and put on the wall and the memories are flooding back. Swim medals and gel pens and notes folded into intricate shapes that are labeled “pull here.”
Glenda came home from work and I was filthy from yard work. She said, “I’m taking you to the theatre tonight!” So after we walked the handsome labradoodle (looks like 85% lab and 15% poodle), I hopped in the shower to get ready for a night of comedy in Dunedin. It was a hoot. There were jokes about Rosa Parks and Wellington haircuts and Ken.com. Laughter ensued. I met a few cool people and I thought, what if they become one of my new greatest friends? All because Tom Destino suggested I meet his wife’s second step cousin, whose wife introduced me to her coworker, who took me in, and then out to the theatre, where I met some cool people. One lady gave me her card because she has an orchard and needs some assistance. Who knows what will come next.
Glenda calls me (and many others, I’m sure) “Lovely.” “Hi, lovely.” “Good morning, lovely.” “Sleep well, lovely.” It warms my heart.
The people of Dunedin have proven to be extremely lovely. As are the views on the very steep streets:
beth of fresh air 