Hi everyone. It's a good feeling to come here and see all the familiar avatars and usernames, and everyone's ups & downs:
so we'll live,
And pray, and sing, and tell old tales, and laugh
At gilded butterflies, and hear poor rogues
Talk of court news; and we'll talk with them too,
Who loses and who wins; who's in, who's out;
And take upon's the mystery of things,
As if we were God's spies
(Lear)
I'm feeling a little sorry for myself. I just got rejected for a grant, which even though it wasn't a lot of money -- well, I worked hard to put the proposal together and it's always a disappointment, though a common one. I made a decision to try to pull something out of my career, and at times like this it seems pointless -- too much work with not enough merit or gratification in the work. This feeling will pass, and I'll have some series of new distractions to waste my wits on.
Rob, I commend you for taking care of making your estate tidy now and helping Melissa prepare.
Melissa, I know you have your own fear and sorrow that you're coping with. I hope you'll use the forums to look for support whenever you need it.
I'm very glad to read every day about how the two of you help one another. Shared suffering reveals the strength of a relationship.