Use it Up, Wear it Out, Make it Do, or Do Without

They are tearing down the building kitty corner to the library – it’s been going on all week, so I don’t know why I was shocked to turn the corner this morning to see an entire block, empty. Sometime in the next two years that empty will be turned into 4 stories of condos and retail space.

Sunday morning I woke up to a phone call from my mom telling me grandfather had died. He’d been in hospice care since Thursday and was quickly declining, so this wasn’t unexpected. I was still suprised by the strength of my grief, though. My grandpa wasn’t a very warm man, and I never felt close to him. At the same time, I feel he went through life never feeling he was worth the space he took up or the air he breathed. He didn’t want my sister or I to see him in such bad shape, and I respected his wishes by staying up here. I’ve been thinking of some good things about him, because he was worth the space, everyone is.

Good Things About Robert Robinson

• He perservered
• He took my grandma and my dad to Europe and introduced them to different cultures
• He was always grateful to us for caring for him, even if he didn’t understand it
• He taught me my multiplication tables
• He provided for his family
• He inspired and mentored many of his fellow marathon runners and bicyclists

Sky started my birthday early. When we woke up Sunday morning, he told me to be dressed up and wearing something warm enough for scootering at 4pm that day. We did a bunch of errands, and at 4 on the dot I was ready. He was tricky – scooted us all over town: to Eastlake, but not to Sitka & Spruce, up towards Ballard, but not to an event at the zoo; down into Queen Anne, but not to a movie. We stopped for a drink and Sky relished in being vague. Finally, after walking right past On the Boards (where I thought we MUST be going), we wound over to McCaw Hall. Sky had gotten us tickets to the PNB’s 8 Encores show. It was amazing – especially since some of the pieces were ones we’d seen without the other and we could now share them after having talked about them earlier in the year. There were two special encores to showcase two departing dancers, one of which was Noelani Pantastico who is one of my favorites.

I fell asleep last night content and feeling reconnected: doors opening and closing and all of that business.