​Weathering the Storm with the WP#184

As I sit here today, it is a very special birthday day, a heavenly birthday, if there is such a thing, as today Kenn would have celebrated his 86th birthday, but his passing a little more than a month after his 85th birthday, stopped that from happening. Death is part of the cycle of life for everyone.  I miss hearing his booming voice, each time I spoke with him, although later in his life, it was not as booming, but it was still Kenn. He used to say that he did not know what he wanted to do when he grew up, and while his childhood was nothing to write home about, hearing these stories in his later years, I don’t think he ever did, in many ways. He loved life and showed it every day. I noticed when I came to visit him in New York in the early years or later years in California. He took what he did seriously but was never so serious about it. He had confidence in himself as a teacher, and as a concert pianist, when he played, and this echoed throughout a room or concert hall. I sat in on some of his classes decades ago, and also attended a few of his concerts. He truly loved life and lived it to the very end, playing his Steinway piano each and every day at home and giving lessons to the end, both piano and vocal, including online during the pandemic. I have inherited this from him, taking what I do very seriously, but also, not taking myself so seriously and having fun doing it. ​

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I shared with you when he died last October, our history, and I know he was “there” at our wedding in February. I felt his presence or perhaps I wanted it to be so, as this was the most important day of my life. Of course, knowing that his birthday was coming up, my mood over the past few days, or even weeks, has changed a bit. I was recalling the times we had in the 40 some years we had a relationship, as crazy as it was and, really feeling a void in my life. He is there in spirit, but I can’t pick up the phone and call him, and sometimes now, I wish I could. In fact, when I switched phone companies, I lost all the voicemails I had from him that I had kept, not having saved the audio elsewhere, but I still here his voice in my head, so I guess that is what counts and the memories. I thought I had closure when I went to his funeral last October and said my peace, but maybe not fully. I am sure when that anniversary approaches next month, I will write more, but felt the need to write about this first and foremost. ​

I don’t have any pictures to share this week about progress, but there has been some progress. The floors are down in both the bathroom and the kitchen, and the walls are being prepped for painting. Rosa and I agreed on paint colors throughout the condo, except the bedroom which has yet to be touched, as it is the storage area and we even agreed on a kitchen table and chairs, so that is progress, but there is still a long way to go. I thought that next week, the kitchen was to be built, but now, I hear that it won’t be for another week and the bathroom still need more tiles on the walls, then to be painted when the paint is brought in and then maybe, we may have a bathroom. Honestly, I am glad I will be gone for a few days later next week up in Tuscany at a trade show and conference, and I will be able to meet and greet some clients on Tuesday, here in Rome, before I do that, as I do need a change of scenery from the city, or more specifically, sitting at my computer working for the most part each day. As I have said before, I know we will have a place to live in the future that is ours, but sometimes the frustration creeps in with the pace of the progress, and the pace of the bureaucracy that is this country. ​

The other news from the past week is that the teaching position is mine, if and when I am able to get the paperwork together for that. I was not able to open an Italian bank account, yet, as I do not have what I need to do so, but in the end, I simply opened a savings account with my current bank in the states as a patch. It is funny to me, but really, the usual bureaucracy here and everywhere I suppose. There was a bank here in Rome, actually a French bank that was willing to open an account, if I could produce a letter stating that I was offered a job here with the school in Rome. When I mentioned this to the school, they kindly said they would check with their human resources department. A few days later, I received a message saying that the school is unable to write a letter stating that I have been offered a job at the school, yet they can verbally offer it to me, so why not, a letter, since this country is so paper driven. In the end, I can’t get a foreign bank account until I have the contract, which until I complete all the paperwork, I won’t have, but, but, but they can send my pay, once a month to my US bank account, some days later due to the wire transfer time and then get wacked by the lousy currency fluctuation. Yes, I am venting a bit here today, but, on the other hand, it is in the short term, and if all goes well, then I will, once in possession of a contract, go with the other documentation and open a foreign bank account and do more paperwork. ​

I am truly appreciative of what I have and happy that, if push comes to shove, I don’t need this teaching job, although it would be nice and give me another avenue to be a part of this place. There is so much on my plate and Rosa’s plate right now and it is stressful for both of us, and it does take a toll. In the end she and I discussed this and that maybe, right now is not the right time to do this and to put it off for the near future. I will still go through the process and if everything falls into place, then I will proceed, but if it does not happen, the world will not end. My relationship with Rosa is more important than this and every day I must remember this. She is in fact, the most important part of my life and the reason why I am here in Rome, in the first place, to be with her and I will never forget that. I look forward to the time when she and I can sit back and relax, time away from this very stressful in our life to reflect on everything and even laugh about what we had to do to get to where we are. I know this will happen, but it too, will take time as long as everything is still unsettled. I know that I have said we have settled in, but every day is a challenge and I know she and I are up to it. ​

I hope you have enjoyed my offerings each week and appreciate that you have read my blog posts and look forward to sharing. As always, thank you so much for your support of Rosa’s and my crazy little world here in Rome. We truly appreciate your support. Stay safe, healthy, and most importantly happy, and as always, your shared comments and thoughts are most welcome!!!

Rest in Peace Kenneth Ralph Gartner on what would have been your 86th birthday. Happy heavenly 1st birthday as I think about you all the time and miss you.