The little wife and I had a great time in London over the holidays, and now we're buckling down for some pretty foul winter weather - our area of New England's going to get hammered. Reports are calling it a bomb cyclone. Never even heard of that before, but we're stocked up on essentials & like...pounds of UK tea.

My grandfather had a stroke 2 nights ago, still hospitalized while he also recovers from a fever. His first stroke was in his early 70s, and it really debilitated him - he's in his late 80s now, but he's been prepared for the worst for years. It's a strain on my grandmother, but she lives in an almost literal family enclave surrounded by her sons and grandchildren. She's not prepared to be without him, but she'll never be alone.

That stage of life is so difficult for me to think about. They've been together for 60+ years, and they've faced more than I can imagine, including several death scenarios. When I put myself and my wife in that place - or my parents 20 years from now - I feel such a sense of dread...? inadequacy? something. The life experience they have is so valuable. I called my grandmother this morning before work to check on her. She's horrifically upset of course, but her outlook is...I don't know. Graceful? I don't know how to describe it, and I don't think she can either. But she feels it, lives in it, and it's not killing her to be in that emotional space. I ended that call feeling like she had reassured me. What a way to be.