October 15, 2023: My Daugher and Grandchild （娘と孫）

A week ago, my happy life with my grandchild came to an end at last. My daughter and grandchild came back to their own home after their stay at my home for about a month. I am now having a lot of emotions. I am now relieved to see the baby grow fast and to see that she and her mother have finished their stay at my home without any problems. They seemed to enjoy their stay. I think that my wife and I did everything we could do for them. Overall, my wife and I enjoyed their stay and were very happy to have had such a good time. But we found it much harder than we expected to look after a grandchild. My wife was exhausted at times. She was busy giving the baby a bath every day and looking after the baby in the middle of the night. I really appreciate her hard work.
On the other hand, we have already missed them. After they left my home, my wife and I returned to our normal life in the peace and quiet we had before. That is fine because it is our normal life that we have to live. But as time goes by, their absences make my heart grow fonder. I really want to keep watching my grandchild all the time as she is changing every second. I have to wait another two weeks to see her again. Two weeks later, we are going to take her to a shrine to celebrate her birth and pray for her growth.
In the meantime, I will take my mind off the loneliness with the photos of the baby. Every two or three days, my daughter sends them to me. In addition, I got a big present from my town to take my mind off it. On the evening of the day when my daughter and grandchild left my home, a fire festival took place. As it took place just in front of my flat, I could see it from my balcony without going out of my flat. It was so beautiful and exciting that it helped me to forget my grandchild for a while.

　一週間くらい前に、とうとう孫との楽しい生活が終わりを迎えました。娘と孫が、約1ヶ月に及ぶ我が家での暮らしを終えて、自分たちの家に帰っていったのです。いま、様々な気持ちが入り混じっています。まずは、孫がすくすくと育ち、ほっとしています。また、娘と孫が我が家での暮らしを無事終えてくれて、ほっとしています。二人は我が家での生活が楽しかったようです。とりあえず、僕たち夫婦が二人のためにできることは全部やったつもりです。全体としては、二人が家にいてくれてすごく楽しいひと時を過ごせました。でも、孫の世話は想像以上に大変でした。妻は、疲れ果てる時もありました。毎日、孫をお風呂にいれ、夜中はあやしていました。妻には、感謝しかありません。
　その一方で、孫が恋しいです。今は、静けさに包まれた元の生活に戻りました。この生活が本来の姿なので、問題はないのですが、時が立つに連れて、孫への思いが募ります。刻々と変わる孫の表情をずっと見ていたくなります。孫に再開するには、後2週間の我慢です。2週間後にお宮参りをします。
　その間、娘が数日ごとに送ってくれる孫の写真をみて寂しさを紛らわします。また、街からもビッグプレゼントがありました。娘と孫が帰っていった日の夜に、花火大会が行われました。大会はボクのマンションの目の前で行われたので、外にでなくても、ベランダから見れました。非常に美しく、迫力満点だったので、孫のことを忘れるひと時になりました。