Friday Night

Prince Charming has been sick for the last few days.  Some viral upper respiratory thing.  He’s crabby and cranky.

I haven’t seen him crabby and cranky in, oh, 35 years so this is new to me.

I’m twanging on his nerves.  He’s twanging on mine.

So to smooth over the twanged nerves.  We are having a special Friday Date Night.

Actually, we forgot to thaw the fish for supper.  So we went to Long John’s.

On the way home, he pointed out Venus, Jupiter, and Mars.

He’s watching the Dayton – Xavier basketball game.

I’m shopping for books on my Nook . . .

Ain’t love grand?

 

Somewhat Back To Normal

There are still good days. There are still bad days.

But these two are helping me daily to see the joy in life.

Even when they wake me up at 6 a.m. on a Saturday because they want breakfast.

I love them!

Comfort Food For The Soul

“So do not fear for I am with you, do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”  ~ Isaiah 41:10

 

I know that the stories about life here in The Little House has been a little dark and dreary lately. 

Lots of hard and complicated stuff Prince Charming and I have to deal with these days.

But we are doing okay.  We talk a lot . . . we cry sometimes . . . we hug & kiss & say “I love you” a lot. 

When things get to rough . . . there’s always Rocky and Millie to put a big smile on our faces.  They seem to know when Mommy and Prince Charming need some extra puppy love. 

There are good days.  There are bad days. 

These are the days that make us treasure our happiness.

We’re gonna be just fine.

What?!

I got the news yesterday that a friend of mine from high school died unexpectedly.

I saw him at our 30th class reunion in August. He was as funny and friendly as ever.

I saw him at the funeral of the parent of my bestest friend in November.  He smiled at me and hugged me when I saw him.

I had planned to call his office to get an insurance quote because I was thinking of changing insurance carriers.  But I never got around to it because all of the quotes I was getting were way higher than what I was already paying.  I regret not making that call now.

He was part of the group that got together every few months for beer and pizza at the pizza place in the little town where we grew up . . . we’re realizing that 50 is just around the corner and mortality is starting to hit us between the eyes.  Losing parents, losing former teachers, kids starting college, the birth of grandkids.  Yea, we’re starting to feel kind of old.

If someone has been sick, or has a serious medical problem . . . you are sort of prepared for them to pass away.  But when it happens out of the clear blue sky for no apparent reason . . . and to someone you “just saw a month ago!” . . . it kind of shakes up your world . . .

An Ed Story

Yesterday was Prince Charming’s Dad’s funeral.  A very wonderful dignified service for a wonderful and dignified man.  Good old-fashioned “Homecoming” Celebration by a good-old fashioned preacher.  None of that new-age “Life Celebration” stuff for Ed . . . no, sir!

During the service, the preacher asked if anyone wanted to make some remarks about Ed . . . and Favorite Aunt got up and told a story about how her Big Brother Eddie ran off a guy that she had a crush on in high school because he thought that she had been out on a date just a little too long.  Considering how difficult it has been for Favorite Aunt to lose her Big Brother Eddie, I was proud of her for standing up and telling her story.

I wish I had that kind of courage because I had a story that I wanted to share.  But I knew I couldn’t stop crying long enough to get the words out.  So I’m telling that story here . . .

Prince Charming started dating when I was 12 and he was 13.  Our first date was a dance at the Local Junior High School.  Since we were so young, we had to depend on the parents for transportation.  Prince Charming’s Dad was more than happy to do that for us.

Now, let me tell you that I was TERRIFIED for Prince Charming’s Dad . . . because he looked like Abe Lincoln.  Tall, lanky, and even had the beard.  He was a kind man with a heart of gold and a mischievous streak a mile wide . . . and the temptation to pick on his oldest son and his new girlfriend on their first date was just too much to bear.

This was back in 1975 (yes, I just gave away my age!) and during the CB craze.  Prince Charming’s Dad had a CB . . . and a PA system attached to it.  I don’t remember WHY he had a PA system, but he did.  Anyway, there I am in the back seat of the Big Ford Station Wagon being driven to my first date EVER with a guy that I had a huge crush on.  We get to the dance and get out of the car start to go into the building.  All of our friends were arriving at the dance at the same time and there was a nice little crowd outside of the building.  Just as Prince Charming’s Dad was pulling away from the curb, he flipped the switch to the PA system and said . . . in his loud booming Abe Lincoln voice . . . “Ya’ll have a nice time now.”

I turned beet red.  Prince Charming turned beet red.  We wanted to crawl under the sidewalk and never be seen from again.

I think we could hear Prince Charming’s Dad laughing as he drove away.

And Now For Something Completely Unexpected

You go through life thinking you have a grip on things.

You make plans.  You have a “road map” for your future and you know where you want to go and how to get there.

You plan your work and work your plan.

What we always forget is that God sometimes has other plans for us.  And God rarely shares those plans with us.

We thought that Prince Charming’s Dad was going to beat the cancer and be in remission in a few weeks.  The chemo and radiation treatments were working.  Even though the treatments were rough on him physically . . . they were working and we had hope that it would end up being okay.

But  God had other plans for Prince Charming’s Dad and called him Home on Tuesday.

It was quick.  It was completely unexpected.  It was unrelated to the cancer.  It was a massive heart attack that took Prince Charming’s Dad away.

To say we are in shock would be an understatement.

Saturday Post

Yep, I’m up early again.

Silly cell phone went off with a weather alert.  Wouldn’t have been so bad except Prince Charming’s cell phone went off at the same time.  We both subscribe to the local weather alerts.

Once Millie hears an alarm, she’s up and thinks we need to be up too.  Time to play!  Time for breakfast!  Time to potty!  Not necessarily in that order.

While they’re outside I’m reading my Nook . . . actually my friend’s Nook . . . she has a book that she thought I needed to read but can’t “lend” it to me . . . Poor Prince Charming . . . now I have two Nooks to distract me!

I need to be doing laundry . . . I really ought to be finishing my latest cross stitch piece . . . I’m having fun watching the dogs romp in the ice and snow that fell last night . . . I should be watching the weather on the local news to find out about the winter storm that came through last night . . . I’m sure Prince Charming is gonna ask about it when he wakes up.

Hopefully I get to spend the day right here at home doing all of the above . . . or none of the above . . .

After the rough week I’ve had I’m happy for to have some quiet time.