WEEK SIX OF JUST WE TWO

Spotted From Our Balcony Porch Just The Other Day

Well, I can't believe it. We're into our sixth week of sheltering here at home together, and we haven't even been tempted to strangle one another yet! In fact, I think we've actually grown closer, despite the fact that he made me get a new computer in the middle of all this. However, I just now noticed that several photos have disappeared from previous posts, for no reason at all, so the jury's still out on that. 

We had a serious scare last week, when I got a message from my best friend saying her hubby woke up convinced he had a fever, even though their two very old thermometers both said he did not. Still, he couldn't risk passing anything to her, since she has a heart condition, so he had isolated himself in the bedroom, and she was leaving food at the door. She mentioned, however, that he had a lot of congestion, and had been doing a lot of work in the yard. Sure enough, it turned out to be really bad allergies, but it got us all to thinkin' -- about what it would be like to lose someone now, not even being able to be there with them as they pass, or to grieve with other loved ones surrounding you, and to have to continue on alone. It gives you a different perspective, doesn't it? Yes, Easter was a bit of a downer, not getting to be with my grandbabies, and with nary a Cadbury egg in site, but we have soooo much else to be grateful for!

For instance, I think one reason we seem to be so content in this unusual situation could be that a lot of outside stressors are removed when everyone is on lockdown, and you have a legitimate excuse not to do all those things you don't actually want to do. Then there's the fact that you become more and more aware of what is really important, and what just isn't, the longer your confinement lasts. I know I have! To still really like the person you've been with for more than 45 years, in such a "That's it, I'm outta here!" era? To have kids and grandkids who are all healthy and happy and actually missing us? That we are all fortunate enough to be doing ok financially, and won't be left destitute, as so many others will, losing not only their loved ones but also their jobs, businesses and health insurance? Yes, I'd say we are very, very fortunate. And, I think I am most grateful for the fact that all my friends and loved ones took this thing seriously, right from the very beginning, so hopefully none of them will get sick either.

Oh yeah, and one other thing I'm grateful for? Online art classes, and art supply stores! I have artist Lucy Brydon to thank for her little mini class on mushrooms, and can't wait to see what she has to offer next month!

SNEAKING OUT OF THE HOUSE

So sorry for the long lag between posts. It was my Hubby's fault. Apparently my computer acted up one time too many, and the next thing I knew, he had ordered me a new one. Some people get excited about things like that. I do not. It's only taken about 40 years for him to catch on, but he's finally glommed on to the fact that I learn differently than he does. He always wanted to be sitting at the helm, typing away at lightening speed, calling instructions out to me over his shoulder. Not only could I not see what he was doing, but anything I heard was going in one ear and straight out the other. Then there was the fact that every time he transferred stuff from one computer to the other, I either lost months worth of recipes I had typed into the computer, or ended up with duplicates, then triplicates, of every photo I had ever imported. So, every time he announced that he had bought me a new phone or computer, I cried. This time it was different. He actually let me sit at the computer, and gave me time to take notes that I can refer back to when I have forgotten how to find or do something. I learn by doing, and by repetition. Give me two or three years and I'll have this down pat! And he'll be shopping for my next one...

Anyhoo, a week or so ago we had a pretty adventurous day, at least by Covid-19 standards. First I had my weekly meet-up with my Muses, via Zoom rather than coffee shop (Aaach, more new technology!). Then I actually got to go for a car ride, which led to a bit of synchronicity. Squeee! It started with daughter Lex sending us a message saying she had sewn some masks for us, and if we'd like to come get them, she could leave them out on the porch for us. Since we had a big box of diapers we needed to give her, we said "Heck yeah, a porch swap would be great!" I knew that Calvin would be pretty sad that we couldn't come in and play with him, and was wishing I had a little surprise I could take to him. So, I went to dig around in Mima's Magic Closet and found a fantastic book full of pre-decorated pages that you pull out and fold into paper airplanes. Perfect!

Lex and Calvin came to the window when we got there, and when I held up that book and pointed to him, you should have seen his face light up. In fact, he started to run to the door to throw it open, and Lex had to grab him fast, and remind him that we can't be together right now. That was hard. Really, really hard. But, on the bright side, as we were driving back home I reached into the sack to pull out a mask, and discovered a new letter from my little pen pal was in there as well!

Shortly after I discovered it, I got a text from Lex saying "Calvin really loves his paper airplane book!", so the two things got me to thinking -- about paper airplanes, and about what I should paint on the next card I send back to Calvin. That's when synchronicity struck. Suddenly a memory floated up, of a class I took online with Danielle Donaldson a while back, called Wild Blue Yonder, where we painted skies full of clouds and suns and birds and paper airplanes! I dug around in my stash when I got home and, sure enough, there was a little painting, just the right size to turn into a post card for my favorite pen pal. How lucky was that?

This week I started another art class online. This is a monthly subscription class, where I get new lessons each month, so it ought to keep me busy for the duration of this pandemic, and beyond. It's being taught by one of my favorite artists, Lucy Brydon, who lives in Scotland. I sometimes wonder which I love more, the way she teaches, or the way she talks! So, I'm off to paint mushrooms now. Catcha later!

SEVEN DAYS OF SQUEEDUNK: DAYS 3 and 4

Hubby's holding one of several humorous signs sent by his big brother.

Well, we weren't very far into Day 2's Jammy adventure before we got a call that required my getting dressed and hopping into the car, but at least it was for a happy reason. The Wimberley Cafe called to say "Guess what? We're gonna have that apple pie for you today after all, and it'll be ready in 45 minutes!" I was going to leave John home in his jammies while I ran to get it, but he said "Ah well, we might as well both go, and have brunch while we're there." Great idea Snookems! We did, however, come straight back home afterwards, put our jammies back on, and spent the rest of the day binge-watching a new Netflix series called Virgin River. And, of course, there was pie!

Day 3 ran into snags as well (do you see a pattern forming here?). It was supposed to be "Hanging at the Bookstore Day", using up a gift card I have on the both of us and spending some time in the cafe with our purchases and a hot beverage. However, when I got the call that daughter Lex had developed a case of mastitis, and was running a fever -- on the day her hubby was supposed to head back to work -- we decided instead to go grab Mr. Goobs and bring him to our house for a sleepover, so that she and Rowan could get the rest they needed.

If you have grandkids, or kids, or even pets, you know that the first one is the practice kid. And, ever since Calvin outgrew sleeping in a crib, where we could keep him contained, getting him to go to bed, and stay there, has been a problem. We'd tried every different combination of location and who he slept with, if anyone, until we finally figured out that the key was to wear him to a frazzle first. This time we took him on his first hike at Blue Hole Park, let him play on the playground there, then took him to Wimberley Cafe for his favorite dinner, their grilled cheese sandwich.

While I was waiting for the bill, Papa took Calvin next door to the new candy store, to try his first ever Tootsie Roll Pop. He liked it!

Soon as we got home we all got into our jammies and brushed our teeth, pulled open the sofa bed in the living room, and started up a good movie I had recorded for him. This time it was Paddington, and he was sawing logs within fifteen minutes, and stayed that way for 10 or 11 hours, never even noticing when Papa and I snuck back into our own bed! We started the movie up again the next morning, and boy, was he tickled to death when he discovered that I actually had some Paddington-style marmalade in my fridge for him to have with his breakfast, thanks to a dear friend down in Louisiana who is in his 90s, but still manages to make a batch every year using kumquats picked from his own trees!

So, day four was supposed to be our biggest adventure of the week, but when Hubby discovered that our rain tank was almost empty (we never got the fall rains that usually replenish it after our harsh summers) he had to call and order some water to be delivered, and take whatever day they gave him, since we couldn't risk running out altogether. So, instead of the adventure, he got to sit at home all day long, and of course, they didn't come until the very end of the day.

We're really on a roll now!

 

SEVEN DAYS OF SQUEEDUNK: Days One and Two

My Hubby is a New Year's baby -- first one born in Kermit, Texas in 1950, and therefore recipient of lots of good loot from local merchants. That was probably his last great birthday.

His own mother forgot his first birthday, amidst the aftermath of Christmas. I have never done that, but it does tend to be sort of an afterthought -- an "Oh yeah, I need to come up with something else fast" kind of thing. But not this year! This year I gave it lots of thought, and decided that a 70th birthday deserves seven days-worth of celebration. So, each day he is finding a new birthday card, and possibly a package, at his breakfast table spot, containing clues about what to expect that day. Yesterday was the first day, and it did not go well. That was Choose-Your-Birthday-Treat Day, and out of all the suggestions of things I could bake for him, he opted for one of Wimberley Cafe's yummy apple pies. Easy Peasy! Or so I thought. When I got there they told me they had just sold their last one, but they let me order one for pickup this morning. However, later that afternoon I got a phone message saying "Sorry, not before Thursday." Never mind! Instead, he got one slice of chocolate silk pie with his dinner at Hays City, and the poor guy had to share it with me. Probably for the best though, when you think of all the Christmas treats we've just indulged in.

Day Two, an official "Jammy Day", is starting off much better. He loves his new Rick and Morty PJs, and already has a new TV series picked out for us to binge-watch in our jammies. Who knows? We may even get around to taking down the Christmas tree! Or, we may just take a nice long nap, or read some good books...

FOR ALEXIS: MRS. EVERYTHING

Our daughters don't know -- what it was like growing up female in the 50s and 60s, and just how limited our options were. They think they do, but not really. To tell you the truth, I didn't fully understand myself, until I read this book, just how much things changed between the years when each of my sisters and I graduated from high school, in '64, '67 and '71.

I didn't get why the oldest felt her options were so much more limited than mine ..why all she wanted was to get married and have babies...why my middle sister switched her major from accounting to teaching, because that would be easier when she had kids...why I told my mom midway through college, after taking an abnormal psych class, that I didn't think I even wanted to have any kids, and aimed instead for a glamorous career as a buyer for Neiman Marcus, and to travel the world. Oddly enough, much like the two sisters in this book, we somehow switched paths along the way. They both ended up with the glamorous careers, while I opted to be the stay-at-home mom! But, at least it was by choice.

Our daughters though, they really have no clue why we fought so hard just to have the right to choose, and for equal rights and equal pay, and to have control over our own bodies. They never had the humiliation of walking into a store to purchase a washing machine, only to have the condescending old salesman suggest that I should come back later and bring my husband, to help me make such an important decision. My reply? "Why? It's not like he ever uses one of these things!" Lest you think poorly of him, he does do all his own laundry now, but that was a different day and age.

I used to think we had made great progress and that much had changed. Now, I'm not so sure. Which is why I'm hoping my daughter will read this book, then share it with all her friends -- so they can see for themselves just how far we have come, and just how much they stand to lose, if they don't actively participate in the decision-making process!

FORTY FOUR YEARS!

Can you believe it? Friday was our 44th wedding anniversary! What made it even better was the fact that this couple right here, who's anniversary is just a couple of weeks from ours, was here to celebrate it with us. They have been here with us, right from the start, sharing in all our adventures. Some good, some not so good, but all better for having them here with us.

From our first meet-up in Bahrain as newlyweds...

through all the parties we threw together in Houston...

Toga! Toga! Toga!

My 30th Birthday Wake

through the celebration of our first Christmas with our two miracle babies and all the family adventures that followed...

 
to sending them off to college, seeing them all married, having to relearn how to have fun without them, and now discovering the joys of grandparenthood...

Paula and Tim have been right there with us, every step of the way.

Actually, we're getting pretty good at this "having fun without the kids" business. Here's hoping we have many more years in which to perfect this talent!

HERE'S LOOKING AT YOU KID

A couple of days ago I was in a really grumpy mood, which is unusual for me -- so unusual that it makes my hubby quite nervous when it happens. I blame it on spending too much time on-line, reading about the horrible things we humans do to one another in the righteous name of religion and patriotism. Anyhoo, like I said, it made my hubby nervous. He remembered hearing me mention that I thought the new "googley eyes on statues" trend was pretty hilarious, so while I was off running errands, he did this.

I scoured the house pretty well, and thought surely I had spotted them all, but then the next morning, as I was reheating my tea in the microwave, I spotted a pair of eyes slithering down the side of my cup -- the cup I had been drinking from all morning! Clearly I'm not nearly as observant as I thought I was. Finally I went to my hubby and said "I give up! Are there any others that I missed?" He sauntered over to the refrigerator with a smirk and a gleam, and flipped the door open with a flourish.

Yep, pretty much everything in there had eyes, and I had been in and out of there numerous times, never noticing a thing! I guess I understand now why "eye witness accounts" are not considered to be all that reliable.
  

DESIGNATED DAYS AND HUBBY'S ADVENTURES

I used to make fun of people like this -- the ones who did certain things or ate certain foods on certain days of the week. Now I am one, and I don't even know how it happened! I guess it started with The Muses and our Tuesday morning get-togethers at the coffee shop, which were usually followed by trips to the library and grocery store, while I was there in town. So, Tuesday became errand day. Then, when our first grandbaby came along, Papa John and I offered to bring lunch over and play with the baby once a week for the first couple of months, so Lex could relax or catch up on things she needed to do. We enjoyed those weekly visits so much they just never came to an end, so Thursdays became "Goober Day".  Fridays became Hubby's and my "Date Day", Wednesday became appointment day, weekends were filled with adventures and family time, and lest I end up with no time whatsoever to do art or any of the things I personally wanted to do, I finally declared Monday to be Stay Home And Get Shit Done Day! Most times I don't even bother to get dressed on Mondays (a subtle reminder not to ask me to go anywhere or do anything) and putter around in my nighty, going happily from one project to another, with generous reading breaks in between.

Date Day is actually movie day. We love going to see all the newest movies as soon as they come out, and the best thing about being retired is being able to go on a Friday, during the day, to avoid the weekend crowds. Ever since the big new theater in Kyle opened, we've been going there, followed by lunch at Garcia's or Hays City or Mama Fu's. We do, however, have very different taste when it comes to films, one loving action films and the other preferring one involving an actual plot or story, so we take turns picking what to see. This week it was Hubby's turn to make the plans. Luckily, he chose a film based on a YA dystopian book series, so there was something in it for both of us. However, I suspected something more was afoot when he insisted that we go to the theater in San Marcos instead of Kyle. Why? He just felt like doing "something different." He also wanted to go to an afternoon showing instead of an early one.  Hmmmmm.

When he drove right past his favorite BBQ joint afterwards, I knew he had something up his sleeve, and this was it -- Patio Dolcetto.

Wine. Craft Beer. Tapas. Patio.

Now that's what I call a date!

FLASHBACK FRIDAY: YOU KNEW HE WAS AN ENGINEER WHEN YOU MARRIED HIM

This week's flashback is actually a three-part story that took place over a few weeks. You can stop after this first section, or just keep clicking "Newer Post" until you've read all three. Enjoy!

47 ADVENTURE-PACKED YEARS

Well, the little towns of  Marfa and Marathon, Texas would probably not have even crossed my mind were I to be thinking of ways to celebrate our 43rd wedding anniversary. I mean, it's not as if either one of us would even consider hiking in Big Bend, right? In fact, I'm fairly certain my brain would not have wandered past going for a nice dinner somewhere close by. Nonetheless, Marathon is where we are going. Why do you think I call my hubby Adventure Boy?

John The Rat Hunter

Wow. Forty three years. Add to that the four years we dated before tying the knot, and that's one heckova adventure! I know I've shared the story of how we met here several times over the last ten years, but it's been quite a while since the last time, so here it is for you newbies. And, if you'd like to read about some of our most epic adventures, in those early days of marriage, just hop on over to Miss Becky Goes Abroad -- the blog where I recorded all the stories I could remember of our first three years of marriage, living in Indonesia on Java, and then in Bahrain, as well as another three years in Indonesia with our young kiddos, this time on the island of Sumatra. Just click on the square brown "Miss Becky Goes Abroad" button over there in the sidebar, to the right of this post.

John, just before he goes airborne and loses his innertube on an engineer's version of slip 'n slide.

You can hear about our adventures in the wilds of west Texas when we get back!