Thursday in January

Ahh, Thursday afternoon, usually my start of the weekend. Been to art classes, did all the laundry on Monday, did my babysitting of the beloved twins (definitely not a chore but still a must-do) on Tuesday, house tidied up last night for the cleaning crew this morning. No, I don’t actually clean for the cleaning people, I put away all the clutter that continued to multiply for 2 weeks so every possible surface can be cleaned and shined so at least twice a month this house is totally and completely clean and smelling like furniture polish and soap.

Today at class, I could tell a lady friend had something on her mind but seemed hesitant to actually come out and say anything. So I gently pushed and she told me it was her daughter’s birthday today. She and I belong to a special “club” among the art students. We’re the only ones in our club because we’re the only ones who’ve lost a child. We hope not to have any more members in our club. Her daughter died of cancer two years ago and while talking about her birthday, we realized that our children were the same age and would have had their 38th birthday this year. David has been gone 3 years so I remember trying to help her when her daughter was struggling to fight to live. Of course, I didn’t have any words to help her then, even though I’d just been through that. Nor did I have any today. We say more as we look into each other’s eyes, feeling those hot tears, prickling behind our eyes, knowing only we know/understand what’s going on in our hearts and minds. I guess we don’t really need words.

Today is also Terry’s birthday. My so-called “boy toy” is now 56 years old so I’m not sure he still qualifies for that title. He’s off teaching two sessions of karate right now and won’t be home until 9. I’m so glad he’s back to martial arts, that has always been his love.

Saturday night, I’m giving a small dinner party. I’m making the lasagna tomorrow so I’ll have less work that day. We’ll have 4 other couples besides us and plan on playing a game. We did this a couple years ago and had so much fun. The game we play is called “Catch Phrase,” where you have to guess the word/phrase your partner is trying to tell you. Somewhat like password and it’s on a timer and you can hear the ticking of the timer getting faster and faster and you have to get the word and pass it on to the next couple before it buzzes. It gets a little crazy and a lot of fun. We usually start out keeping score but that never lasts long. No one really cares who wins or not because it’s just fun to play.

This Christmas, when I gave my daughter and her husband each an afghan I had crocheted for them, my father in law wondered where his was. So I made one for him. I never would have thought a man would want one. I enjoyed the pattern and the variegated yarn so much that I started another one in a different color. It wasn’t for anyone in particular but figured I’d just keep it and maybe use it for a gift sometime. I just enjoyed doing it. Terry watched me for awhile and then asked when was I going to make him one. I was stunned. Here’s a man who’s his own heat-generating machine. Once I married him, I never needed an electric blanket ever again. And now he wants one. I think he just wants me to say I love him in yarn!! So we picked out the colors that he likes and they should soon arrive in the mail and by then I should have finished this other one. We have a Michael’s store but they are always out of so many things that it’s just easier to order it online and shipping is probably the same as it would cost me in gas, time and stress of dealing with traffic.
Who would have thought that a big ol’ burly man would want his own afghan?!!

But secretly, it will allow me to justify watching trash TV. Yesterday I watched The Real Housewives of Orange County. So for those people not living in California, I don’t know anyone who looks like them. I’ve never even seen those kind of clothes in any stores around here. Although I do know women who act like them. Maybe I should say “did” know but no longer. Scary people and scary looking.
Definitely a train wreak in progress.