Month: January 2023

Stubborn Old Folks

My husband and I had lunch yesterday at one of our favorite lunch spots, Famous Dave’s.  They have fabulous barbecue, and we go every Friday for lunch, often picking up some lunch for my sis to drop off at her house.

He seemed to have trouble getting up, and I offered to help.  I swear he almost snarled at me.

“I don’t need help!”

Well, I rolled my eyes, and we went on our way slowly.

It’s not uncommon for elderly couples to help one another get out of a seat, or with groceries, or other tasks that come up.  But, I don’t know, we seem to be two of a kind.  Because today, after grocery shopping, he offered to help.  And, of course, I said, I’ll be fine, and continued to bring in the grocery bags.  They weren’t bad this week anyway.

Then I recalled that Friday lunch.  I know neither of us will ask for help, and don’t want help.

What we want is to be fully functional as we’ve always been.  Even though it’s becoming clear we aren’t so young anymore, or so independent.

Frankly, he’s always been a gift from God to me, because we fit, and he’s provided everything I’ve ever needed.  Including independence to do what I choose with my time, and lots of quiet, so I can blog, or read, or do research as I choose.  Always supported my art projects, and always supported our children.  And grandchildren, as well.  Allowed me to homeschool those grandkids, and we enjoyed that so much, took many trips, saw many things, explored and learned so much.

God is good.  And He sent me an angel.  One who insists he can do everything by himself, even though he’s bent over, can’t stand straight from failed back surgery, in chronic pain, and now has COPD.  He’s stubborn.

Like me.  We fit.  60 years we’ve fit.  I love the guy.

Been a While, but I had a Dream

Sometimes in dreams the strangest things happen.  And I’ve never attempted to interpret them, or try to figure out what they mean.  But this one?

My sis and her husband, both having grave medical conditions, have a car with a dead battery.  Now, that’s true.

And I talked her into taking it to NTB which stands for National Tire and Battery, to replace the battery.  Once I got it started, that is, with my handy dandy Halo starter switch.

When we got there, in the parking lot, there was her plane, a WWII wreck that could still pick up off the ground and fly briefly now and then.  I’ve no idea why it was in the NTB parking lot!  I just knew she loved the plane so much, even if it was a wreck.

We were told by the technician, that the battery would be $300, and that would fix the car, and keep it running.

But she wouldn’t do it.  Needed the $300 to fly a short distance, so spending it on a car battery was not an option.  Not in her book.

We discussed, argued, and reasoned the issue, and in any event, the car had to make it back home with a bum battery, so I’d have to use my Halo again to get it started just for that.  And then, it would be permanently dead.  Unless she relented and made a sensible decision.

Now, they were both in bad shape, physically, and in pain all the time.  Couldn’t even manage without a walker, and I couldn’t understand the stubbornness at all.  The car was obviously more important to their actual daily functioning.

But the plane was more important to them.

Eventually, in the argument, she said, “You don’t understand, do you?  The daily grind is just daily grind.  Merely surviving!  I’ve had enough of that for all eternity!  That plane represents FREEDOM!  That plane will lift me off the ground, and fly me around like a bird, and I NEED that plane!  It’s my hope, my dream, my possibility of escaping this daily grind, and GOING SOMEPLACE whether or not I ever come back! ”

And I saw it.  I saw the two of them climb aboard, and lift off!

What’s remarkable about the dream is I recall every moment of it when I awoke.  That’s rare.  And it scared me.  We seldom agree on anything, but I love my sis.