I can't remember when I've had the house to myself on a Friday night. Someone is always home especially in the evenings. But I shipped hub off to Savannah today for a 5 day conference....and my sons are either working or out.
It's a bit spooky.....but I am grateful for the quiet.
It's been a strange week....full of stress and decisions.
Last night my writing fish died. Ever since I went to the keyboard....I've kept a red Beta...a Siamese Fighting Fish....in a small aquarium near my desk. I know fish have little brains...but somehow Faulkner internalized a bit of life beyond the glass ...so that when my hand came near....he would circle and wait for his food. I watched him swim while I worked from my computer. He was small company....small comfort.....and even though he was only a couple of inches of life... my office seems empty without him.
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My old Springer Spaniel nearly died this week too. Anaphylactic shock. I took him to the vet for a routine checkup and shots... in the parking lot afterwards....he laid down on the gravel and his breathing became more and more labored. He's an anxious mealy type of dog....so at first I thought he was just over excited by the dreaded trip to the vet.
But by the time hub came out of the office....Mike's rib cage was heaving. Hub scooped him up and we went back inside. In the exam room, I took off his collar and leash ....I noticed his tongue was turning blue....He's going to die...I though.....he has only minutes.....with tears rolling down my face.....I took off his leash and collar. He stared up at me....his eyes bulging with panic and asking for help.... Dr. Bill came in and carried him off..... someone closed the door.
.
God I hate sitting behind the closed door....while pet or family member or someone you care about is on the other side....in acute distress. We sat and waited to see if he would live or die. Quick injections, oxygen, and an ice bath to combat a 106 degree temp (normal in shock).....brought him back. We picked him up a couple of hours later.... he looked exhausted but fine. I was antsy and anxious for the rest of the day and had troubled dreams all night.
My outdoor work being a chigger hor doeuvres also made me realize that I'm going to have to become a housewife for a while. The house desperately needs a wife. With hub and I so busy plus teen boys.....the house is always at the bottom of the list.
There are a dozen projects waiting....a bit of dry rot....a leaky sink....weird gutter run off.....a growing crack in a window....each week I try to tackle something....the problem is when the list has 12 or 13 things on it....you fix one or two things but one or two things get added on to the list ...so you never advance.
At first, I thought I could tackle all the projects by the end of October, then Thanksgiving, now I'm thinking January 1st. It feels strange to "flip" my days. Usually I do writing, correspondence, errands and other work first then the house.....now its coffee, a quick glance at the NY times online and my email....then yard...house....yard....house.
I keep telling myself it's only for a couple of months....and holiday hours will be coming up at the bookstore plus other commitments....so I won't be locked in the house.
But still....dry rot...leaks....yardwork...for 2.5 months......that's a prison sentence.....lol.....
Just attach the ball and chain and give me my weed whacker.....
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