How You Can Tell When My Husband Is Away

This is how I will be dressed.

Yes, I will wear the stilettos with my robe. And I will wear the diamond earrings with the jade bits. And I will put on lipstick and mascara.

I might even comb my hair. Oh, you know I'm lying about that. Why comb it? It's almost a crew cut!

I wait until after dark to get the mail. I wait until after dark to cart the recycle cans to the curb. I wait until after dark to drag the cans back in.

Because my back yard is fairly private, I can go outside anytime I want. Of course, since it has rained day and night now for 8 days and 8 nights, I am not spending that long out there either.

I only have visitors who do not care if I dress. I had an anxiety attack the other evening and a male friend brought over some booze. After a couple of drinks, I was calmer and he went home.

Nobody seems to think it's strange that I don't dress for weeks at a time. The right shoes and earrings make up for that. When I was very young and living in an apartment, my landlord never saw me in anything but a nightgown and robe in 4 years. He never said "That's strange." (Not to me, anyway.) My landlord's name was Marvin. I named my fish after him. He was truly a great guy. I loved Marvin. He and his wife Bernice were a couple of the sweetest people I've ever known. Bernice was an artist. I adored her too.

I have four identical white robes and I alternate them to allow for washing. I usually skip the nightgown because, well, frankly, what for? Just one more thing that needs washing and who needs that!

I can order groceries online and the delivery boys could care less what I am wearing. I do go out to get the packages from the mailman, but he likes me this way.

Bad Romance

Yes, that is a long cigarette holder in my hand.

Yes, there is a highball glass full of ice and old scotch in my other hand.

You might also note there is a gardenia pinned in my hair. And I am suitably attired in a black nightgown.

What you might not know is that this photo was taken about 8 AM by a friend who kept my cigarettes lit, my drink full, my orchid fresh, and my kids fed. Oh, he also took the photos to document. He thought I was very interesting.

One weekend of this, and the romance is history. You do it your way, I'll do it mine.

The Children's Room

We moved into this 130 year old Victorian house ten years ago.

The upper level is actually converted attic space. When we bought the house, we decided to have the upstairs remodeled a little.

There had been four small bedrooms and an open family room arrangement. We converted one of the bedrooms to a closet for me, and took out a wall between two bedrooms to make a larger bedroom for ourselves.

One little weird shaped bedroom was perfect for "children's room". The room has a slanted peaked ceiling and a charming porthole of a window. There is a toy chest in one corner and a small television with video games. I found an old child's rocking chair buried under the house and cleaned it up and painted it blue. Perfect! Every child who comes into our home makes a beeline for this room.

Keep in mind, ten years ago, my grandson Cyrus was 8, his sister was 4. I still have 2 grandchildren who are younger, Aidan turned 10 yesterday and his sister Abbey is 6.

It makes me sad to think in the future, we may have to re-purpose this charming little room.