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Because I can't bear to eulogize Doug - 2008-08-19
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10:26 a.m. - 2003-10-17
It’s the little things. The light switches are in the wrong place. A door that should swing left swings right. We had to swap the fridge door around too and I fumble every time, trying to reach for the handle with the wrong hand. At the old house I knew every trick and knack of the cantankerous window shades and warped cabinet doors and heavy windows with broken sash weights. It’s far more of a challenge to even up the mini-blinds in my new office windows than it has been to deal with bigger changes like writing down my new address and remembering my new phone number and to turn left and not right when I leave the mall parking lot. Even the stove knobs are in a different order. I automatically reach for the one on the end to light the burner under my tea kettle and on the new stove the back burner knobs are in the center of the row. These tactile changes remind me over and over that I’m someplace new. Mike took out the malfunctioning control valve from the well line and the kitchen faucet no longer burps when I turn on the tap, but I still have to give the handle an extra half turn, the water pressure is lower here. Such little things. Soon habits will be ingrained and there will be unthinking ease, but for right now I am still fumbling. Still groping the wall six inches too high to flip the light switch. Still opening the kitchen door into my foot. Still testing and adjusting the water temperature for my shower, finding that “just right” place in tiny measured increments. My head, my heart, even my bowels have embraced the new house, but my hands are going to need some time before they, too, are “home”. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mike’s youngest brother and his wife are due in tonight. Trucker BIL is very much the baby of the family, and while now in his late 30’s, has not quite given up the mindset that he should get his way all the time because he’s the youngest. It’s rather unnerving that this guy with the slight gut and receding hairline still pooches out his lip and sulks like a bratty 5 year old when he’s not cosseted and catered to as he believes is his right. MIL plays this game too and treats her youngest like a fragile nestling which much be protected from the more fledged and bigger hatchlings. The older siblings just roll their eyes and navigate around him, too used to this insane spoiling to protest or feel justifiably outraged. There’s a lot of sighing when Trucker BIL is around. Example: Trucker BIL is a long distance mover. He and his wife are independent operators contracting with one of the big moving companies. And for certain it would be a wearying busman’s holiday to have them give us a hand with our move. BIL has been vociferous about it, saying he’ll not tote a single box or crate during this weekend’s visit. But yet they’ve not once visited us without asking Mike to do some tune-up work on their rig. In fact they usually come through this area at least 8 times a year, but will only call to say they’re in town if their brakes are acting up or the hydraulics need a re-charge. How about a little quid pro quo, bro? Why is it okay for MIKE to use his time and skill and muscle on your stuff, but you’re fine with copping out on lending us a hand because moving is what you do for a living? Sheesh. But like I said, this is not new and the bunch in my panties is small. And there’s SIL, who is genuinely okay. Took some time for us to get used to each other, we’ve little in common beyond being married to brothers, but she’s okay. I could use a little girl time and this SIL is by far the girliest of my sisters-in-law. We’ll go craft shopping and hit a fabric store or two, maybe even do a bit of antiquing. She’s home so rarely, they are on the road almost continually, and she’ll gladly pitch in and help with the dinner. Home cooking is a treat after months of road food and microwave dinners hotted up in the truck. Time for me to do some menu planning and get the rest of the laundry done. The Hobbit House is far from finished, but company’s coming and I want to put the new house’s best face forward. ~LA Today’s Pick: “Truckin’” by The Grateful Dead
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