Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

Twenty Weeks Today I Lost The Love Of My Life!

The grieving process is a journey and not a place. It never ends; it just evolves. We will get through the toughest parts, but grieving is a passage. The only cure for grief is to grieve.

We would walk for hours holding hands when we stopped and admiring the grounds of the Huntington.  For the past many years, Sue was in a wheelchair, but I managed to take her everywhere she wanted to go.  She loved the cactus garden and was always amazed at the beauty of Mother Nature.  She saw wondrous things everywhere she looked; it was who she was.

I renewed my membership at the Huntington, and I plan to go a couple of times a year just to remember the fantastic times we spend with friends and each other seeing the various gardens go through their seasonal phases.   I miss her so much, so very much!

I so want to walk the Huntington Library and Gardens with Sue one more time. This picture still brings tears to my eyes as she was so amazing, such a caring and loving soul.

 

Well, good news today as the torture device located on the bathroom floor finally decided to tell me a good story!  I indicated I was only 189.2 pounds this beautiful morning!  The BMI, which I discount because of my build and bone structure, came in at 26, meaning I still have a few pounds to lose.  I am now well within striking distance.

Another ten pounds and I am home free!

I prepared the house for my house cleaners, and I took a well-needed shower.  I darned near walked into the glass door. It was so spotless!  I will have to get used to the new doors.

I got a call from Lowe’s, and they decided to bring the new dishwasher today, so I had to call Bob Z and cancel the luncheon.  Then, another call cancels that plan, but it was too late for me to go to Santa Ana, so I called Robin, and we had lunch at the Yucatan Grille.

I got there ahead of Robin and had a margarita.  We got to sit in the patio area today as the inside was “closed.”  The patio is quite colorful!

Bring on the grub!!

I showed my artwork to Robin.  I taught all the grandkids to make designs out of their tortillas.  Grandpa; the myth, the legend, the bad example!

Yes, I am still making designs in my tortillas.

We had a lovely meal and talked for a good half hour before she had to go back to work.  Work is about five minutes away for her.

All smiles, and she now has the latest on the house remodeling status.

When I got home, Bob was hanging plastic all over as he was getting ready to shoot the walls with the texture coat.  I worked in the garage, sorting through all the stuff that ended up on my workbench.

I wandered out into the garden to examine everyone as the weather has begun to turn warm.  Joe’s favorite fruit was in full bloom.

I shall save several for Joe, and perhaps he can take them to work in his lunch!

Watering Corn is Important! Watering corn is so important; it could make or break your crop! Corn plants need approximately 1 1/2 inches of water every week to thrive and reach their full potential. Drought conditions will result in stunted plants that are reluctant to produce full-sized ears of corn.

The corn is getting tall, and I could see the tassels at the top of the plant.  The tassel is a male flower. Remember that the corn plant contains both male flowers and female flowers (corn silks) on the same plant. The tassel consists of many smaller parts that work together to release pollen.

On these corn stalks, I will be careful to pick them at their peak and not let them get starchy. When corn is ready to harvest, the cornsilk turns from a light blond color to a dark brown. When the cornsilk is dark brown down to the husk, you can assume that the corn is ready to eat. To double-check the ripeness of the corn, pull back the husk a little bit and take a peek at the kernels.

Look carefully, and you see the tassels beginning to form.

Now it is 4:00 PM and time to eat again.  Why me?  I got below 190 pounds, and here I am eating twice a day!  It’s going to take two days to get back down in weight.  I think I will try Lee’s suggestion and go on an apple diet for a day or so!

Vicky cooked some ribs and a hunk of steak plus we had potato slaw followed by a lemon bar, courtesy of Irene.   The shower curtains were up and working well.  You can’t see Ed this time, but he is on the left-hand side of this picture.  The two layers of heavy plastic material hide him well.

What (or who) is behind curtain number one?

The shower curtain seems to work well!  We can “see” each other, talk, and act almost normal, but the virus stays put.  Great idea, Vicky!

Vicky and Del

I sat and talked with them for an hour before returning home (which is next door) to check on Bob,

Heading home!

I called Colleen, and she was up and visiting her inlaws, which I got a chance to meet and chat with for a while.  They are heading to Niagra Falls in the morning and then back to Iowa and tend the corn, I made that part up!

The wall texture was done, and the plastic was removed.  The walls look amazing.  Tomorrow the vanity and the granite should be here, and hopefully, it will be installed.  Then it will be time to paint.

In the home stretch!

The decorative tiles are now in the wall on the back of the shelf.

I love the design inside the wall.

Now I am safely back home.  I returned Lee’s call from earlier, and we chatted for a while, hopefully trying to find a break in our “busy social schedules” to get together and have lunch somewhere.

From there, I headed to bed as it was almost 9:30 PM, so I watched two episodes of Hanna, and I am closing in on the end of season two, which was the last one, I believe.

Before going to bed, I checked the toonies and saw one I will send to Becca and Zack!

 

About Paul

Just an old retired guy trying to finish out my last years on this planet. I lost my best friend and wife in early 2020. I was blessed again by reconnecting with Dr. Mary Côté, a long-time friend. Mary and I got married July 28th, 2021, and are enjoying life together and plan to spend the rest of our lives being a blessing to our friends and family.
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