BOY HOWDY! Something must have sneaked into my coffee or iced tea this morning and infected me with an urge to do work. It’s been a while.
If you read my intodementia.com blog you know my wife, Connie, is dying. Hospice says she is in her last days. The decline began weeks ago. I’ve been adrift. Not doing much. It’s been a pretty Spring, but I’ve sleepwalked my way through it for the most part. I have noticed the beauty but it has not stirred me as it has in the past.
Until today. The workmen who have been constant companions out in the apartment courtyard since last October finally finished past mistakes this morning. They pounded the last nail, screwed the last screw on the siding and pronounced my patio ready for habitation.
So, I habituated, among other things. I got all the furniture moved out, the flower boxes attached to the railings, filled the boxes and pots with potting soil.
I have a painter coming Friday to do accent walls in the apartment and give the place some color as opposed to the institutional off-white it came with. It will, to borrow a phrase from HGTV, “POP!” I took down paintings, did some cleaning of baseboards, got it all ready for the painter.
Then I drove out to Distinctive Gardens in West Bradford Township, my favorite garden center. I got a ton of plants, a bit more potting soil, chatted with the employees who thought I might be rushing it a bit – “going to be 33 Monday morning” one said. Nah. My patio is protected by the heat of the building and the balcony above it so is always a few degrees warmer than the airport.
I brought all that home then decided I needed to clean the traffic areas of the bedroom carpet, so did that.
I mixed in a couple of visits to the memory care center to sit by Connie’s bed and hold her hand, tell her what I was up to. I don’t know if she heard me or understood, but I enjoyed filling her in.
Just before supper, and my evening trip to the memory care unit, I got out the sweeper and, per the instructions which I actually read, thoroughly vacuumed up all the cleaning solution and powder.
Tomorrow I will move all the furniture in the living room and bedroom to the centers of the room and clean the floors, baseboards I don’t usually look at. Then I will put the plants in boxes and pots and sew some seeds I got.
I don’t know if I have turned a corner on lethargy and the drifting through the love of my life dying, but I do know my back hurts, I’m starting to get some aches in muscles. I’d forgotten how good that can feel. Saturday, the painter in the rear view mirror, I will see if I can keep it going and put everything back together.
Yep. Feels good. Thanks to whatever crept into me and gave me a kick in the ass.
Rich Heiland is a retired journalist and semi-retired consultant, trainer and public speaker. During his journalism career he was a reporter, editor, publisher, college instructor, part of a Pulitzer Prize-winning team and a National Newspaper Association Columnist of the Year honoree. He lives in West Chester, PA and can be reached at [email protected].
Could be the mold is finally all gone! Or this lovely weather. Whatever it is, I’m very glad you are enjoying a chunk of happiness and satisfaction 🙂
When you get bored, we have some more stuff for you to do
When you get bored, we have some more stuff for you to do
Life goes on my friend, and she will always be with you. Yard/patio work always is a place to connect with Gaia and the inner self. Love and peace my friend.