On Give and Take:

Mountain Man is gone for the whole day today. Don’t worry. He’ll be back by dark. He is off helping a friend.

We are not fused at the hip by any means. But we touch base often living the way we do. And that means little interruptions in the day. Not bad or good, just stopping what you are doing to look up and answer a question or hear the latest news.

Having the day to myself with no interruptions is heaven sent. I have gotten so much done with no one around to take my mind away from what I’m doing. It is wonderful in its own way. Like hearing a piece of classical music through to the end with no one coughing in the audience, or watching a whole movie without the kids asking questions.

But still I feel the aloneness. When the fire in the wood stove gets low he is not around to add more wood without my even having to ask. I miss his minor interruptions.

He asks me how I’m doing. He touches me as he walks past. I help him do things he could do alone, but it goes faster with two. We share the load.

Not that I’m missing picking up after him all day long. Or dropping what I’m doing to do something for him and forgetting where I was and having to start all over again.

It’s a give and take. We do for each other and have done for us. Nice to know someone else is there if you need them, kind of thing.

So, I’m making head way on fixing a few things for the doll houses. I’m a hot glue gun fool today. Loose bits and bobs, table legs that have come off, things that came apart or lost a piece or two.

But I am feeling incomplete. Because there is no one here to take my give.