Today I went over to my mother-in-law’s (ex) and made chicken noodle soup.  She suggested I use a precooked chicken so that was easy.  I took all the meat off and used the carcass for stock.  Then I made mashed potatoes and peas to go with the chicken and while we ate dinner the soup cooked. 

She sang the words to her favorite tune in My Fair Lady and told me the story of her elopement in Coronado, something I’d never heard for some reason.  She’s going downhill fast and now that my youngest has gone back to New York she’s living alone again.  Grandma’s still chain smoking Pall Malls and has been for 65 years. When you walk in the house it about knocks you out.  Plus it’s 80 degrees in there.  But I want to soak up every bit of her that’s left, while I still can. 

I made an excellent bean soup with the last of the ham.  I’d diced and frozen the last pound.  It’s like the last of the Christmas traditions.  Except for taking the tree down, which I keep forgetting to do.  It’s in the living room, and I rarely go through there. 

Today was so gloriously sunny I took a walk with the dog around the neighborhood while Derek washed the car.  I had to leave for the dentist and as I backed the car down the long driveway I watched him.  The dog was sitting at his feet and he was watching the sun bounce off the car.

Derek is in a corn contract which I thought he should stay in, even though it was falling and he was losing a fair amount of money.  We have come to a place where we can say what we think the other should do even if we’re wrong and it costs the other some money.  So far I am right.

We went shopping for a floor.  Again.  I told him I wanted to go alone because he would be on edge.  The market for grains wasn’t going to be open for three hours and I think he wanted to get out of the house so we both went.  He wore a new sweater and sang along to the oldies. 

Last night I had our mutual friends, along with their two-year-old, to dinner.  For some reason Derek doesn’t like to socialize with them anymore.  The first time it came up he said “that sounds like a couples thing.”  He called about an hour before they were coming and I invited him.  He sounded tempted but never showed up.

The dinner went well.  I’m used to just having a girlfriend over or my family.  This was just like I see on TV where the hostess cooks and the guests watch, sitting around the island, drinking wine.  We drank beer from a jug her husband brought.  My house was clean and I made meatloaf so she could watch how I did it.  Their little boy played with my dog and I put on some fun music.  Very low-key and something I’d like to do again.  Maybe I’ll have my recorder group over.

Happy New Year and all that.  I had a dreadful Christmas, snowed in and without power for a week.  Christmas Eve found me sitting in the dark, wearing all the black velvet I own, cooking ham over a Coleman stove.  It must have been 34 in the house.  I can finally take down the tree, as I had the last present exchange yesterday.

Having heat and light and a phone and car at my disposal make all things seem possible.  And if you could see my new dry-erase board with all I have accomplished and all I expect to do you would be impressed.

What might give you pause, though, is that I am spending most days with Derek.  Still.  My brother and sisters were over for a belated Christmas dinner and they wondered why the bathroom wasn’t done.  My brother, who lives down the street and can see when Derek’s car is here said, “He’s been here every day for two months.  What’s the deal?”  My oldest daughter said “One of you is taking advantage of the other.  I just can’t figure out who.”

We can’t either.  I think we both wonder what the other one is up to.  New Year’s Eve was touch and go.  We had a marvelous time but as midnight approached we went over to stand in front of the TV, wondering if the other might make a move.  Or maybe that was just me wondering.  I walked away just in time and then he got a phone call.  After that we were both a little disappointed but I was relieved. 

All I know is that I’ve never looked better.  Every morning I do my hair and make-up and put on a cute outfit.  I bought a whole new set of clothes.  My house is clean and there’s always something good to eat.  He’s taught me so much about commodities and helped me figure out what to do with my house. 

He brought over a Bible and I have started going to his church, something that may or may not work out.  I like learning the history but am alarmed by what I heard at the Bible study on Wed night.  All in all he’s been a big blessing, and I feel sure he’d say the same.