Little m Long a

The warm water tumbled over my shoulders, soothing, calming, satisfying.
If I could smell, I feel certain the lavender bubbles now scrubbing the grime from by body would have gone straight to my brain adding to the euphoria quickly consuming me.
As it was, it just felt good to be getting clean,  so good I added a shave.
Yep.  There’s nothing like a good shower to revitalize and invigorate tired, sore and smelly muscles.

Over all to soon, I stepped onto the warm tile floor and reached for my towel.
At this very moment the cheering began.
Zia, Zander and Zella rose from their seats on the window ledge and stood atop the box radiator
arms raised triumphantly with shouts of “Hooray for Daddy.”

“Thanks, guys.  Now……can I have my towel?”

“Not until you take a bow,” replied Zia.

Suddenly, I felt dirty again.

*note to self–FIX THE LOCK ON THE BATHROOM DOOR!

Dude.  2008 was a brutal year, the likes of which I am happy to say is behind me.  Come on 2009!

What?

It’s only just begun?

You have got to be kidding me!

For all intents and purposes January was scheduled to start with a bang.  The first (Jan 1) is our wedding anniversary.  I may have mentioned something about that in a previous post.  Anyway, we learned early on in our married life that unless Cracker Barrel is your idea of the perfect setting for a romantic anniversary dinner, you’re not going out to eat on New Years Day.  Nothing is open.   New Year’s Eve, by default, has become the night for celebrating our years of wedded bliss as well as ringing in the new year.   It’s our little way of multi tasking.

The restaurant was fantastic and the food delicious.  We lingered, maybe a bit too long for the New Year was greeted cordially during a pause in the conversation during our drive home.  Yeah, we ushered in the new year somewhere along Route 23 driving north.  But we would be home early enough and sober enough to give 2008 and our anniversary a more fitting welcome, or so I thought.

“The kids were great, not a bit of trouble.  We had a little tea party and everyone went to bed without a problem.  Oh, and there’s a little leak.”…as reported by my Mother-in-Law upon our arrival home.

Whoa!  What was that? A tea party?!

Sure enough, as I entered the kitchen I could see it.  There were half empty teacups and saucers scattered all over the counter……  Oh, and the constant ploinking sound of water dripping from the ceiling into a sauce pot in the middle of the kitchen floor.  Yep, that’s a leak.   Do you have any idea what a plumber costs at 1:00am on January 1?  To my great relief, neither do I.  My brother-in-law helped me to track the likely source of the leak to a drain pipe in the upstairs bathroom.  I disconnected the loose pipe and sure enough, the dripping ceased.  Eventually.  After a quick clean up, the actual repairs could be done later, I slipped quietly into bed where my wife lay……….soundly asleep.  At least she had turned on my side of the electric blanket.

The next afternoon, my sister-in-law generously offered to watch my kids (Yes, my wife went to work on our anniversary.  Did I mention we may be needing a plumber?  Those guys don’t work pro-bono.) so that I might make the trip to the hardware store for the parts I would need to try and repair the bathroom sink and also pick up a few items from the grocery store for dinner.  I lingered, maybe a bit too long.

“The kids were great, not a bit of trouble.  Did you get the parts to fix the sink?  Oh, and take a look at Zia…..you think that’s gonna need stitches?”……as reported by my sister-in-law on my arrival back home.

“Wow!  It is amazing how you can buy pvc drain pipe, copper pipe, a blow torch and any food item you need to prepare dinner on New Year’s Day but God forbid you want to sit down and have a nice meal in a restaurant.  And yeah, that’s definitely gonna need stitches.”  You’ve seen the old photos of the dancing bears, balancing on a ball as they twirl.  Seems it’s not so easy after all.  A quick call to my wife and it was back in the car to visit mommy’s work.  My sister-in-law generously offered to watch the kids while I left–again.  She really felt horrible for what had happened and although I tried to convey to her it was perfectly OK somehow I don’t think she felt better.  It took six stitches in all, 2 inside and 4 outside and  Zia was an absolute trooper.  She was perfectly still throughout the entire procedure.  Still, not quiet.  My ears are still ringing from the screaming.

After a well needed day of rest it was back to the comforting grind of a school routine.  To celebrate it’s triumphant return I took the kids to the coffee shop, OK I took me to the coffee shop kids were just collateral baggage, and then we did some browsing at the antique store next door.  We lingered, maybe a bit too long.

We sloshed our way back to the van and piled ourselves into our collective seats.  I turned the ignition only to hear the sweet sound of my engine….. not starting.  That’s the sound you generally hear when your battery is dead.  A quick call to my Mother-in-Law who was able to lend invaluable roadside assistance.  Have I mentioned that my Mother-in-Law is a saint?  She’s also a card carrying member of Triple A.  A short wait, quick jump and we were on our way to the service station for a new battery.

I suppose there are worse things that could have happened in the first four days of the new year.  Like it or not though, 2008 is hear.  I guess this should be my general attitude now…..

So…..would you do it again?  I despise the question.  First off, the question centers around a point or issue that is for every practical purpose mute.  Unless of course, H.G. Wells’ Time Machine was not just a science fiction novella but in all actuality the genius blueprint for actual time travel.  Bear in mind we are talking about life decisions here.  If I decide in a momentary lapse of reason to ride the twist til I puke whirly bird spinning teacup of death at the county fair and by some act of God himself am able to step off of said ride without puking and someone asks, “So…would you do it again?” Well, then I can see how “would you do it again?” may be a fair question.  If you are actually asking me to repeat something I am fully capable of repeating then sure, ask away.  All’s fair.  If, however, you pose the question as it relates to some decision I have made during the course of my lifetime that has obviously affected my current state of being…your question is ridiculous, shallow and shows me that you put no more thought into meaningful conversation than the thought you put into selecting the socks you are currently wearing.

Really!  I can not do it again.  Whether I want to or whether I do not.  It is behind me now and like it or not, I am unable to change the events of the past or for practical matters repeat them.  Upon graduating high school, I like most of my peers went to college.  I chose a state school and pursued a degree in art appreciation.  (Close to home and I listened to a lot of music.)  Would I do it again?  Mute!  It’s done and like it or not, I am unable to alter the path I have walked.  This post is not about my chosen path of enlightenment, though.  It is a far more serious, more meaningful life choice and one I am also thrilled to report that I am happy I made.

For you see, eight years ago today, Y2K, 01-01-00, January 1, 2000, the first day of the new millennium, the dawning of Aquarius, I prepared myself for what the twenty first century would mean to me in a truly extra ordinary way.  I married the most wonderful woman in the world.  That’s right.  I poo-pooed every naysayer that felt Y2K was basically an acronym for the apocalypse and got myself hitched.  To my good fortune the doomsdayers were wrong and I have spent the last eight years blissfully wed to my best friend.

In the past eight years I have cried.  I have laughed much more.  I have fallen and been helped back up.  I’ve moved, traveled, stayed put, won, lost, welcomed loved ones and mourned others.  I’ve seen floods and fires, tornadoes and hurricanes.  I’ve torn down and I’ve built back up.  I have been transformed.  I am not the same person I was eight years ago.  Wholly to my wife’s credit and diligence I am a better man.  As with any relationship there have been valleys but never a chasm too deep from which to return.  And there have been mountains from which I never wanted to return.

“So…..would you do it again?”

I repeat, the question is mute!  When it comes to an earnest evaluation of life choices, I feel the more appropriate question should be, “So…..any regrets?”  One of my all time goals in life is to live in such a way that I can honestly say after careful review that I have no regrets.  It’s not an easy task.  But in my opinion, to honestly answer the question requires one to look deep within and evaluate not just the action, the decision, the choice but the consequences that making such decision have had in your own life.  Not only does the question make me believe that you actually care about my answer, but it makes me have to actually think and care about the answer I give you.

Now, let’s try this again.  “So….any regrets?”

Well, yeah.  Just one.  I regret that it took so long for us to meet.  That so much of my life had passed before I was allowed to become a part of yours.  I am a better man because of you.  Just think what you could have done with an extra ten years—-I could be king of the world.

“You have made me the happiest man in the world.  My only wish, my desire, is that you give me the opportunity to do the same for you.”  Honey, your are still my life, my love and the greatest thing that has ever happened to me.

Happy Anniversary!

I Love You!