Let’s Be Frank...
I’m going to turn forty-three in thirteen days. Forty-Three!
Here’s the good news. My marriage is going well. If I’ve got nothing else in this world, I’ve got Lucy, and she’s a great wife that loves me and puts up with my crap -- sometimes. (Grin)
Now, I knew this before, but more so now in light of recent events. When I lost my job earlier this year, Lucy was cool about it. Losing a job that you loved after five years can be challenging. Then there’s the stress that comes with the finances.
In my experience, a sudden job loss can wreak havoc on a marriage, not so with Lucy. She just said, “you’ll find another job,” with nary a worry. Or at least, not that she showed me. She was encouraging with each interview, gave me tips from the ones she overheard, and only said, “you’ll find something,” when I got rejected. And there were a few.
And Lucy was this way while dealing with her symptoms from COVID. We all got it shortly after Lucy’s birthday. Out of all of us, COVID hit Lucy the hardest. If that wasn’t enough, as we were quarantined and battling the virus, we found out Lucy’s grandmother got it.
Lucy’s grandmother passed away from complications with the virus in late January. Lucy was very fond of her grandmother. Lucy’s grandma was a saintly woman. Lucy wasn’t able to be there when she passed, and that’s been hard to process, even to this day.
Personally, not racing Lucy down to the valley was one of the most challenging decisions I’ve ever made in my life. Lucy was still so weak and in no condition to travel. Plus, at the time, there were a lot of unknowns about transmitting COVID to family members. I erred on the side of caution, and I think it was the right call, but the decision still weighs heavily on me.
Damn the timing.
Plus, in the middle of February, Texas was hit by a freaky arctic freeze. This thing was so huge, all two hundred and fifty-four counties in the State of Texas were under a winter advisory. I had never seen anything like it in my forty-three years. We’re talking multiple single-digit nights. Plus, it knocked the electricity out of the 8th largest energy producer in the world.
Honestly, Lucy’s obsession with the weather saved us. We would be dealing with bigger, costlier issues with our house had Lucy not researched weatherproofing our home. Lucy stocked up on supplies while I sat there thinking, ‘eh, this won’t be so bad.’ Boy, was I wrong.
And if this all wasn’t enough - mind you - we’re still in February, news came that my dad isn’t doing too well. He’s been sent home for hospice to wait out his final days. We’re told that his Cancer has moved into his bones. So now it’s about “making him comfortable “during his last mortal days.
So if you ask me what I have going for me right now? My answer is simple: I have a great wife.