A Daily Thing

I’ve observed myself before when I’ve had to deal with loss and the subsequent ‘life goes on’, so I know a thing or two about what’s good for me in that situation, and what’s bad.

Good: go through Mira’s toys, medication, pillows and blankets immediately and make a washing pile, a donation pile, and a keep pile.

Bad: clutch Mira’s pillow and sob into it (I only did five minutes of that one, so I’m giving myself a gold star).

Good: clean up – no particular room, just go around and throw away things that never get used and tidy, tidy, tidy.

Bad: go around and focus on the absence of Mira under our desks, on the couch, in front of the fridge staring me down for food or between my legs when I’m cooking waiting for bits of vegetable to fall to her level.

Good: keep up habits.  That means on Saturdays, try to make it to that little Brunswick op shop that’s only open for three hours.  Look for a buddy to come along.

Last Saturday buddy turned out to be Suzie.  Now Suzie is really delightful: she has the tiniest face and ears and a pixie haircut.  She can hoola-hoop, like me she loves to photograph decrepit houses, and she has a very contagious laugh and enthusiasm for life.  So going to little Brunswick op shop with Suzie: good.  Very good.

Even better: spotting a lemon tree with plenty of lemons hanging over the fence (score!) and the ensuing conversation on how to make them ours.  It may or may not have involved a debate about climbing on Suzie’s shoulders – and my weight.  It ended in Suzie’s resolve to hit the gym to withstand my 55kg, or bring back a stepladder next weekend.  We want those damn lemons (seriously, don’t they look good?).