Love Is...

In the 80's in England (maybe here??) there was a popular cartoon strip and it's characters and ideas were made in to all sorts of things. I remember my next door neighbour Liz loved them. There was a man and a woman, always the same two, and the phrase began "Love Is..." I have a soap dish that says "Love Is...Helping her out of the tub when she's expecting" There were all sorts of sentiments.

Well, for me love is a clean kitchen. Cleaner at least. How many husbands come home with flowers or candy for a gift only to find a frazzled, overwhelmed wife who has had a house of screaming kids all day that were like Tasmanian devils, only to hand over the gift, kiss her on the cheek and ask what is for dinner? Not in my house. Apart from the fact I rarely get flowers (hint), I had the perfect husband for one evening. While I was grieving the loss of our cat, juggling dinner and 6 small children, doing dishes and laundry, he quietly came in to the kitchen and with few words he started cleaning, and doing a great job. Sure he complained about the usual stuff like how it got such a mess in the first place, but he cleaned none the less and I'm grateful. To me the best thing would be to skip the flowers and come home early, look at and assess your wife, and then without judgment to roll up your sleeves and say "what can I do to help?"

We've enjoyed the company of our 2 granddaughters for the past couple of days. They are amazing little girls and so different from our own children. Having a 2 year old in the house was a good reminder of how much work they are and how much I do not miss diapers. But having someone love and trust you absolutely is wonderful. When they fall asleep in your arms and lie there looking like angels, who wouldn't feel their heart melt? They had a good time with our kids for the most part with the occasional spat between Meghan and Annie. And They are of course sad about Hobbes.

Meghan wanted to know what happiness looked like, and it took me a minute to cotton onto the idea that I told her yesterday that it's only Hobbes' body here. I said the part of him that's his spirit is gone already. She didn't really understand so I told her it was the part of us that talks in our heads and the part that feels love and happiness. So what does happiness look like? A big orange cat with a new perfect body bouncing around waiting for us to get home I expect.

I'm still fighting with the gov't about my child tax benefits. Actually spoke to a supervisor in Nfld this morning. Looks like I have 3 options. 1, get Brian to send in the paperwork from March. 2, file an official complaint and it all else fails, 3, go to Tax court and appeal to a judge.

Well, I'm getting the "over time" light and reminders of how i have to get up early to clean and make fudge for 40 people tomorrow so I should wrap it up. Got papers today though for Steve who is finally going to get his day in court with Elaine, in 6 weeks. So that's great news.

'night!