Time Together...

Fifty-two years. What does life look like after 52 years together? These last three days have been a reflection of the quietness that enters when you have been together that long, the kids are grown and on their own, and you are truly empty nesters.

Sunday, June 12th, we enjoyed church in the morning. Then we picked up lunch at Panera Bread and enjoyed a nice lunch together at our dining room table. Claude went to bed for his nap. I stripped the guest bedroom bed and started washing those linens while I went to Sandiland to work on paperwork and my Blog. After Claude woke up and I finished my work in Sandiland, I went to bake two cakes and also sit in the study while Claude worked away at his laptop. He is to create a sacrament meeting program about music and its importance. I was giving him suggestions of places music is mentioned in the scriptures, I suggested he use the preface in the hymnbook as it is full of good background information as well as the purpose of music in our church meetings, I also shared a story with him that I hold dear to me. I will share that now.

In about 1973, I was very pregnant with Andie, our middle child. The Air Force had us living in Southern California. I was called to serve on the Stake Relief Society board. In those days, before General Conference in April and October, there was a leadership training session held in Salt Lake City for those serving on Stake Relief Society Boards. I was able to attend this. Claude and our firstborn, Nissa, stayed at his parents in Northern Utah. I was in Salt Lake City with the rest of the ladies on our board. In the final session, a General Authority (I do not remember which one) gave a talk and in that talk he said we should learn and memorize the words of the hymns. If we did that, they would be recalled to give us strength and answers and lift us as we lived our lives. That comment touched my heart as important for me. As we sang the hymn "How Firm a Foundation" the third verse was particularly powerful to me. It became my response to the General Authorities challenge and is a treasure to me every since. The words are:

Fear not, I am with thee; oh, be not dismayed,

For I am thy God and will still give thee aid.

I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand, 

Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.

There is a scripture in the Old Testament that repeats this same message and it is found in Isaiah 41:10. 

At the end of Sunday, we had not turned on the television, I read some in the most recent Liahona magazine, we shared thoughts for this sacrament meeting, and truly enjoyed a quiet evening together.

Monday, June 13th, I had errands and Claude had errands. I also needed new Sunday shoes. We decided to do our errands together and then go to Lexington so I could shop for Sunday shoes and we could have dinner together at a place we don't have in Georgetown. We got up and out the door.

First we delivered two cakes and a thank you note to the nursing home. I baked pudding cakes Sunday afternoon. One was chocolate with banana pudding and the other was lemon with lemon pudding. Then we went to Johnson's Funeral Home. Papa's death certificates were in and I needed to pick them up. Next we went to the dry cleaners to get Claude's shirts. Then on to Sally's Beauty Supply for a couple of items I needed. They are like so many other businesses today. Their supply chain is weak. So many things they used to have, they can't get. This is a result of the Covid pandemic. It is that way for everything. Next we went to Lowe's to look for tile to edge the step up on our patio. We found some natural stone that we liked and purchased that and the supplies to apply that to the outside of this step. We also purchased another flowering plant for our back yard. When we returned from Michigan, one of our plants died. Not sure why. The other is in great shape. We had intended to go on to Lexington, but with our unusual heat wave, we couldn't leave that new plant in the car. So we headed back to our home to leave our purchases. 

Then, back in the Jeep we got and decided to start looking for me some Sunday shoes at Fayette Mall. This is an area we avoid like the plague. But I had been casually looking for new Sunday shoes for a good while. What I was realizing is they don't make my kind of shoe anymore. Several years ago, I purchased a pair of black heels that were not too tall and the heel was a wedge heel with a sandal-like top. I loved these black shoes so much, I went back to that store and purchased a tan pair and an off-white pair. I have worn these for years. This is what I wanted again. Alas, I could not find them anywhere. 

Bless Claude's heart. He cheerfully drove me to Lexington to this very busy mall area in the extreme heat. We decided to start our search at Dillard's. I like Dillard's but really don't know the layout of the store well, so I wasn't sure which door to go in. Claude picked one. I told him the door he chose was right near the food court. If this was really too much for him, he could go there with his trusty cell phone and find something to munch on and read all his stuff while I searched for shoes in Dillard's and then the mall if necessary. Fortunately, Claude parked right by the door into the shoe section. Claude found a comfortable chair in the shoe section and made himself to home while I roamed through the shoes.

Dillard's had lots and lots and lots of shoes. Of all the hundreds of styles of shoes, I found only one that would work for me. Hallelujah. The nice lady brought me two sizes in a black and a tan version. I tried both sizes in both colors and settled on the one that would work best for me. Then I purchased two pair of new Sunday shoes. It must have been the right time and place to do this shopping. When I finished, Claude agreed to sit with my new shoes while I went looking to see if they had any capris. Alas, I found none. 

We then drove to Schlotzky's and had a wonderful dinner together. That original Schlotzky is the best. 

Home we went and enjoyed another quiet evening together. Claude had recorded a show about the history of Bluegrass Music. We watched that and then a couple of Mike Rowe's Dirty Jobs. Lovely evening together.

Tuesday, June 14th, has been a 'divide and conquer' morning. Claude went to the grocery store, picked up prescriptions and filled my car with gasoline. I washed our bed linens and worked on my laptop. This afternoon at 3pm we will leave for Louisville with a stop in Frankfort for dinner. Our evening will be spent in the Louisville Temple. So looking forward to this opportunity. We have had reservations twice and had to cancel it for health and other issues. Tonight, it will happen. After we finish at the Temple, we will drive to the Marx home and pickup Hayden. He wants to come to our home for a few days. How cool is that! Claude bought his favorite food list this morning. I think we are all ready to enjoy the rest of our week with our grandmonster.

That is how life rolls for two empty nesters in their early 70's. Filling it with good things and taking it at a pace that doesn't undo either of us. I like that. I like that a lot.