that's where my baby stays

in a red house over yonder...It was a smile for us, the house I lived in was red and it was just 'over yonder' from the mate's home. Now he's some where over the rainbow.

I made it through a Wednesday without instant replays of my new worst day ever or freaking out at work and having to leave early. That's progress of a sort and thirty five days into surviving. The power of positive thinking here. But I still haven't made it even one of them without tears. So I still have a goal.

The little red truck went in for a tail gate door latch repair. It's ok, but I need to replace the latch, I'm told. Happens I might even know where to find one. And last night the mate's nephew brought back the white truck. For about two hundred dollars, including some paint and bondo, she's gonna look like new and be all back to factory specs with working air. I figure that between the two of them I am good for another 500,000 miles or about 6 years. That should give me plenty of time to save up for a car.

The sis and Mom went to the neice's place to clean for her Tuesday and we cancelled bible study. The niece is scheduled for a C section on the 17th. Too, bad. That's our best friend and his son's birthdays and the day the house burnt down in '89. But the good new is I should be able to remember this one's bday. We have good people in this family and I hope they all had a good time being together.

We had another ice day Thursday and I was late to work, I waited till the salt trucks came through to leave. On my way in there is a place where 2 rivers come together and just after I crossed the bridge an bald eagle flew in front of me, crossing from one river to the other to fish. I haven't seen the eagles here in about two years. It looked so free and was the mate's animal of choice. His kids and I have given him many things with eagles on them over the years. Of cours it brought tears to my eyes. But I stifled and got to work ok.

I had to leave work early to get my check in the bank before it closed so I only worked about 4 hours and had to leave stacks of work on my desk. I hate that! Most of the main roads were clear and I made it with ten minutes to spare.

While the dogs were in it was early and I had left later in the morning so I stopped by a friend's house. She does everything before I do, including menopause and becoming a widow. Her mate went on the table as they tried to do a third bypass operation several years ago. We had coffee and talked. She answered my questions and we shared the sad knowledge that we just had to keep on keeping on and that our hearts would always be saddened by their loss. Still, she affirmed that I am not crazy. Just normal grieving for a mate. I felt a little better before I left.

There is the air to charge, two springs to replace, the tailgate to fix on the white truck so the mate's nephew and neice will be around a while. There are friends to comfort and talk with still. With laundry and chores and the trouble I am having getting the furnace guy out I am staying busy. Plus I am hoping to hear from the cousins and the Uncle soon to set up a meet. So I will be staying busy over the weekend.

And to repeat myself, love 'em while ya got 'em. Every time one of you is nice to the mate or the family because you are reading here the mate's love for me is spreading love still and that is what we are here to do. Enjoy yourselves this weekend, have fun while you can.