There’s never a day that passes that I don’t appreciate having Tom in my life. Now that he has gone away for ten days, it’s become more evident to me how much he does daily, not only around the house but to enrich the quality of my days and nights. He is a fun and loving husband and partner who also shares equally in the running of the household and its daily tasks.
Aside from all of that, his companionship, laughter, and countless warm and loving interactions are sorely missing right now. We chatted on Whatsapp at length yesterday, but with our sleeping times opposite, talking on the phone at will is a little more complicated.
Today, he’ll be busy prepping for the eulogy at Jerome’s funeral and mingling with his huge family and many friends who will attend. The immediate family alone is well over 100 people. Chatty and friendly as he is, I expect I may not hear from him today, which is fine.
He’ll spend the remainder of the week with his kids, grandkids, siblings, and other relatives. If time allows, he may visit a few old friends. He’ll have plenty of stories to share when he returns a week from today, and the time can’t pass quickly enough as far as I’m concerned.
I thought I might spend some time in the evenings talking on the phone to some of my old friends in the US, but after a poor connection last night with my friend Chere, I may not do so. I use Whatsapp and Facebook Messenger, which are excellent free services with normally a good WiFi signal. The signal here is very poor at night, with many people in Marloth Park online streaming shows.
Calling using my cellphone’s Google Fi service is too expensive, especially when calls to friends can easily last for an hour or more after not speaking for a while. In any case, I’m not one to talk on the phone much. I prefer in person conversation.
It’s surprising how well I’ve slept alone the past three nights, although I wake up when I reach for Tom, and he’s not there. That’s weird. I am still waking up at the same time as always and listening to podcasts when I awaken each day. It’s easy to maintain my usual routine.
Living this way reminds me of what it must be like for single seniors and those who have lost a spouse or are divorced. At times, it’s lonely and unsettling, especially since I have no transportation and can’t jump in the car to shop or meet friends for lunch or dinner. I can’t tell you how much I look forward to going to Jabula on Friday and Saturday nights. My friend Sindee will be picking me up and driving me home.
It was terrific when Louise stopped by for sundowners on Monday night. Those few hours we sat together on the veranda chatting up a storm and sipping on wine were delightful. I’m sure I’ll be getting together with her and Danie before Tom returns a week from today.
There’s not much on the horizon today. I cooked enough chicken yesterday for another round for tonight’s dinner. All I have left to do is make a salad to go with it, which I will do shortly. The meals for one person have been easy, requiring little prep time.
That’s it for today, folks. Have a great day, and be well.
Photo from one year ago today, March 8, 2022:
