Living Solo

 I won't post this blog until Jim is home with me again.  Not that I feel unsafe here--I was careful when we lived in Granger not to post when one or both of us were not home and there was an empty house.  But in a second floor apartment I feel pretty safe! Nevertheless, I check and double-check to see if the doors are locked and the garage door shut! 

Jim went to his conference in NYC alone.  After the wedding this weekend, I said I just didn't think I could do the city and needed to be home in my "silent retreat."  But it has been lonely.  Jim has called me regularly and I talked with a friend on the phone and saw another friend at 1 today.  

I did the "Divine Office" on my phone several times and will do so again today--joining in on the words spoken and listening to the hymns.  It is lovely and very meditative--with the Catholic church as a sponsor and spoken with a British accent.  Doing those prayers has given me a bit of focus to my long days. 

I made coffee myself which is usually Jim's gift to me every morning.  I forgot to put in the plastic filter and what a mess I made!  Even on the floor--and it is hard for me to pick up things from the floor.  I did it with difficulty and will get the "Swiffer" out later.  My meals have been simple but good enough--chicken soup yesterday and a bit leftover for today. 

Jim said this would be his last conference.  It is a bother to get somewhere--although he did Uber from home to Washington Square and that was easy and probably didn't cost all that much more than Uber to the train station, the train fare, and then a taxi to the hotel.  He is reading his paper today--and he is happy enough to see his many professional colleagues again.  But I am relieved that he said this is the last one.  Another step in the winding down of his career.  And it is not really his last one--he has agreed to be on a panel at one here at Princeton Seminary later this month--but that is just across town and not overnight.

I think it is a good thing to miss one's husband of almost 58 years.  I don't take it for granted that we can be together doing ordinary things each day.  

------------Jim is home.  He could not get an Uber--the app would not work.  So he used the hotel's car service and was just glad to have another way to travel--besides the train.