Roger did not like candles, but he was forever telling me to turn off the lights. We had finally decided to get 'the beast' under control. We had tweaked our own habits a good bit over the years, but this was the year for the MAJOR "Honey-do" list to get tackled.
After 35 years in the same house, even with most things still working, we knew that the day was coming when everything was going to quit - and with our luck, at the same time.
Hurricanes came and hurricanes went and our little ole home just stood strong, like the house built on the rock, rather than the sand. We had faithfully paid our homeowner's insurance for 35 years with "narry a claim" - it seemed that we were never going to get that long awaited remodel, on the insurance company. Great dreams though!
Though I was more about actually doing something that involved spending money to be more efficient than he was (he would never have considered himself 'green.') ~ it was hard to get around to actually making the call for an energy audit. I was not prepared for the answers I might hear!
And now, we won't get to do this thing together. "They say" that if you can build a house together and not get divorced, then you can probably weather anything in a marriage. That may well be true! There were times when I thought we were not going to make it through the build 35 years ago, but thankfully I was young enough to defer to him rather than stand my own ground when we were building. And now, 2014 was going to give us another go at it. I'm sure that I would prove to be much more strong willed this time around so maybe that is why we kept putting it off. Oh honey - I am not sure about this 'honey-do' list without you!
The days when I am most tired at night, but less teary during the day, are those when I am busy. Once I figured this out, I started scheduling up everything possible. So, enter Mr. Duke Energy Audit. Interesting and quick, he was. He knew what energy leaks he was looking for, and boy did he find them! When he left, he gave me a little 'energy kit." It was so cute. It had these little curly cue light bulbs in it....ah, those were the ones that Roger detested! I did not have the heart to tell Mr. Energy Man that we had a stockpile of Edison bulbs that could get us through the next millineum. Roger was prepared! He gave me weather stripping and little foamy things that go behind light switches too. I think it would have made me miss Roger even more if he had been the man who would actually use a screwdriver to replace all of these things.
While we recognize the practicality of sealing up the place and saving our energy money for a vacation, putting these things into practice took more dedication. WE decided to dig in and deal with it, but now "I" am going to have that 'honey-do' list all on me. Not sure I am too happy about that, but I guess it will keep me busy.
It will keep me busy and I will laugh as I think of how we could be changing out light switch foamy things and Roger would want coffee, and a snack.
I will laugh when I think about how he would tell me to join him on the swing, in the summer breeze, rather than staying in the house with fresh new insulation. And how he would be saying that we should go out to lunch and stroll the mall, while it is hot outside ~ saving our air conditioning and using the merchants. I will laugh about how logical his thinking actually was, even though he drove me crazy with those ideas most of the time. Task oriented girl, people oriented guy. What a pair!
It is remarkable to me that how God, in all His wisdom, puts together plans like this so that when someone is overwhelmed with alone-ness, those little projects will be on the list and need attention. It's like he knew all along, just what I would need down the road.
Roger's Lesson: Oh, he would say "of course He knew!" If he knows the number of our days, then he knows the needs of those who still remain with a race to run on this earth.
And he would also tell me to go ahead and prepare for the years to come, while I am still youngish and have the energy to do it - we wanted to face retirement without things falling down around us, so I will do that. But - I can hear him now - "Don't stay inside that energy efficient, comfortable home of ours" - yes, that is what my people-man would say. Get out and be with people. You get a whole lot more out of life that way.
I'll let the numbers on that meter remind me that my days are numbered too, and I should use them wisely and efficiently on things that really matter. There are jobs that need attention, but I must not be totally absorbed all the time. I will try to knock these jobs out quickly and get back to the living!
I bet Roger has the perfect weather conditions today and is sitting on his heavenly swing, just chatting with the Saints. What a life. What a great way to spend eternity. "Be still" - I must keep practicing!
No comments:
Post a Comment