Irritably Thankful

and very, very queasy —- that is how I felt two days ago, on Sid’s birthday. 

He is 41.

And he only has 2 life insurance policies. 

For years, I’ve been sticking my fingers in my ears, refusing to discuss life insurance.  Because he knows me well and knows that I can put the topic so far out of my mind that I won’t remember insurance policies if the need arose, Sid has taken to slipping in reminders every week or so.

It worked.  TWO insurance policies is firmly planted in my mind.

But now, I am thinking he should have a THIRD life insurance policy.

On Sunday, he finally got around to installing that attic fan.  I knew he was going to do it.  I was pleased with the idea of conserving energy.

I baked him cookies for his birthday —- chocolate chip cookies with freshly ground spelt flour,  his favorite.  I was fairly happy to be working in the kitchen, believing my man to be working in the attic, but concerned about it being too hot for him up there.

It took me awhile to figure out that he wasn’t doing ALL the work from inside the attic, that he was going outside and climbing onto the roof too.

When I realized he was on the roof, I grabbed the camera, thinking it might be fun to get pictures of him standing on the roof.

That is when I thought that he was on the front side of the house, the side closer to the ground.  When I got outside and saw that he was on the backside, my stomach plummeted down and outside of my body.  And believe you me,  that kind of stomach plummet brings on light-headed-ness.

I wanted to run away and hide, but my eyes would not unlatch from him. 

What if he fell off the roof and I wasn’t there to see it? 

What if he fell off the roof and I WAS there to see it?

While I ants-ed about on the ground with my deathgrip on the camera, trying to get artistic pictures, playing with my lenses, anything to move time along and occupy me, HE stood up straight on the roof pitch and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . fumbled around in his pockets for change and then COUNTED it.  He looked totally relaxed.  I think he even whistled.  Was he toying with me?

That is when I started thinking that a third life insurance policy might be a good idea.

Later, I realized that he was really feeling around in his pockets for screws.

  

Thank you God!  He sat down!  I don’t think God has ever heard more fervent prayers from my lips. 

Maybe he needs life insurance policies on ME, since he is obviously trying to kill me with fright.  Hmmmm, maybe he already has those policies.  He’s always getting my signature on this and that.  I have no idea what I’m signing.

Aha, he is almost down.

Within my reach.

Do I hug him or slug him?

Ooooh, need to find out about those insurance policies first.

Nope, can’t think about slugging him yet.  He could still fall from the porch roof and break some useful part.

NOW that he is safely back in the house I can entertain thoughts of slugging him.

I should definitely eat all his cookies.

And make him watch.