A Story
Muddy Waters
When Laura's mother died, Laura had mixed emotions. She felt she had lost her mother years before as dementia and frailty had taken over. There was something else as well. Her inheritance.
For quite a long time, Laura had been frustrated and annoyed at her husband. He didn't like to communicate, he didn't like to travel, he spent most Sundays watching sports. Videos online said she deserved better. Why be miserable for her years of retirement? Her inheritance would give her the financial independence she needed to leave Lazy Len.
"Len, I'm not happy," she began. "I think I'll move into Mom's house."
"You want a divorce?" he answered sharply, more alert than usual.
"Well, a separation, I guess to start with."
Len studied her.
"You have been mopey lately. Maybe time away would make you feel better."
That was it? He didn't care if she left? After 40 years this was all she got?
The next day, she began the process of moving into her mother's house. It was exciting to be stepping out on her own. She couldn't wait to be queen of her house. Len didn't comment on the move.
Living in the new house was glorious. Laura decorated it in her style. None of Len's mess got in the way. She invited friends over for dinner and served the wine that she enjoyed. She imagined that Len was probably eating frozen entrees.
One of her friends invited her to travel to Portugal with her. They had a blast driving to small towns and sampling the local food.
The next year, her friend suggested they go to Portugal for two months. She readily agreed. This time, however, the weather was rainy and they were stuck in their apartment for much of the time. Her friend had an annoying habit of humming and expected Laura to do the cooking. Her friend, out of boredom, started online gambling and pressured Laura to join in. When Laura refused, it made for an uncomfortable tension. She decided not to travel with her friend again.
Back home, she saw Len once in a while at family gatherings. He even showed up with a girlfriend at one of them. She wondered where they had met. Online dating? Laura didn't think she could brave that quagmire, but she wouldn't have minded finding someone. But looking around, no one seemed at all appealing. Where were the men that women like her deserved? She noticed her single friends weren't having much success either.
One morning, about three years after moving out, Laura lay in her bed and listened to the silence. It wasn't a peaceful silence, it was oppressive. She remembered how Len used to clang around in the kitchen making his breakfast and how the noise had bothered her. Now she missed it. Not that particular noise, but the noise that someone else living in the house makes. Had she made a mistake by moving out? Len wasn't a terrible person, just annoying and sometimes inconsiderate. She thought about what it would be like as she grew old. Lots of silence. Some people liked silence but she wondered if that was really what she wanted.
Living on her own had been refreshing at first, but now she wasn't so sure that she was any happier than when she lived with Len.
When her daughter called to ask if Laura could stay with Len for a while after his hip surgery, she actually smiled. She would test the waters.
The bottom of the planter is two plastic trays, one on top of the other. The top tray has lots of holes so that excess water will drain into the lower one.
I'm excited to plant in the planter as soon as it warms up which probably won't be before early May. I plan on putting in herbs, a couple of lettuce plants and a bean plant. I have a rabbit that frequents our yard so it will be great to have a waist height planter that he (she) can't access.
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