I promise...

          I promise not to be sad every day that I can't talk with you. Every time I go hiking I notice things that we'd talk about when I got home.

Even when you were quite ill, you'd smile and ask me "How was your walk? What did you see?" Or "What did you do at the gym, how was your work out?"

We'd laugh together about my version of events while working out or hiking. 

Things like tripping on a rock and sitting on the ground and seeing something so beautiful that the rock must have said Trip Val! 

Make her see this amazing clump of tiny mushrooms hiding just off the trail.

The times I outran 'kids' 25 years younger than me while doing a gym workout. I'd come home and share that with you and you were so tickled. You'd laugh that deep loud laugh and slap your knee.

You'd wink at me and ask for more details.

I recall the trip I took to Hawaii as a chaperon for my 82 yr old father. I'd come back from taking Dad somewhere and the hotel desk told me to call home, it was urgent.

I called wondering what was wrong. You finally told me that you were standing by the wash machine and you didn't know how to run it. Hilariously, you ran out of clean jeans. I stood on a balcony overlooking the Pacific and gave you instructions on how to do laundry. 

Everyone thought that was such a funny and such a YOU story. The man who couldn't wash dishes or do laundry on his own.

Every time I walked out the door to go to work you were there. Every time I came home, you greeted me as enthusiastically as our dog did..

"How was your day? How was your shift? How was your walk? How was your ride?"

I never tired of telling you. You never stopped listening. 

So today I came home to Charlie and spoke to you even though you physically were not here.

I told you about my class, about shopping, and about everything I could think of. 

I held your picture and relayed all the things you needed to know. I even asked your opinion on what was for supper. I joked that you wouldn't like the broccoli and cauliflower but I was making it anyway.

They might send me to the nuthouse one day if anyone knows how often I talk to you. Charlie is a good listener, but he tends to get distracted easily.

Today was okay. I miss you. I'm glad we agreed that you wouldn't eat broccoli and cauliflower with your chicken. More for me.

See yah.