Settled

“I don’t know why I’m always running behind,” I bemoan.

“That’s because you’re approaching 80,” Ed resolves.

(He borrowed that phrase from his dad.  Until I put a stop to it and DeRay actually turned 80, he was always using “We’re approaching 80” as an excuse.  “You’re approaching 80,” I insist, “I’m 77.”)

As I ride my trike around the neighborhood in the warm sunshine on November 7, I am listening to “The Wind in the Willow” (a children's novel by Kenneth Grahame, first published in 1908) .

The River Rat is talking to the Mole:

“Nothing seems really to matter, that's the charm of it. Whether you get away, or whether you don't; whether you arrive at your destination or whether you reach somewhere else, or whether you never get anywhere at all, you're always busy, and you never do anything in particular; and when you've done it there's always something else to do, and you can do it if you like, but you'd much better not.”

That’s me to a T.

The less I have to do the behinder I get.  I’m still stinging over Verla and Amy wondering what I have to do when I complained that I was always behind.  “Behind on what?  What do you have to do?” both my daughter and my sister queried simultaneously.  (Blog “The Behinder I Get” September 19, 2014)

Well –

Listen to the River Rat.  He told me so and that is how I came to know.

Part II.
Other recent wise sayings by Eddy:

“Ed, the dishwasher needs to be unloaded.”

“It’s Election Day.  You know I don’t work on Election Day.”

“I forgot to shave,” DeRay said this morning before gym, “I’ll look like a movie star.”  (They all wear a stubble now – as well as half the men at church.)

“We wanted to become one but it didn’t work out,” Ed said.  

I wonder what he’s referring to.  When did we want to be movie stars?  For sure, it didn’t work out.

     I pass on to Ed that Alison had loved him ever since we went to Russia together.  Next day, he articulates:  “I can’t believe she’s loved me ever since 1993.  I’ve been a world traveler ever since.”  (Besides the year, he could tell you which airline we flew on, which gate, and many more details.)

      “I love this time of year, Mom – with the holidays right around the corner.”  (Anyone else could say that and it wouldn’t seem so grand but when Eddy refused to talk for four years, every idea he expresses thrills the heck outta me.)

      It sprinkles a bit then quits so Ed decides to go on a trike ride.  When I look out and see it is raining, I think, "Oh no! Ed hates the rain.  He doesn't like to get wet.  He's going to come storming home." But he didn't and soon the sun was back out.  As he got ready for bed, he gloated, "That moisture sure felt good today."

 “What do you want for Christmas this year?”  No answer so I start suggesting things.

“We’ve got to have Thanksgiving first,” he grins.  “Did you forget?”