In the end, what affect your life most deeply are things far too simple to talk about. (Nell Blaine)  

Brushing my teeth, making the bed, doing whatever I have to do;

Almost every hour of the day something reminds me of you.

Comic strips, horoscopes, crossword puzzles that we’d try,

Tootsie Rolls, B-B Bats, Friday night fish fries, apple pie;

Praying the daily rosary, lighting the candle, fingering the beads;

Mentioning special intentions, asking God to grant our needs;

Bright red geraniums in summer, golden chrysanthemums in fall,

We’d choose them at the nursery; then you’d plant and tend them all.

A sleek, shiny convertible cruising down the street;

Having to answer “How are you?” to everyone I meet;

Paying bills and balancing my checkbook,

Getting the mail and filling the car tank with gas;

Listening to oldies on the radio;

Sharing the sign of peace at Sunday Mass;

Springing ahead and losing an hour of sleep.

Gathering receipts for filing tax returns—you taught me which ones to keep.

Making corned beef and cabbage and soda bread our own special way,

Irish songs and dances, celebrating St. Patrick’s Day;

Blossoming trees and blooming flowers on the first beautiful day of spring;

My gold wedding band and diamond engagement ring;

Interesting lectures and field trips at Osher–learning while having fun;

Matching lounge chairs on the patio, yours in the shade, mine in the sun;

Cashmere and argyle sweaters, Donegal tweed Irish caps,

College beer steins and sweat shirts, two-hour afternoon naps;

Refilling prescriptions at CVS, sugar-free honey-lemon cough drops;

Seeing your favorite flavors of ice cream on sale three for $10 at Top’s;

Law and Order, Lawrence Welk, political pundits on Fox TV News,

Hearing all the arguments defending conservative views;

Listening to what all the candidates have to say, then voting our values on Election Day.

Travel brochures and catalogues–sites to see and places to go;

A fireplace, a big comfy chair, easy listening on the stereo;

Baseball season nearing an end (the Red Sox were your favorite team);

Current events around the world would make you want to scream.

Emptying the dishwasher; I use it now just once a week;

Never letting dirty dishes pile up in the kitchen sink;

Organ concerts, musicals, plays that have a happy end,

Phone calls and email messages that I receive and send;

Autumn leaves, a pumpkin patch, apple cider, football games;

Looking through photo albums, retelling stories, remembering names;

Hearing someone ask “What’s next?”  walking Maisy around the block;

Working on the computer; winding the grandfather clock;

A warm shower in the morning, a drive through the park,

Visits with family and friends; lying in bed alone in the dark;

Jack Callaghan’s Irish Identity Class, listening to Hal Roche routines;

Nicholas Sparks’ movies and books, especially the romantic scenes;

(Because they sometimes make me cry, I keep a box of tissues nearby).

Adding an hour when changing the clocks; sun rays breaking through a cloud;

Putting away the summer things; hearing “I Love You” spoken aloud;

Four in the morning: “Finding it hard getting up”—one of our private jokes.

Honeymoon eggs—that’s what we called them when I broke the yolks.

I’m hooked on a new TV series called “This Is Us;”

There are so many situations we could relate to and discuss.

Seeing long married couples holding hands and having fun;

Watching the sun rise and thanking God for the new day begun;

The carefully chosen art work hanging on our walls;

The profusion of sales circulars in the mail from area malls;

Each posed anniversary photo in its gilded frame;

Every time I see, or say or sign my name;

Making ice cubes without overfilling the tray;

You were right!  They come out more easily that way.

“Saving money” by shopping at Kohl’s;

Using E-Z Pass to pay the tolls;

Brown paper and packing tape used to wrap a box;

Folding the laundry; matching the socks;

Soft fluffy snowflakes falling quietly all around

Create a beautiful white blanket to cover the ground.

Christmas carols, mistletoe, ornaments for the tree,

They aren’t as much fun without you here to enjoy them with me.

Turtleneck collars and polished leather shoes;

Knowing how to cheer me up when I have the blues;

I now wear slip-on bangle bracelets and use devices to help me walk;

There isn’t always someone around when I need to talk.

I’m making decisions alone on matters we once would first discuss

And find that in my conversations I still say “we,” “our,” and “us.”

….. to be continued

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