and the Hubs has been to a store. He hasn't been to a mall, god knows, since 1982. (That may be a very slight exaggeration. But I'm dead certain that he hasn't been to a mall in this century, and most likely not in the last decade of the last one, either.) Before he went, he came upon a CD he'd picked up long ago for his father, just to have on hand when we needed to give him something. So that's one less thing he had to shop for. The thing he got him today was very neat, a self-contained audiobook. It even comes with its own headphones and batteries. I can't seem to find it online to show you what it looks like, but it's about the size of a pack of cigarettes, and you can even play it in your car, or so it says. He got the new Doris Kearns Goodwin book about Lincoln. Yes, we're a whole family of history geeks.So he mentioned when he handed this over for me to wrap that the only other urgent gift he needs to get is for the office grabbag on Tuesday, but that he has the rest of the week to finish his other shopping. Uh, that would be me. It's so nice to feel thought of.
In fact, I was ready to kill him last night, and although I didn't erupt as I might have, I did say something, which is a big step for me. You know, I had said yesterday that I had waited up four nights this week for R to come home, and last night, all I wanted was to sleep. The Hubs was off at yet another work-related Cmas party (he has to attend several; I have to go to the one for his own office with him next Friday.) I expected him home by 9, and was annoyed when he wasn't home by 10 and hadn't called. By 11, I was plenty mad. His cellphone was off, so calling him wasn't an option. (I did call, which is how I knew it was off.) He got home around 11:45. Now, I don't care that he was out; he's a big boy and can do whatever he wants. A phone call saying "I'm still out and I won't be home for awhile" is all I needed. Something that says "I'm not dead, you can go to sleep." I was totally pissed off, and he knew it, too. He started giving me a look like I was nagging him or demanding something and I pointed out that since I'd never said anything like this ever in 28+ years of marriage, I was entitled, and he agreed. We don't fight, although I'll tell you, sometimes I'd like to. Anyway, it was over as soon as it started. It took me about four seconds to fall asleep.
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Several hours later. Oops, I forgot I was writing an entry.
I took a nap because I was so tired, but as per usual, it didn't make me feel rested, only groggy and headachy. Why do I bother? But when I got up, I watched a movie, which I rarely do: nothing else but sit on the couch and watch; usually, I'm at the computer or eating or doing something else while the TV is on. Here's what I watched: The Homecoming. And it was lovely.
I may have written this before; forgive me. I ordered this movie last week, along with a copy for the Colleague, because she had mentioned that it was her favorite Christmas TV special and I had forgotten all about it. It was less than $10 and I had a coupon, so I got one for her and one for me, free. You may not know what this is unless you are of a certain ... ahem ... age. It is the Christmas movie that was also the pilot for the tv series The Waltons. It is such a good story, and so well told. John-Boy, who is 15 in this story, is sent out by his mother to look for his father, delayed by the weather on his way home Christmas Eve, from a job 50 miles away that the Depression has forced him to take. The production is not in any way slick or polished, and this is part of its charm. Most of the actors are the same as in the series, except the mother (Patricia Neal), the father (Andrew Duggan), and the grandfather (Edgar Bergen, sans puppet.) All the children and the grandmother are the ones from the familiar show. I loved The Waltons, and watched it religiously. The funny thing is, I remember always watching it with my mother, and I see this Christmas special was first shown in 1971, my freshman year of college, so I wasn't home to watch most of the series. Funny, memories.
Monthly pedicure with the Sibs tomorrow morning. Those are going to be some cold toes.
