Shoulds, Dogs, & Ear Wax

Dear John,

 

I got to sleep around 2:30, so I slept in until 7 then went to church. Memorial prayers for you and Dick were hard this year. I'm not sure why I felt so emotional today. I've sniveled all day. Maybe it's the Sudafed, or having a cold. I've also dripped and sneezed all day. My nose has gotten a workout.

 

People were very nice to me today. Father said he misses you. Josh sent me this today - he said it made him think of me. I thanked him, and said that it is amazing how many people are certain about what I should think, feel, and be, and thanked him for never shoulding me. If I wasn't feeling down today, I'm sure I could have come up with a smart comment about him only shoulding me when it comes to politics. But he never shoulds me there, either - we just disagree, razz each other, and stay friends. When you were his Sunday school teacher a couple of decades ago, we would never have dreamed of the relationship we have now with him and his wife and children. It's an amazing gift.

 

After I got home, I took the dog for a walk and tried to figure out what the barkfest is about. I wondered if it was the yard sign at Craig and Dee's house, but that wasn't it. He sniffed all around the fence, making me think that something had been there and he was tracking it. But I believe he's doing what you did every time you had the wax cleaned out of your ears. Remember? We'd go to see Joe and everything would be fine. As soon as we left, you'd start talking about something being wrong with the car and needing to get it looked at. The car was fine - it was just that your ears had been stopped up and you'd forgotten what it sounded like. Jethro does the same thing every spring. During the winter there's nobody outside and the windows are closed, so he gets accustomed to less noise and activity. Then when people come outside and I open the windows, he barks at everything until he gets used to it again. I believe he's just taking after you.

 

I don't know when I'll be here to talk to you tomorrow. I have a Lia Sophia party at 6:30 that I booked before I knew the NCAA tournament schedule. It will be over at 8:30 and the championship game starts at 9:00. And I have to get up early for work on Tuesday. But don't worry - I'll let you know how the game turns out!

 

Adore you, and wish you were here,

Joan.