Who Would Have Thunk It

Today is my "day" off, after I suffer through the two hour staff meeting in the morning. I say my day "off" because I come home and have nothing to do after that meeting and Marty is gone all day and night for his overnight on Wednesday. And usually, I guard this day fiercely; it's *mine*. I don't mind the absence of my husband. I'm used to it and it's a nice day off by myself and not being at work (we both have overnights away from each other on Sunday, but that's work).

I came home and read a book in the living room with the birds for a while, sitting in the sun. I let Phoenix out to sit in his customary spot on top of ChiBird's cage, looking out over the street. I opened up ChiBird's cage and she seemed so forlorn that I used the pair of chopsticks I keep near her cage to have her "Step Up", which she readily did and then "Step Down" onto my knee. I figured that would be a fairly safe place for her to be. ChiBird, who is usually quite evil to me, and I mean Evil, dropped her head down to my leg, which is the sign for "Scratch my head, please.", although I guess in ChiBird's Borderline fashion, it would be "Scratch my head, bitch." Normally, I don't fall for it. She looks so cute and innocent when she does it and I've reached for her before and been severely bitten. I've reached for her before, actually been able to scratch her head, lulled into a sense of complacency and then, she severely bites me. And if you think a bird the size of your fist can't do damage to you... remember, ChiBird's species, the Meyers parrot, digs holes to into solid wood to make their nests. So, blood everywhere. But ChiBird did not bite and I scratched her head and even under her chin. And she kept requesting said attention. I was very alert but she never bit me. I guess she was feeling Marty's absence, her Favored Human (he's mine, you bitchy bird), and thusly wanted any sort of attention she could get, even from the Hated Human.

I too, definitely noticed the lack of my husband this Wednesday, as well as Tuesday and Monday. Who would have thunk it. He called while I was out at the gym on Monday but the message was so garbled and staticky that I couldn't really understand it.

There's a sort of absence in the house that is noticeable beyond the usual "Marty is on his overnight". I guess I've gotten used to having my man around, physically, emotionally, energetically and dare I may say, spiritually. Who would have thunk it.

Lately, I get quite silly when he leaves, all upset and anxious. I get so worried that something is going to happen, the plane is going to crash, the car is going to crash, and he's not going to be coming back. I would, of course, survive and eventually, live well. But I would be devastated. And I realize that Marty has become a fixture in my life and I would be lacking without him. He is my playmate, my friend, my mate, my life's partner.

Me, who thought I'd never have a life long partner, who thought marriage was evil.

Who would have thunk it?