Not Fair

I knew when I retired from a long and extremely taxing career in construction Elaine's and my life would not be fair. With Elaine continuing to work, I assumed she would get the short end of the stick on things around here.

I knew that I would do more than my share of the household errands while Elaine would be stuck to the computer drawing and redrawing power poles and power lines. I didn't think it would be a big deal, because I have always liked going to the grocery store and Elaine doesn't. If she can knit, weave, or spin yarn at home, she has no intent on going to the grocery store. You can decide for yourself if that's fair but I guess it is not a big deal.

On a typical morning, I get up a little earlier than Elaine. She works from the house and does not need to drive to work. Her work is in our house. I can run errands any time of the day, so neither one of us needs to get up to allow for drive time. I get up and make coffee and shortly after the coffee is made, Elaine gets up and gets ready for work.

Before she starts working she always pours a cup for herself and one for me. I make, she pours, seems fair. The next part of our day is when fairness becomes questionable. Elaine takes her coffee to the computer and starts working. I take my coffee to my table and check out social media or to the television and watch the news, old westerns, and infomercials. That seems a little unfair to Elaine. (If anyone needs an opinion on vacuums, air fryers, and home gyms, call me.) I can almost guarantee that within minutes of me watching television Elaine will tell me to turn down the volume while she is working. That seems a little unfair to me.

I probably should mention that Elaine's supervisor lives in Spain. Yes, Spain. Elaine speaks with him on the phone every morning. With the different time zones, they have a small amount of time to get their work coordinated. This phone call usually takes place during Rawhide. Elaine seems to think that her phone call takes priority over Rowdy Yates moving the herd. It is not my fault her supervisor lives in Spain. Why should I need to turn my volume down? Unfair!

Knowing that Elaine is the breadwinner, I can reluctantly accept this Spain/volume thing. That said, I am not happy about the unfairness.

Two weeks ago our family had an event that turned the fairness scale upside down. It started with a phone call from Girl Twin. The call where she informed me she was involved in a fender/bender. Sadly her car is essential to her job and she would be without a car until her car could be replaced or repaired.

Me: What are you going to do?

Girl Twin: I was hoping to borrow a vehicle

Me: Do you have friends that can help?

Girl Twin: I was hoping you could help. Me: I don't think I can give you Grandma's SUV

Girl Twin: What about your truck?

Me: I will need that also

Girl Twin: I need help Me: I'll/We'll figure something out

For the last two weeks, I have been driving back and forth to take Girl Twin to work. Let's talk about fairness.

It is a forty-five-minute drive between Girl Twin's house and mine. I leave my house as Elaine is getting out of bed. Unfair, I'm supposed to be retired. Elaine informed me that she would love to help but she has that guy in Spain she needs to talk to.

Girl Twin has a house cleaning business. I was needed to get her to the house, let her clean the house, and then pick her up and take her to the next house. Elaine was at our house, not driving for Girl Twin. Fair? you decide.

Elaine and Girl Twin took care of scheduling rides. Only twice was I in the wrong place at the wrong time because Elaine forgot to give me the information.

The insurance company determined Girl Twin's car was unrepairable. I guess if airbags are deployed it is too expensive to fix the car and the car is sent to the junkyard. Oh, I forgot to mention the insurance company raises your rates. Winner, winner, chicken dinner.

Now not only am I taking Girl Twin to her appointments, am also looking for a different/new car. Depression set in, I want to be retired again, and Girl Twin wants me to be retired again. Not all of our time spent together could be described as pleasant. You might have guessed but that girl has a head as hard as mine.

We found a new car. Let me explain a little about myself. I don't like buying new cars. I don't like the cost, and I don't like the process. First, you find a salesman, you talk about the cost, then the salesman sneaks off to talk to the fellow in the glass booth, and it can go on for hours. If you tell them you want to go home, the fellow in the glass booth will chase you down with one more offer.

It took two days of my life, one salesman, two different guys from the glass booth, Girl Twin, and myself, but Girl Twin has a car and I am retired again. Life is unfair.

I can't say Elaine didn't have a part in this. She spoke to the dude in Spain and went to her knitting club on Wednesdays. She was always cheering for me while I was driving Girl Twin around. It may not have been fair but it made me feel better.

Love ya, God Bless, buy yarn but give me a couple of days to rest.

Our crazy lives!

Monner