Husband-o-dondo

[husband-o-dondo]

Parts of Speech

He’s not very good with grammar. And as a teacher in training, I would pull out my notebook on our dates and we’d go over the parts of speech — eccentric and boring on my behalf, but he seemed to enjoy it! He’d lean in, smiling ear to ear, and try labeling each word in a mock-up sentence: “Caleb is a silly boy.”Subject, verb, article, adjective, direct object.

Today we revisited the parts of speech - because why not? We have all the talk-time in the world. It’s been a while, but he remembered the prepositions, verbs, and adverbs. Yet, he couldn’t name the subject. I couldn’t track how he was picking the subject until we were laughing about it on the carpet:

“The mailman stole the puppy right in front of me.” I interject.

He says I’m the subject.

“No, it’s the mailman.”

“What?!”

“Yeah, he’s the point of the sentence.”

But you’re way more important the mailman.”

It was then that I realized he had been choosing the nouns he liked most.

A+

[husband-o-dondo]

Lay Offs

There are layoffs at Caleb's work - unfortunately, we had to get to a party right after his company broke the news, so he didn’t get the proper time to let it sink in. Every now and then I’d clock a long stare into nowhere - I know he’s nervous for his friends and of course our future. Yet, he’s handling things with so much grace - staying productive and exercising although he’s hurt and anxious.

I tend to get a little clingy when I don’t know how to help - and tonight I’ve followed him to the community pool and set out a lawn chair to hang out in while he swims.

He just flashed a thumbs up from the pool

[husband-o-dondo]

The Community Pool

Our new gym has some problems - their new design has co-ed amenities right next to the lap pool and a big group of guys like to congregate right at the edge while they wait for the sauna.

I’ve seen them chuck floaties at swimmers and make lewd gestures. Once there was screaming match that we had to intervene - it was just a whole lot of stress (while feeling bare in a one-piece speed suit)

I stopped swimming, but after hearing my woes, it was Caleb’s idea to switch pools. A community facility caught his eye. It doesn’t have the same equipment and the amenities are a little run down, but it’s my new favorite place. “Better than being screamed at, right?” He joked the other day.

The feeling I’m left with is one of protection - having someone take my feelings so seriously and helping me make a change.

[husband-o-dondo]

Rescheduling a flight

He rudely shooed me away from a phone call with American Airlines tonight (we have to use flight credit ya-de-yada). I’m not worried - we will talk about it when he gets off the call and I was butting in because the lady was being short and rude

When we first got together, he didn’t have much experience with planning flights (correct me if I’m wrong about that, Caleb). My parents and us were always traveling, so it’s been nice to spread the knowledge. And he’s gotten so good at handling the good, bad, and the ugly of flight travel - being so patient with the phone operator, speaking so eloquently despite her rudeness, and handling the elevator music with much grace all while pushing for what he wants without being snarky.

We laugh because he has “Karen” tendencies, but he is shinning right now.

[husband-o-dondo]

Decor

I wasn’t entirely allowed to hang things up in my room as a kid - I bring that up to express how wonderful it is to have a partner that supports my art. He wants me to treat our apartment walls like a gallery…

I’m excited to fill it!

[husband-o-dondo]

Peach Cobbler

He stress-made a peach-cobbler yesterday.

Context: I asked if he could bring home a store-bought dessert for a get together. “Why do I do this to myself??” He yells, pulling the baking pans from the cabinets.

T_T (the cobbler was really good)

[husband-o-dondo]

A Broken Curse

I’ve been in therapy to figure out some things from my childhood. I’ll share a bit about my parents, and in a separate conversation I’ll talk about my husband. My therapist thinks my parents were emotionally negligent- I guess children in that circumstance seek out controlling relationships.

My therapist wants me to know how rare it is that I ended up with Caleb. I wonder if she's just talking me up.

But Caleb's so graceful and loving. Soft and forgiving. An earnest hug. An enchanting laugh. An easy-breezy “how are you, ma love?” An encounter with trust. Compliments and affection come easily in our relationship - a reason why my family thinks we’re odd.

I like odd. Odd is nice.

[husband-o-dondo]

Money on my Desk

We have a whole closet full of his board games - lately, he’s been selling off the few he doesn’t play. He’ll call me so happily and tell me how the sale went, and then I’ll come home to the money on my desk. I think his motivation is to recompensate me for the clutter. I’ve tried several times to tell him how he should spend it on himself! He deserves it after all the hard work! But he’ll just sneak it back into my wallet.

UPDATE: He just bought a new boardgame XD