Dearly Beloved gave me a birthday break when he let me post his stories about his cattle ranch/college days. Not that I post regularly anyhow, but having something new without having to write it was fun.
DB was grateful for your compliments and your comments about starting a blog of his own, but I can’t imagine him ever wanting to do so. His writing these days is mostly in the form of e-mails to family.
His notes to our son and sons-in-law and their responses can sometimes be hilarious to me when he shares them, even though I don’t speak their language. Phrases and wisdom from The Big Lebowski are common, but repetitive, since there is little quotable material from that movie which isn’t laced with f-bombs. Such pithy statements as this aggression will not stand, man… special lady… dabbling in pacifism… adult beverages… the dude abides… and most certainly, the concerns about peeing on the rug. Peeing on the rug was an act of aggression in the movie.
I feel responsible for their obsession, since I was the one who spotted the review of the movie about 14 years ago and thought it was something DB might enjoy. I remember walking out of the Minneapolis theater with an apology for selecting such an awful movie on my lips when DB, gushed something like, “That was one of the best movies I’ve ever seen! I can’t wait to tell the guys (son and SILs) about it.“
The movie, written and produced by the Coen Brothers, is supposedly based on Raymond Chandler’s The Big Sleep. Lebowski became a cult favorite long after it was released and spawned books and blogs about it. There’s Duderonomy, a Dudespaper, and even Dude conventions. Thankfully, DB has not gone that route, but Lebowski still has a place of honor in our house.
Some of DB’s notes are about retirement, as in, “I’m having an adult beverage and watching basketball. How’s work today?” He also imparts wisdom on marriage and life in general.
Here’s one he shared with me last week:
Subject: Learn from the Master
Tomorrow is the wife’s birthday. She’ll be 51.I’ve made a few bad choices on her presents over the years. The crockpot year, Newark Airport gift shop picture (which she hung over the toilet), and there’ve been others.This year I’ve hired someone to clean the outside windows, rather than me. They’ll be here Monday.She’ll be thrilled. I’ll give you a report.Elder dude
I was thrilled, (a) that the windows were going to be cleaned and (b) that DB wasn’t going to get on that ladder himself. It was raining last Monday, so the window washer didn’t come. Looks like this Monday wasn’t good for him either. Still, if it keeps DB off that ladder, I’m willing to wait.
In the meantime, it’s our inside windows that are looking worse every day. They’re filled with nose prints. We have been keeping granddog Ivy for a couple of weeks and she has taken it upon herself to be on full squirrel alert. She stands, nose to the windows, and when she sees a damnsquirrel she races to the door to go outside and chase them away.
Think I don’t love that?!
DB has enjoyed every minute of her visit. Having an active dog around, especially one with a personality like Ivy’s, has delighted him. They go on long walks together. They play ball. Ivy sleeps by his side of the bed. He dreads having to take her back to her peeps.
Recently, I was seated on the sofa working on my laptop, my feet on the coffee table. Dearly Beloved was sitting on the loveseat at a right angle to me. He wanted a glass of water, so he stood and nudged my legs with his knee, saying, “Will you move your legs for a minute so that I can get by?”
I looked up, surprised. It was much easier for him to go in the other direction. There was a wider path and my legs weren’t blocking it. But wait… I looked down and saw that Ivy was lying on the floor and knew instantly what he was doing.
“You’re asking me to move so that you won’t have to disturb the dog, aren’t you?”
Mr. Romantic looked around and realized sheepishly that, ”Uh… yes. I guess I was.”
Honestly! It’s a good thing the man does not wear a toupee.
I’d be tempted to pee on his rug.
