Monday, September 05, 2005

Dread

Happy Labor Day folks. Hope none of you have to toil today. But I imagine that it's a big honey-do day for many. Everyday is a honey-do day for me. Don't work for a living, but I have a husband, Niks, who is thirteen years older than I, so I need to do a bunch of stuff for him. Help him with his socks and shoes, button any small buttons, like that.

None of that is a problem because I love him, and because I've been married to him for all my adult life, and of course for most of my actual life. So I got The Good Years. The More-Work years don't bother me very much.

However, I'm not that crazy about his one remaining brother, who I will call Owen. 'Cause that's what everyone calls Owen. Everyone calls him Owen. I've never seen his birth certificate. That probably says Owen too. Well, doesn't say anything, you'd have to read it.

Owen is six years older than Niks. So he's now 83. I didn't like him much when he was a whole lot younger, and it's just gotten worse.

He's coming from Alaska to visit us next week. Of course we don't know exactly when. He likes to surprise folks. Once when the kids were little, Nivek came bursting into our bedroom early in the morning, all excited, "There's someone sleeping in our front yard!" he informed us.

"Probably Owen," I said. Yep. I looked down from our upstairs bedroom window, and there was a figure in a mummy-type sleeping bag on the front lawn. It was Owen. He lived in North Carolina at that time, and we live in PA. He came up on his motorcycle that time. Just droppin' in. No notice. Naturally I don't mind. You believe that, no?

He used to have his own airplane. He'd show up unannounced that way sometimes. It was always a surprise to the airport too. No flight plan. No working radio in the plane. Once he had to land in a cornfield because he had some sort of engine trouble. That guy.

I don't like to be a complaining wife. But I can play that role, and I do. Niks somehow did a lot of working late whenever Owen visited. So I got to entertain him. Fun.

Owen talks about the stock market. A lot. A WHOLE lot. Knows everything about the stock market. Except how to make money. Even when everyone else was getting rich in the market, Owen was not. Don't know how he managed that. But, still. He knows it all when it comes to the stock market. And lots of other things.

When he's here he'll be on my PC a lot, checking out the market. Hogging it up. Ah, so, some of you smart ones are saying. She's having so much trouble with her PC, but she hasn't replaced it.

Whenever Owen visits, my PC gets messed up. I don't know what he does to it, but he sure does something. So, I will not be replacing my PC until after he has come and gone again. Nope. Wouldn't be prudent. Besides, I'm that kinda girl. Just a liiiiiiittle bit spiteful.

Since daughter Acton Bell and her husband will be in Mexico during Owen's visit, I'll try to hang out at her house as much as I can. Naturally I don't know the exact day that the brother-in-law will arrive. He changes his plans on a whim. I do believe that he will arrive, sooner or later. There are some things even the great and wonderful Oz doesn't know. One of them being what Owen will do, or when he will do it.

But I do know that I'm laying my plans not to be the one stuck entertaining him all the time. Heh, heh, heh.

17 comments:

mireille said...

I forgot whether Bonnie was affiliated ... as in married. But has Owen met Bonnie? Would he like to? Might be a nice side trip for him. xoxo

dddragon said...

Oh, I am LAUGHING already!!

No, Mireille, different sides of the family. Oh, my, what a match that would've been!

Feel free to hide out here, mom!

BarbaraFromCalifornia said...

I remember when Bonnie came, your sister. Now Owen! Oy. Well, at least it does not seem as if he talks day and night, am I correct?

Maybe some sock washing and laundry will be a good order of business for you.

Be well.

Lila said...

Owen is worse than Bonnie. Bonnie means well. I don't call him "Owen". I'll leave it at that!

A Little Bar of Soap said...

TLP, my blog is not meant for your amusement! You are filthy and vile!

Is Owen a Christian?

TLP said...

Mireille- Both Owen and Bonnie are married to other people. I'll post about Owen's marriage sooner or later. How could I resist?

LBOS - Yes, in his own way. You wouldn't approve of his way.

Barbara - I am a poor communicater if I didn't convey the fact that he talks a LOT, a WHOLE lot, mostly about the Stock Market.

Daughters - what can I say? Other than HELP!. There. I feel better.

Doug The Una said...

Mireille, I was thinking the exact same thing. Now I think, if he's Christian and all that he and Soapy might like each other in a very wholesome way.

Hale McKay said...

I hope you and your PC survive Owen.
...Thanks for the comment - and by all means lurk to your heart's content. I have been popping in on you as well. The whole Pez bunch have good sites to visit.

Mikki Marshall said...

Flights to New York have taken a dip in pricing...and my plant does need some watering.
I'm just sayin'

Jamie Dawn said...

Owen sounds like something to be endured.
I hope you can find the strength.
I can't stand know-it-alls, so Owen doesn't sound too appealing to me.
You have my sympathies.

Tom & Icy said...

What if he reads this blog? Maybe he'll get the message.

Meegan said...

"There's someone sleeping in our front yard!"

HA HA! (Hey, it's funny for me -- I'm not the one who has to entertain him.) Good luck!!

OldHorsetailSnake said...

Can he do that sniffling thing? Hoo boy, this is going to be good for us, bad for Lucy.

Libby said...

TLP...you say that acton bell's gonna be in mexico? maybe he could stay in her empty house, ya know!!
BoUnCeS!! LibbY!

Saur♥Kraut said...

Have you read the alphabet mystery series by Sue Grafton? Your husband and his brother sound like the heroine's landlord and his brother. Just because they're older doesn't mean they're any less interesting than we are. Owen sounds like a character. Good luck!

Bela said...

Ugh, good luck with Owen!

Why do you think I live in a 13ft by 11ft studio flat? LOL!

the many Bs said...

You should spend a lot of time at ActonBell's house. Maybe you can use her computer to write your blog on, and Owen can hog your computer and screw it up and you can get a new one when he's finished with it! It sounds like an ordeal. Good luck! hang in there. At least you will probably have some good stuff to write in your blog. I'll make sure I'm not drinking anything when I read it so that I don't laugh too hard and snort coffee out my nose!