I was looking over at my Golden Pathos, it’s long tendrils hanging below the pedestal table it had been placed on.

“Hum…” I looked over at my son Alex, who was sitting at the dining room table eating a sandwich. “I think this plant might need a haircut.”

Alex looked over at the plant. “Well, it was nice knowing you.” he said.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You’re not very good at giving plants haircuts.” Alex raised his eyebrows. “Don’t you remember the lavender plants two years ago?”

“Well, that was different.” I challenged. “They kept looking like they needed to be cut back. How was I supposed to know it would kill them!”

“What about the tomato plants?” Alex questioned.

“Well, that wasn’t my fault! I didn’t give them a haircut!” I went over to the kitchen drawer to get the scissors. “That was the stupid groundhog that came up on the porch and snapped the vine!” I looked over at Alex while holding the scissors up in the air before closing the drawer with a bump from my hip. “If I recall I actually saved that plant by using tape to put it back together!” I smiled as I nodded. “I harvested at least two cherry tomatoes from that plant after that!”

Alex shook his head and laughed. “Harvested.”
I shrugged my shoulders. “Okay, maybe it wasn’t a bumper crop but, at least I didn’t kill that plant.” I leaned on the back of a dining room chair. “Besides, I’m usually pretty good with my herbs. Last year I had basil, mint, thyme…” I stopped for a moment to think. “Oh, and parsley! I had a lot of parsley.”

“Wasn’t that for the Monarch butterflies?” Alex picked up his plate and went to the sink to rinse it off before placing it in the dishwasher.

I shrugged my shoulders again. “Well, we both used it.” I went over to the Golden Pathos and tried to untangle the long tendrils that were twisted around the pot. “Okay, so let’s see here.” I held onto a dead leaf, that was deep in the middle of the plant, reaching in with the scissors and snipped it off.

“See?” I held up the dead leaf. “It needed that out.”

I looked around the plant searching for more wilted leaves. Reaching, once again, into the center of the plant with the scissors I watched one of the tendrils fall to the floor. “Whoops.” I looked over at Alex. “I didn’t mean for that to happen.”

Alex picked up the piece with several living leaves attached. “Well, it seems it didn’t survive the

haircut.” He handed me the leaves.

“It’s okay!” I put the scissors down on the table and went over to the glass cabinet. “I can fix this.” I filled a glass with water and snapping the last leaf off I placed that end in the water. “I’ll just propagate this and add it back to the plant once the roots begin to show!”

“I thought you were trying to give it a haircut?” Alex looked confused. “Now you’ve decided you’re going to make the plant bigger?”

“Okay, fine. I’ll just cut a few more off and make a whole new plant to give to someone.” I went over to the table to get the scissors when Alex scooped them up first.

“I don’t think that’s a great idea. Think back to your lavender haircut skills?” he said holding the scissors away from me. He looked back at the Golden Pathos. “You can thank me later.”

“What do you think?” I placed the bee house on the side table next to the glider.

My son Alex and I were on the back porch getting ready for another season of porch sitting.

“Isn’t that a bee house?” Alex asked.

“Yup.” I had to smile as I adjusted it on the table. “It’s like a little piece of art! Don’t you think?”

Alex shook his head. “But that’s where I sit.” He was pointing at the glider, the bee house right next to his spot.

“It’s for Mason bees.” I explained. “They’re not aggressive.”

Alex was still shaking his head. “I still don’t want to sit next to it!”

“Well, it’s not going to be there all summer.” I pointed out in the woods. “Your Dad’s going to hang it up on the shed for me.”

“Okay, that’s a better idea.” He sat down in his spot.

“But until he does I kind of like it there.” I sat down in my rocking chair, tipping back so I could put my feet up on the wooden ottoman.

“So exactly how does it work?” Alex tipped the bee house back looking into the empty tubes.

I shrugged my shoulders. “I’m not exactly positive but I think the Mason bees lay their eggs in the tubes, then cover them up with mud and in the fall we take the house and put it in the shed. Then next spring we bring it out when it starts to get warm and they hatch!” I looked over at him and smiled. “It’s our way to help the pollinating bee population keep growing!”

“Okay, I know you like helping nature and all that but…” Alex put the bee house back in place. “This is going to happen out by the shed, right?”

“I guess.” I shrugged my shoulders again. “You know how busy your Dad is.” I raised my eyebrows. “So that could mean this week, next month or…”

Alex picked up the bee house again and looked at the back. “It has a little hook on the back.” He looked over at me. “All it needs is a nail hammered into the side of the shed and it can be hung up in two seconds.”

I sighed. “I know, but your Dad likes to do those kinds of things for me.”

“Well, how about I help him on this one.” Alex picked up the bee house and headed for the garage.

Lifting open the door he reached into the tool box and grabbed a hammer. Pulling a nail out of a jar on the shelf he turned back to me. “We’re all set. Just show me where you want it hung.”

We went into the back yard, walking along the path through the woods that had dozens of daffodils blooming on both sides, until we got to the shed.

“I think at the far end.” I pointed to where I wanted it hung. “It’s supposed to be on the sunny side.” I looked back at the porch. “And I want to be able to see it from the porch.”

Alex looked over at me with a confused look on his face. “It’s not like you’re going to see the bees laying their eggs from the porch.”

“I know. But I told you I really like the look of it. The way the tubes are set in it, it looks like a small work of art to me.”

Alex shook his head and laughed as he made his way down the side of the shed. Placing the bee house on the ground he took the hammer and tapped the nail in. Picking up the house he placed it on the nail and stepped back to look. “Perfect.” He looked over at me. “How do you like it?”

“I love it!”

We stood and admired it for a few moments before walking single file back up the path.

“So, you really didn’t want that on the porch for even a day did you?” I called over my shoulder.

“Nope. Not even for a day.”

I was sitting in the living room spinning a gold scarab bracelet around my wrist when my husband Steven came into the room. “What are you up to?”

I held my wrist out. “Do you remember this?”

Steven came over to look at the bracelet of carved scarab beetles in different colored stones around my wrist.

He looked confused. “I don’t remember giving you that.”

“You didn’t.” I began rubbing the beetle carved from a tiger’s eye stone. “My Mom bought it for me.”

Steven nodded his head. “That’s nice. What made you put it on now?”

“I was thinking about this time of year when everything is coming alive again and the story of when she bought it for me just popped into my head. I went to look to see if I still had it.” I smiled as I held out my wrist again. “And I did!”

“Well, I’m glad.” He was ready to walk away when I stopped him. “Don’t you want to hear the story of when she bought it for me?”

Steven stopped and I noticed only a second of hesitation before he turned around and sat on the couch and smiled. “Sure I do.”

I settled back in the couch. “Well…” I admired my bracelet again. “It was the weirdest thing. One day, when I was a teenager my Mom, out of the blue, said, ‘You need a scarab bracelet.” I began to shake my head. “At that time I had no idea what a scarab was let alone why I needed a bracelet of it.” I looked over at Steven and smiled. “But you know how I feel about jewelry.”

Steven nodded his head. “You do love your jewelry.”

I looked back at the bracelet then back at Steven. “So we went to the jewelry store and the next thing I know I’m looking at these weird little beetles carved out of stones, set in gold.”

“Well, that’s a special memory.” Steven said as he patted my knee and started to get up.

“But why did she think I needed this?” I asked. “She knew I usually only wore silver.” I looked over at Steven. “I still do.”

Steven shrugged his shoulders. “Well, we’ll never know now.”

“That’s true, but…” I held up my phone. “I looked it up and when you give a scarab beetle it symbolizes good fortune, hope, and restoration of life.”

Steven started to laugh. “Do you really think your Mom knew that meaning when she got it for you?”

The look on my face had him stopping in mid-laugh.

“I’d like to think so.” I said as my son Alex came into the room. “Hey, do you want to hear the story behind this bracelet?” I held out my wrist for Alex to see.

Alex looked over at his Dad who was slowly backing out of the room.

“Hmm. Sure.” he said down on the couch. “If it’s not a really long story.”

“It’s quick.” I said as I repeated the story to him. When I was done I looked over to him. “Do you still have the scarabs I gave you?”

Alex looked confused. “They’re hanging on my bedside lamp. But I didn’t know you gave them to me. I thought I got them when I was a kid at Allaire Park.”

Now I looked confused. “I got them at the Metropolitan Museum of Art when I toured their Egyptian wing.” I shook my head. “Why would they sell scarabs at a Colonial village?”

“Beats me.” Alex shrugged his shoulders. “But now that I know what they are and what they mean…Thanks.”

“So…” I had to laugh. “You’re welcome.”

It had been a dreary, rainy day and I was puttering around the house getting chores done.

As I was passing my dining room window I noticed the western sky had turned much darker. “Oh boy! I think a storms coming!” I called.

My husband Steven came into the room. “I was just coming to tell you. I was checking the weather channel and there’s supposed to be a thunderstorm in about twenty minutes.”

I smiled and rubbed my hands together. “Thunderstorm season is here!” I cried.

I looked over at the clock. “Well, it’s way too early to pour a glass of wine and sit on the back porch.” I shrugged my shoulders. “But there will be plenty of storms coming up for that.”

Instead I finished cleaning the kitchen and waited for the first crack of thunder to come. It wasn’t long before I heard the first rumble way off in the distance.

I wiped my hands on the dishtowel and headed for the back door. The rain was coming down harder as I stepped out on the porch making sure I stayed closer to the house, well under the porch roof. I watched a chubby squirrel race through the leaf covered woods, that was part of our backyard, headed for a drier place to wait out the storm.

Steven stepped outside and stood next to me. I slowly inhaled. “Don’t you just love the smell of a spring rain?”

Steven nodded. “It does smell good.”

After several minutes of heavy rain the western sky began to brighten and the rain was slowly letting up.

I looked over at Steven, slightly disappointed. “Well, that was quick.”

The rain had now completely stopped and seconds later the sun came out. All the raindrops that were still hanging from the trees began to sparkle.

I looked over to Steven. “Look how pretty everything looks.” I pointed to all of our bunches of daffodils scattered throughout the woods. “I can’t believe all the bulbs I planted have come up!”

Steven looked over at me with a surprised look on his face. “All the bulbs you planted?”

I was confused. “We bought over one hundred blubs last fall. Don’t you remember?”

Steven laughed. “Oh, I remember.” He was nodding his head. “But it seems you’ve forgotten that I was the one who dug all the holes for you to plant them in.”
“Oh yeah.” I shrugged my shoulders. “Sorry about that.” I waved my hand back out to the yard. “I can’t believe all the bulbs WE planted have come up.”

“That’s better.”

We watched as the bird feeders began to fill with birds all chirping and wing flapping to get to the best spots on the feeders. A robin was at the edge of the birdbath getting ready to take a swim.

“I love this time of year.” I sighed. “Everything’s coming back to life.”

We watched as a squirrel shimmied up the bird feeder’s Shepard’s hook, reached over to the feeder, grabbed hold on one of the bird perches and swung over hanging upside down and began doing stomach crunches to reach the birdseed.

Steven looked over at me. He saw the disgusted looked on my face and began to laugh. “Yup, everything is coming back to life.”

I shook my head. Watching as the squirrel emptied out the feeder. “I’m sorry to say they’ve never left.”

“I did it!” I called as I walked in the door carrying several bags of groceries.

Alex took the bags from my hands and went into the kitchen with them. “I can see that.” He put the bags on the countertop. “Thanks for doing the grocery shopping.”

“Oh, you’re welcome but I wasn’t talking about grocery shopping when I said ‘I did it’.” I reached into a bag and pulled out a small baggie filled with toothpicks. “I found something that I can store in that really great candy box you gave me for Valentine’s Day!”

Alex looked confused as he took the milk from the bag and went to put it in the refrigerator. “Are you serious?” He turned around to look at me. “You saved the Godiva box?”

“Of course I did.” I opened the drawer where I kept the utensils and tucked in the back of the drawer was the golden metal box. “See?” I pulled it out and showed it to him.

Alex shook his head. “I can’t believe you kept that.”

I had to laugh. “You can’t?” I put the box on the countertop and tore open the baggie. “You know how much I love boxes!” I poured the toothpicks in the box watching as they slipped out of the baggie and into the box. Once they were all in I shook them into place. “Perfect fit!” I put the lid back on and opened the spice cabinet sliding it next to my recipe box. “That’s so much better then a baggie of toothpicks!”

Alex looked over at me. “I guess.”

“What do you mean you guess?” I took the box back off the shelf. “This is so much nicer than the cardboard boxes they usually come in.” I began pulling the tightly fitting lid off. “And I couldn’t even find any of those in the store. They only had the baggies.” I pulled a little harder finally getting it open but spilling several toothpicks onto the counter.

“How many fell out Rain Man?” Alex asked me.

I began to laugh as I scanned the countertop. “Eight toothpicks. Definitely eight toothpicks.”

“How many came in the bag?” Alex asked.

I shook my head as I continued to laugh. “Nope, not doing the math on that one.” I scooped the toothpicks off the counter and tossed them in the trash.

“You’re going to go through them pretty quickly if that happens every time you open the box.”

I shook my head again as I put the lid back on and placed the box back on the shelf. “I don’t care. I’m not giving up this box.”

I paused for a moment. “Wasn’t it two hundred and forty six?”

“Two hundred and forty six what?” Alex pulled a loaf of bread out of a grocery bag and was headed for the cabinet.

“Two hundred and forty six was the number of toothpicks the waitress dropped in the movie.”

Alex began to laugh again. “Two hundred and forty six definitely two hundred and forty six.” Alex quoted from the scene.

“Wow!” I shook my head. “I can’t believe I remembered that!” I went back to putting away the rest of the groceries. “Maybe when we’re done with this we can find an old rerun of The People’s Court and see what Judge Wapner is up to!”

I was walking up to the front door, keys ready in my hand, when my son Alex opened the door for me.

“How was your brunch?” he asked as I stepped past him and dropped my purse on the chair. “It was nice. Mary and Liz said to say hi and that they were sorry you couldn’t make it.” I took off my jacket and hung it in the closet. “How’s your back?”

Alex twisted from side to side. “Getting a little better I think. I’ve been doing some stretches.”

“That’s good.” I turned around and started to laugh. “I got food shamed at the restaurant.”

“What?” Alex looked confused. “Food shamed?”

I nodded my head. “When the waitress was taking our order I said I wanted two eggs over easy, bacon and hash browns.”

“That sounds good.”

“I know!” I had to laugh again. “She asked me if I knew what their hash browns were like.” I shrugged my shoulders. “I was a little confused, thinking they served some kind of strange hash brown.”

“So what kind do they serve?”

“She said they were like McDonald’s hash browns.” Grabbing a glass from the cabinet I went over to the refrigerator to get some water. “I’m thinking that’s perfect, a nice golden hash brown with my over easy egg right on top of it!”

“So what’s wrong with that?” Alex was leaning against the counter top.

“She said she wanted me to be sure I knew what they were because no one over 12 year old ever ordered them.” I looked over at Alex before taking a sip from my glass.

Alex grimaced. “Ouch.”

“Exactly!” I put the glass on the countertop and leaned against the countertop. “How was I supposed to order it after she said that?” I started to laugh again. “I had to order the clearly grown-up home fries instead!”

“Well, homes fries are good too.”

“Not as good as hash browns.” I sighed. “When did hash browns become a toddler treat?”

Alex shook his head. “She didn’t say toddler. She said no one under 12.” Alex leaned over and patted me on the shoulder. “I know what will make you feel better.”

“What?”

“Why don’t you stop and get yourself a McDonald’s Happy Meal for your lunch tomorrow?”

I started to laugh. “Actually, that’s a great idea!” I pulled out my phone. “I wonder what toy they have this week?”

“Whatever it is I’m sure one of your kids in school is going to be very happy.”

“It’s Mario Kart!” I held up my phone to show him. “That’s a good one! Now I just have to figure out which teacher’s prize box it’s going to go it.”

“See, you’re all grown up again!”

My son Alex and I were taking an after dinner walk when we spotted a patch of something that was a brilliant blue sitting on a bare branch.

“What is that?” Alex asked as we watched the patch of blue leave the tree branch and fly to another tree.

“Oh, it’s a bird!” I cried as we watched a few more of them fly from tree to tree. “Are they Blue Jays?”

“Nope. They’re smaller than a blue jay and not the right color blue.”

As we watched them fly off I took my phone out of my pocket and clicked on Google. “I can’t believe I’ve never seen that bird before.” I typed in ‘blue birds in New Jersey’ and up popped our little friend. “It’s literally called a Bluebird!” I showed Alex the picture.

Alex looked at the picture. “Yup, that’s it alright.”

I turned the phone back to me and began reading about it. “It says they’re a common sight in New Jersey.” I looked back at Alex. “Clearly we live under a rock because that’s the first one I’ve ever seen.”

Alex laughed. “I’ve never seen one either.”

“I guess we both live under a rock.” I answered as I continued reading. “Oh, wait!” I began nodding my head. “It says that from the 1930’s to the 70’s their population dwindled because of habitat loss, pesticide use and the introduction of aggressive non-native birds like Starlings.” I looked back at Alex angrily shaking my head. “Another reason I’m not a big fan of Starlings. What a bunch of bullies chasing away those sweet little Bluebirds.”

I put my phone back in my pocket and we began walking again. “I’m glad they’re coming back.”

Alex nodded his head.

I thought I spotted another one in the trees. “Welcome back little guys!” I called up to them.

Alex quickly looked around making sure we were alone on the path.

“Don’t worry. I checked to see if we were by ourselves before I called out.”

“I appreciate that.”

“No worries.” I stopped and pulled my phone out of my pocket again. “Hey, I just thought of the phrase, Bluebird of happiness. I wonder if that’s a real thing?” I began typing again.

“It is!” I began scrolling again. “It was a song but, it also says a Bluebird is a symbol of joy and happiness and when you spot one you can expect that in your future.” I looked over to Alex. “Okay so which one of us spotted it first so we know who can expect the joy and happiness in the near future?”

Alex looked at me for a minute. “What if I say we both saw it at the same time?”

“Really?” I slipped my phone back in my pocket and we began to walk again. “That would be great!”

“Are you feeling like you need a little more joy and happiness in your life right now?”

“Are you kidding?” I looked over at Alex. “I’m feeling like the entire world could use a little more joy and happiness right now.”

Alex nodded his head in agreement as I pointed to another Bluebird further up the path. “You’ve got your work cut out for you little guy!” I called out to him.

Alex looked behind us again.

“Don’t worry.” I laughed. “We’re still alone.”

I had just pulled into the driveway, grabbed all of my work bags from the back seat of my car and was walking up the front sidewalk when I saw the beautiful bog iron rock sitting on my front step.

Stepping over the rock I let myself in the house and dropped my bags on the nearest chair before excitedly going back outside to marvel at the present someone left for me.

“Alex!” I called back into the house. “Did you see who dropped this off?”

Alex came to the front door and saw me sitting next to the rock. “Someone left you a rock?”

“I know!” I couldn’t help but smile. “Isn’t that the sweetest thing?”

“Well, it’s a rock so I’m not sure I would consider it the sweetest thing. At least for me.” Alex was leaned against the doorjamb.

“Well, it is for me! Someone knows I’m still working on lining my path through the woods to the shed.” I began inspecting the rock and could see some moss was growing on one side. “So, did you see who dropped it off?”

Alex shook his head. “Nope. I didn’t see anyone come up to the door.”

“Oh, that’s too bad.” I picked up the rock and began carrying it around the house to add it to the path, with Alex following me. “I was hoping you saw who it was so I could thank them.”

I walked into the woods and dropped my new rock where the rock border had stopped. I listened as it thud into place. “Perfect!” I looked at the shed only a few feet away. “We’re getting closer now!” I called to Alex who had stopped at the beginning of the path.

As I wove my way back to him I stopped and adjusted some of the rocks that had gotten out of place.

Standing next to Alex I looked down the path. “It’s really coming along now.”

Alex looked over at me with a confused look on his face. “I don’t understand why you don’t just buy some bog iron and finish the path?”

I looked over at him with a confused look on my face. “What fun would that be?”

“Fun?”

“Yes, fun.” We began walking back to the house. “It’s the hunt that’s fun. Seeing when someone leaves some at the curb, or finding them in our yard when it freezes then thaws and a few are pushed to the surface.”

Just then my husband Steven came around back. “Did you find the rock I left you on the front steps?”

“It was you!”

“Yeah, I was at a clients house and I saw it in their front yard.” He shrugged his shoulders. “It didn’t look like it was a decoration so I asked if I could have it. They were thrilled to get rid of it.”

I went over and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Well, I love it!”

“I thought you would.”

I couldn’t help but smile as I looked over at Alex. “Your Dad is so thoughtful.”

Alex looked at Steven and then back at me. “You know it’s still just a rock.”

I took Steven’s hand as we walked back to the house together. “No, it’s not just a rock. Your Dad was thinking about me when he saw the rock and knew how happy it would make me.”

“Exactly.” Steven said as he opened the back door. “Some people like to be given flowers while your Mom’s happier with a rock.”

I stopped for a second. “Wait a minute. I never said I didn’t like getting flowers.”

Alex started to laugh and he patted Steven on the shoulder and began walking out of the kitchen. “Well, you walked right into that one.” He called over his shoulder.

My husband Steven and I were driving by the house my oldest son Max would soon be moving into.

As we were driving by the front of the house I stopped the car. “What are those?” I said as I pointed to some white flowers that were popping up by the front door.

Steven shook his head. “I’m not sure. Maybe they’re crocuses? Don’t they come out in March?”

I pulled the car to the curb and put it in park. Getting out, I went over to the little white flowers. “They’re not crocuses!” I called back to Steven, who was still in the car but had lowered his window.

I took my phone out and went to my Picture This app. Bending over I got as close to the flower as possible before snapping it’s picture. Within seconds their picture came up with a description.

“They’re snowdrops.” I said as I walked back to the car. I handed him my phone as I climbed back in the car. He handed me back the phone and I began reading more about them.“They’re also called Fair Maids of February and Little Sister of the Snows.” I looked over at Steven and smiled. “Ah…isn’t that the cutest?”

Steven shook his head and laughed.

I was still looking at the picture. “Why haven’t I ever seen these before?” I looked over at Steven. “Have you ever seen these before?”

“Nope.”

“I can’t believe I’ve never seen these before.” I was still scrolling through the plant description. “It says they’re a very hardy perennial that’s great for a beginner gardener.” I looked back at Steven. “Well that certainly sounds like a plant I won’t be able to kill very easily.”

“Hey, don’t be so hard on yourself.” Steven patted me on the shoulder. “It’s really only vegetable plants that you kill.”

I shrugged my shoulders. “That’s true.” I held up my pointer finger. “But to be fair the squirrels and chipmunks were nibbling on my tomato plants.”

“You also forgot to water them.” Steven reminded me.

“Okay, fine.” I sighed. “Let’s get back to the snowdrop plants, shall we.” I began reading again. “It says we can wait until the fall and plant them as bulbs or plant them now already blooming.”

I put the phone in the console. “Well, that’s settled then.” I put the car in drive and pulled away from the curb.

“What’s settled?” Steven asked.

“Let’s swing by a garden center and see if they have them in stock.”

“Now?”

I looked over at Steven. “That’s what I was thinking. Why not?”

“I thought we were going to go by the house and then go get something to eat.”

“Oh yeah.” We were stopped at a red light. “Well, how hungry are you?”

Just then I heard Steven’s stomach growling.

Steven pointed to his stomach. “I’m going to say pretty hungry!”

“Okay, fine.” The light had turned green and we started to go again. “I guess I can always run to the garden center tomorrow and look for them.”

Steven patted his stomach. “My stomach thanks you for that decision.”

My son Alex walked into the living room where I was wincing as I tried to turn my head from side to side.
“Your neck is still bothering you?”
“It’s even worse today!” I tipped my head to one side trying to stretch the tight muscle as I massaged the spot that hurt with my fingertips. “I think I’m going to have to make an appointment with my chiropractor and get a few adjustments.”
“I don’t think you need that.” Alex shook his head.
“I’ve had this before and the adjustments helped.” I was trying to tip my head to the other side. “It’s not only the stiff neck but now my ear aches and I can’t get rid of this headache.” I rubbed the center of my forehead as I moved my head around. I could hear and feel the popping and cracking in my neck. “I just always get nervous going to the chiropractor.” I looked over at Alex. “I’m not a very good patient with him. All he has to do is say relax when he’s holding my head and I can’t help but stiffen up, thinking he’s going to snap my neck!”
“I’m telling you, what you need is heat.” He went over to the linen closet in the hallway and came back with his microwavable heating pad. “Pop this in the microwave for two minutes, wrap it around your neck and it’s going to feel better.”
I followed him into the kitchen and watched as he placed it on a plate and put it in the microwave. “I don’t think it’s going to work.” I said as I rubbed my neck with my hand watching as the navy blue heating pad spun around in circles in the microwave.
Two minutes later I had the heating pad draped around my neck. “Okay, that feels good.” I admitted as I leaned against the counter.
“I’m telling you, you carry all of your tension in your shoulders and neck.”
I nodded. “You’re right about that.” I adjusted the heating pad so it was higher up on my neck.
“You might have to reheat that a few times before it really begins to feel better.”
“I can’t believe I’ve been hurting for days.” I moved my neck from side to side then looked over at Alex and smiled. “It’s starting to feel better already.”
Alex nodded. “Yup. Heat is what’s going to work for you.”
Just then my husband Steven came into the kitchen. “I can’t believe I’ve been at my desk for the last four hours.” He leaned against the opposite counter from me. “I’m exhausted.”
Alex looked over at him. “You look dehydrated. When was the last time you drank some water?”
Steven thought about it for a moment. “You know you’re right. I haven’t had anything to drink since I had a cup of coffee when I woke up.”
Alex went over to the cabinet and got Steven a glass and handed it to him.
Steven went over to the refrigerator and began filling his glass. He looked over at me. “How’s your neck feeling?” he asked.
I adjusted the heating pad again and moved my head from side to side. “Actually, much better.”
I pointed over to Alex. “It’s kind of nice having a doctor in house.”
Steven took a sip of water. “It sure is.”
Alex shook his head and laughed. “I’m getting the feeling you two are going to be a lot of work when you get old.”
I looked over at Steven and laughed. “You know he’s probably not wrong about that.”