I have never before written a love poem. I’m not sure why, maybe because this is a public display of feeling, and I am not a public person. I don’t even like giving others, besides Pete, hugs—I hate that awkward moment at the beginning or end of a good time when I am forced to consider the question, should or should I not give this person a full on both arm hug? I think that others must feel similarly, for instance one friend, in parting, always picks up her little dog, and in this way avoids the issue entirely.

Pete left early this morning for Juneau – I waited until I heard the truck pull out of the driveway before I got up. This is a home where two people reside. One gone

for any length of time, and it’s no longer a home. Rather, it’s a base camp – one has gone to assail Everest and will be back – the other then is just on maintenance mode.

I have a lot to do here – we’ve both been incredibly busy, doing great things, so many of the mundane things (like the dishes) have gone undone. Is not a problem, I sometimes enjoy making a mental list and then ticking things off.

I got to thinking – I have (in doing my February challenge, write a poem a day) been sending others and not him my non-love poems. I have erred in thinking that because he is a technical writer and most enjoys writing and reading technical things, that he does not enjoy writing and reading poetry. Actually, he isn’t one for writing poems, but he does read those in the New Yorkers that are in outhouse. For example, he recently told me that he read a Lenard Cohen poem. And he is constantly including song lyrics in his conversations.

So I wrote Pete a poem one which I envisioned him being here this morning, I am calling it a rise and shine poem. And I am going to send it to him shortly. Hopefully it will bring a skip to his step as he walks up the Capital steps in Juneau.

During the course of the day, little things that he has recently come to mind will bring a smile to my lips. Like yesterday, he took a moment and showed me how to use the spell check on my computer. I am a good speller, so I’ve had little need for this. But yesterday, I could not spell incessantly. He told me to put the curser over the word and click the right side of my mouse. I have done this three times this morning and each time thought of him.

Pete will return home on Friday – this now seems like a long time away – and we resume doing great things. I think that it’s important, especially for those who pulling the same cart, to occasionally stop and be grateful that there is another person, and that this person is also pulling their share of the load.

Next: 46. 2/15/17: A Come to Jesus talk with Raudi