books

“You didn’t leave?” whispered Eleanor.
“No, I did not leave.”
She walked to the chair, sitting down close to Eleanor.
“I think, I gave Mikel the idea that he could do anything he wanted with me and that I would not leave him,” she concluded. “Mikel still thinks I cannot leave him.”
“But you know you can.”
“Can I? Do I know that Eleanor? How do I know that? What would I do? I make very little money. The girls would have so little. They go to a good school, they live in a beautiful home…,” she trailed off, knowing how ridiculous and shallow that sounded.
“You need to find out if you can do it. Children are resilient. They’ll do well with you.”
“Like your Jamie did?” blurted Salma.

Conversation Caring for Eleanor

“Are you telling me to leave Mikel?” asked Salma, grasping at straws.
“I would never presume to tell anyone what to do. I would expect you to decide for yourself without fear of repercussions. There are consequences to leaving but you can handle it. You’re a strong woman.”
“Me? Strong?”
“Yes, strong and capable!”
“What will Mikel do?” asked the foolish woman.
“Do? Mikel will do what he needs to do. Deal with it like all the other husbands who are left behind do.”
“No what will Mikel do without me?”

Conversation in Caring for Eleanor

How Do You Arrange Your Books

My husband calls me anal retentive. I might be, I am not sure. Then my daughter called me OCD. So, I had to stop and find out what the hell they were talking about.

Apparently it is in the way I arrange my DVDs. I throw away the case and place them in packs with zippers. That in itself is not so much anal but I like to group them in genre and make sure that the disc is upright and not askew. Head up so to speak. My music cds are the same.

I noted to them that there are people out there much more anal retentive than I am. Like whom they asked. Like the people who love to organize their books in colors. Their library is in color of the spine. Yellows, reds, greens and so on. I don’t do that.

But what do I do? I organize my books by what I have already read. Several bookcases hold what I have read then I sort all by author. Not alphabetical though. See, I am not so OCD.

Yet, if given the chance I would alphabetize the cans in the kitchen cabinets. I would put the tallest bottle to the side and then in a row the shorter ones. I put the large spoons facing one side then the tea spoons opposite then, same with the forks.

OCD or organized? Not so sure anymore.