Gimme Shelter

Shelter in place continues . . .

How are things where you are? Our state has had shelter in place for a couple of weeks, and now the CDC is recommending wearing face masks whenever we’re out in public. I can just see me getting my dad and my husband to do that. Yeah, right.

Saturday morning, M was getting dressed and I heard him having a fit about something. I went upstairs to see what the problem was and he was complaining (bitching, moaning and slamming things down on the counter) about “the kids taking my stuff out of my bag.”

Me: what stuff out of your bag?

M: my stuff out of my bag

Me: what stuff are you talking about?

M: my stuff!

I finally realized he was talking about his toothpaste. He was blaming the grandkids – WHO WERE HERE A WEEK AGO – for taking his toothpaste.

I asked him what he had been using for toothpaste for the past week – since his toothpaste was MIA – and he said he had been using the small ones (the samples we get from the dentist’s office every six months.)

Okay.

I walked in the bathroom, opened the top drawer and pulled out a tube of toothpaste. Was that the missing toothpaste?

Surprise, surprise!

Yes, it was.

Of course, he was all contrite and full of apologies. And telling me how he’s working on controlling his temper.

My question is, compared to what?

He’s always had a temper, but ever since he was diagnosed with early onset dementia, it will just pop up out of nowhere and be directed at the most obscure thing. To be angry at the grandkids about toothpaste? And not just angry – yelling and slamming things angry. About toothpaste.

Then we were in the yard, working on some plants and I needed some help to move a heavy bag of soil. M had such a fit about it – as though I had asked him for a kidney. I had gotten the wheelbarrow – I just needed him to lift the bag.

Finally, I told him – he’s living the life of Reilly. He’s home all day and out of the work environment that he wanted to leave for so long. Before all these pandemic restrictions went into effect, he was able to do whatever he wanted. Working at a hospital, I’m considered essential, so I still have to go to work every day. I’d love to be able to stay home and hang out. I don’t understand why he’s having a bad attitude – all day!

Fortunately, a friend invited me to come out with her and go horse-back riding. It was a fun afternoon! I’m not as sore as I thought I would be, which is good. It was also nice to get a little break from M and let him cool off while I was gone.

Hoping for a much better week!