My Flog for March 15 - Howard and His Amazingly Huge Wrist (bring on the good drugs) and Apologies For Yet Another Re-Run

Well, here we go again, deja vu etc etc. Howard has a swollen wrist -  it looks like it's been impregnated with a small pillow, so needless to say, he's in a lot of pain and discomfort. I begged the receptionist at the doctor's clinic to squeeze him into a booked-up schedule, and she relented, giving him a 7 o'clock appointment. Meanwhile, we went to London Drugs and got him a wrist brace - this is the left hand this time, not the right, so the brace he already had wouldn't work.

The only good thing about today was not having to bus out to Steveston to get my check, as he wanted to go to Mitchell Island to get his - so we just extended that trip. After the bank, we picked up a burger at A&W and headed home in heavy traffic. If it were me, I would have just stayed in Richmond until the doctor's appointment - I could easily have passed 4 hours, no problem. But he wanted to go home, so we did. Bad judgement. It started to rain heavily on the way, traffic was horrid, and when he got home he lay down on the couch with a bag of ice on his wrist, and promptly fell asleep.

I got the love seat, and I dozed off watching TV. I never sleep in the afternoon, totally against the concept. So when I woke up, almost at 5 o'clock, he had already decided not to keep the appointment. I don't blame him, I would have hated to drive back to Richmond in rush hour traffic with rain pissing from the heavens. But I had to call and cancel - after all the pleading and cajoling to get the damn appointment in the first thing.

By this time, he was lying down upstairs, and I went up and asked him if he wanted anything to eat, looking out the window at the raindrops splashing on the street. I asked him twice - no answer - so I stomped out of the room, when he called out 'I shook my head 'no' twice.'

And I answered, 'Well, if I heard it rattling I would know you didn't want anything,'

I thought he might not talk to me for a few days.

However, he thinks the brace is helping - we'll see. If not, don't worry, I will look after him - I will pull out his seat belt, close his door, peel his oranges - etc. And I'll be more alert when it comes to rattling.

• Breakfast - Toast and Coffee
• Lunch - Mozza Burger, Fries and Milk - A&W have a new style of fries - they look like home made, but taste like frozen, so don't get too excited. Like everything else that's lacking, there's lots of them in the combo - neither of us could finish them off
• Dinner - Beans, Bread and Milk
• Snacks - Raspberry Muffin, Orange

When I checked back to see when Howard injured his wrist a couple of years ago, I came across this perfect example of how we communicate. Oh well, we've only been married for almost 39 years - I'm sure we'll get used to each other eventually ...

Today I realized that, even though we occasionally usually disagree over some most things, I have learned to differentiate between the 'little' things and the 'big' things, thus saving the sweat for the more important disagreements when I am definitely right and he's not.

'Jeez, it's freezing!'

'No, it's not, it's plus one.'

'Well, there's frost all over the truck.'

'It's still not freezing.'

'Yes, dear, you're right. Can I put my feet on your tummy?|'

So that concludes the conversation, no use arguing over something I cannot possible be right about, not with the Weather Network taking up a substantial corner of the living room.

Meanwhile, a little-used part of my brain is trying to remember where I stowed my cute little shoes last fall.

'They're in the hall closet.'

'No, I looked there, they're not.'

'Yes they are.'

'I hauled everything out and they're not there, and they're not in our upstairs closets either...I have no idea where they are.'

So he walks over to the hall closet, reaches in and pulls out my little - well, to tell the truth, they're not really little - shoes and says:

'I told you they were there.'

'Yes, of course you're right, you're always right, aren't you?'

Now, to put a full stop to this one, I have to walk away and get busy doing something, like seeing if these shoes still fit.

Now, sometimes I know I'm right, but trying to get that across to someone who knows he's also right can be quite difficult.

'Do you remember when (insert friend's name) and I went to (insert place) to see whatever it was we went there to see?'

'That wasn't who you went with, you went with (different friend's name.)'

'No, I would know who I went with....you weren't even there.'

'Well, I know damn sure it wasn't (original friend's name.)'

Okay, then, this isn't worth arguing over. Sometimes just knowing one is right is enough. So the correct response to this situation is:

'Whatever you say, dear.'

And then, of course, there is the one where I know absolutely I am wrong, and he knows absolutely that he is right, but I would never admit to it.

'Where is that bottle of rum I bought last week?'

'Didn't you have it in the garage?'

'No, it was in the cupboard.'

'I don't think so, I saw it in the garage.'

'Why the hell would it be in the garage? I put it in the cupboard last Sunday after the game was over. I remember the kitchen was in a mess, and you were on the damn computer, and you were wearing your old sloppy track pants and drinking diet Pepsi, and there was snow falling and my wrist hurt. And when I put it in the cupboard I spilled the dog's water and slipped and almost broke my neck. So yes, I did put it in the cupboard.'

'Well, I saw it in the garage.'

But actually, I was wrong, even though I wouldn't admit it. I actually had poured it down the sink, but I would never admit to that. So the correct response in this situation:

'Whatever.'

Oh oh, better go...he's asking me if I remember what month we decided to move to BC - even though he says it was February, I know damn well it was April - this could be a lengthy one.

'