I’m working on the premise that the New York Times Connections keeps us together. I mean my wife and me.
Here’s Connections’ answers for April 25: —
- Body coverings: ENAMEL, HAIR, NAIL, SKIN
- Masses, in idioms: CROWD, HAYSTACK, MILLION, OCEAN
- Old-timey slang for law enforcement: COPPER, DICK, FLATFOOT, GUMSHOE
- Starting with synonyms for “Throw”: CAST IRON, CHUCK E. CHEESE, HURLY-BURLY, PITCHFORK
On this particular puzzle, my wife found most of the first category, and we split the second. I got the third, because I’m old. She saw the fourth.
We see different things, and that works to our advantage. We usually get a reverse rainbow, identifying the hardest one first, mostly avoiding the ruses.
Likewise, when we do the New York Times news quiz each week, I’ll either know or remember the sports stuff. She reads a daily NYT summary and picks up tidbits that my sifting through various sources doesn’t catch, and vice versa.
So I know when she calls my name in the morning after daybreak, she’s asking for the time.
We’re more likely to do schtick together in the a.m. You know, the usual intentional malaprops. “Sam and Janet Evening” (Some Enchanted Evening), e.g., I could ask my wife for more groanworthy examples, usually generated by the situation, but the wordplay wouldn’t make sense to most people anyway.
The Zen of departure
I have finally recontextualized the departure thing. You know: she says either we’re leaving an event now, or a time certain. And then we don’t, almost as a result of her talking to someone. For a time, I saw it was a violation of a contract that SHE had initiated. “We should leave at 12:30,” and then we don’t.
I used to have a conversation with someone, but then she thought we couldn’t depart because of it. No, no – I’m just utilizing the time.
So now, I just sit quietly. If I have something to read (a newspaper, a magazine), I’ll do that. Otherwise, I’ve gotten quite proficient playing backgammon, hearts, and pinochle on the phone. I realize that she NEEDS to have those conversations, even when they’re unplanned, and that they put her own schedule off-kilter.
My wife’s calendar is very full. Her work schedule, ostensibly part-time (HA!), is extremely busy. She has a bunch of stuff involving her mother’s finances she has to deal with; my MIL’s mail now comes to our house. I generally sort out the solicitations, but there is still a slew of bills and other financial items for her to deal with.
Then we’ve been dealing with the Daughter’s art show and upcoming graduation. My wife was the magician who figured out how to pay for those four years of our child’s education.
So, it’s all good. 27 years. Who woulda thunk it?
The picture is of us with our only child. I used it for my blog 18 years ago, so it’s recycled. As NBC-TV ads used to note, “It’s new to you.”