Richard home Saturday after 17 days away.  Didn't think I'd miss him as much as I did.  Have always been fairly content with my own company.  It wasn't loneliness.  That's a different feeling altogether, once experienced never forgotten.  No this was just plain garden variety missing his company.  As much as he occasionally annoys and irritates it is his annoying habits, his irritating behaviours.  Although he, and I won't mince words anymore and pretend that it is something that it isn't or worse, that it doesn't exist, so although he is aging before my eyes and it seems sometimes as though he's 80 rather than 67, beneath the fogginess, the slowness, the shuffling, the dreaminess that isn't dreaming, he is still my Richard. 

Slowly our roles are reversing.  Before he took care of me.  He was the nurturing partner while I faffed about and did my thing at 90 miles an hour.  Now I have had to slow down and nuture him.  Thank god I've finally learned to like cooking!  Making delicious nutritious meals is such a sweet and simple gift I can give him every day.  But the nurturing extends to doing the heavy lifting (not that I'm capable of much either), problem solving, being the instigator of things (something I've always done just more so now). 

It sounds as though Richard is non compos mentis and that isn't true at all.  He's off to town this morning to work through a list of errands.  He still does all the banking and handles the insurance and all those accoutrements of day to day living.  Because he worries about those things and spends alot of time thinking about them he does them well.  He can build anything.  He built the new aviary and has just replaced a rotting railroad tie with boards which blend in perfectly with the deck (or will when they age).  He can do all that standing on his head. Anyway, no matter.  In that cliche'd but perfect phrase, 'it is what it is'.  If I start to worry about the future I am undone. 

And then there are other people's problems.  The Gold Coast has been in the news for all the wrong reasons.  Bikie gangs are making their presence known, intimidating civilians and trying to intimidate the police by surrounding a station where one of their members was being held.  There are several different gangs which are at war with one another.  In the course of this, two men from different gangs were arrested. 

At this point I would like to mention the professionalism of the newscaster.  She reported this story without cracking a smile. 

These two men, from opposing gangs, were arrested for various violent offences.  One of them was 21.  He was shown leaving the watchhouse, black t shirt stretched across a body which is familiar with the weightroom of the gym.  Tattoos everywhere and a big white necklace (of bone?) around his neck.  Aware of the cameras he strutted down the ramp like the conquering hero.  I think he was with the Lone Wolf Bikie Gang. 

The other chap, a Sergeant at Arms of the Comancheros was also shown.  Stocky, bull necked, again familiar with the gym.  A high ranking member of a well known, violent and criminal gang.  39 years old.  Charged with assault and GBH.  I think. 

The punch line?  Both of these tough bikies live with their mommys.  No wonder they're in a bad mood.