Home alone -- sort of

Rob's off on business for a couple of days, so it's just me and the animals here. It's kind of nice to have the remote to myself, although it's nicer still to have somebody to share things with at the end of the day. I feel a little like that woman on the Charter cable commercial who watches whatever she wants on TV, dances to whatever music she feels like listening to and spends hours on the phone with her friends.

As a young woman I hated to be alone. I needed company because I wasn't comfortable with myself. Now I am. A few days alone is OK, although it's hard to have too much time alone, even with Rob gone. I've made plans with one friend or another for most every night this week.

I also didn't understand much about sisterhood when I was a young and somewhat radical feminist. I learned about it from a group of Muslim women during Ramadan in 1993. When the men got up from dinner and went to talk among themselves, the women didn't resent it. In fact, they relished the time together. We talked about tending the home fires, working, being working mothers, nurturing our children and nurturing each other. I learned sisterhood isn't just about standing up for ourselves in the workplace, but about nurturing each other.

Sisterhood is about 15 women being in my house the day after my child died, comforting me, laughing and crying with me, cooking for me. They held me up. I don't know how I would have been able to hold it together without my sisterhood.

Val came by tonight and we made jewelry. I've gotten into beading because I've had a really hard time concentrating on anything serious since Mike died. It's all I can do to get through the day at work. By the time I get home I can barely read my e-mail. So, in addition to my quilting and crocheting, I started beading. Every time I finish a piece, I'm amazed at how beautiful it is.

So, Val and I had a light supper and beaded and admired each other's and our own pieces. We're quite impressed with our talent.

At a women's luncheon today. Laurey Masterton, an incredibly talented chef, businesswoman and artist, suggested I learn to make my own beads, either from glass (the equipment is just too expensive) or maybe from polymer clay. I'll have to look into it.

Rob's really supportive because he sees this hobby as a potential source of retirement income for us - one that he doesn't have to work at.