When My Mate Is Away …. [ Account Of What I Will Do/Experience While My ‘fictitious Mate' (Heh Heh) Is Away For A While; I Guess I'm Covered; ; Personal Or Fictitious? ] Poem by Bri Edwards

Today I delivered my nine-years-and-counting mate …..
to the airport. We didn't get there late.
A warm adieu we wished each other.
With affection, we did not ….smother …..
'the other'.

Now back in our inviting home I've arrived.
No 'cat's-away' plan I've yet connived.
[Yet.]

It will be more than a week I'll be so all alone,
unless you count the Internet and my phone,
AND the neighbors, Karen and Chuck, you bet;
[I'll have to use self-control on the Internet,
remembering to exercise my muscles, not just eyes,
and to NOT visit sites which can give a nasty surprise.]

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I'll follow her/his instructions, which on paper she/he did jot:

ONE: On carport, water no plants in cartons, only those in a pot.
(Do it on Saturdays.)

TWO: Remove railings. [I know what she/he means; it's true!
And it shouldn't take long to complete; there are just a few.]

THREE: Water all plants on the deck …every day (she/he did write) .
Water flower bed every other day. (I hope I can get that right!)

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The rest of my routine, while she/he is gone for over a week,
will involve the following plans, though my plans I may tweak.

ONE: Eat nutritious meals. [Of course they won't be as great ….
as the ones I get each night, .....prepared by my fabulous mate! ! ]

TWO: Do my nighttime and morning exercises to tone my body,
so as my body ages more and more, it won't look too shoddy.

THREE: Work on some outdoor chores. She/he owns an acre.
[I'll rise with the Sun! While she's/he's gone I shall not wake her …
or him.]

FOUR: Go each Wednesday to do my volunteer library job,
to straighten items on shelves (so library doesn't appear: 'a slob') ,
to ‘disinfect' the public computer areas with moistened wipes ….
[I don't want to hear, from any library patrons, any gripes! ],
to seek out and give to librarian items that have been placed 'on hold'.
[My two hours a week working gratis …is generous enough, I've been told ….
by ME! ]

FIVE: Call my younger brother to see how his old shoulder is recovering,
and to see if any new ways to use his time, in retirement, he's discovering.
He, like all of my three brothers, can nearly 'talk my ear off',
but if I can't stand listening (to more) I can say: 'Sorry. I've got a cough.
Call me back later.'

SIX: Take a long walk at least a few times a week for my heart,
and for my muscles (again) , AND so, in bed, my leg won't start ….
to feel ‘nervous' and maybe even be hard to keep from jerking.
[YES! Maybe I AM getting old. Now, you readers, STOP your smirking! ! ! ]

SEVEN: Check PoemHunter.com to see if anyone ‘loves' me there.
If I didn't have my ‘friends' on PH, I'd spend more time in my BIG chair …
reading (mostly novels, especially murder mysteries) , my eyeglasses on.
Books can take the 'reader' countless places, both in ‘the near' and yon.

EIGHT: Write some thoughts, silly, serious, or maybe in between.
I usually start with just a title and the REST will …..eventually be seen.

NINE: Get my usual nine hours of sleep, more or less; it is really true.
But, with my mate missing I may at times stay awake the whole night through,
and sleep all day except to retrieve our mail. [That's between me and you! ]

TEN: Go to the Farmers Market on Tuesday afternoons to get our 'share' ….
from an area ‘organic farm'. If I go, they had better be …..right there!

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But:

The most important things I'll probably be doing while she/he is away,
is to think my Most Kind Thoughts about her/him each and every day.
AND to practice my good behavior, which I confess I sometimes do lack,
so I'll be a better mate to her/him when finally she/he does get back ….
home!

(October 3, 2016)