It snowed today and as I watched out the window I was reminded of a time when my Mama took us to Tunica to visit our grandmother.

She lived downtown in an apartment over the Mississppi Power and Light building. It always smelled of creosote from the poles that had been freshly dipped and were stacked neatly awaiting the next installation.

While playing outside that late summer day cotton wagons rumbled through town heading to the gin. Cotton would be flying from the tops of the uncovered wagons. It looked like snow to this little girl who had dreamed of snowfalls all her life. Today I got one more snow wish granted along with the special bonus of that memory. The older one gets, the more precious the memories.

“Do you mind if I run the VCR?” Dear Don asked as we cleaned up the kitchen Saturday night.

“What does that mean?” I asked

“What do you think it means, smart mouth?”

I paused before I answered because I heard the tension in his voice. I really meant no harm but truly didn’t know what he meant by “running the VCR.” I needed a simple explanation. But few things are ever simple in this house.

“Well, running the VCR would mean that you are going to record something or watch something and the only VCR we have is in your office, so I guess you want to watch a movie or record one in your office?” I responded.

“No,” he said, clearly frustrated with me. “I want to watch a movie down in the den on the DVD player.”

“Well, it’s not my fault you can’t talk,” I chastised.

Dear Don just glared

How in the world am I supposed to translate his man speak?

So as we finished and he headed to the den I grabbed the book I’m reading and headed up to our bedroom to let him “run the VCR” in the den where we only have a DVD player.

Somewhere there should be a book on Rules of Engagement for couples and another on translating your spouse’s words or phrases.

You would think after nearly 30 years of marriage we could just work from mental telepathy. Okay, that was a dumb suggestion considering that between the two of us we have little mental and absolutely no telepathy.

I heard on a talk show recently that when you argue with your spouse you should always leave them with some dignity.

I say, what then would be the point in arguing?

In our house it’s always the last word that wins and that last word is always the hardest to get around here.

You get the picture.

 (Contact Sherry at swhcsc@wildblue.net)