Crocodile Tears

Can anybody explain to me why I am so sad that Steve Irwin has died?

This is not the only death on the news that has captivated me recently.  I ate up the footage of the newlyweds killed in Lexington on the plane that took the wrong runway.  I saw an obituary today for a nine day old baby.  Two people died near the town where I work on Labor Day – both in their late twenties, flying a Cessna home from a family reunion.  Now goes the Crocodile Hunter, the invincible man, lost in the sea, leaving behind 2 babies and a too young widow.  I’m really sad.  I even thought for days about the untimely death of a fictional character in a movie (she was played very convincingly by Rachel Weisz, but still – fictional).  Somebody turned up the sentiment dial in my eyeballs, and I’m churning through Kleenex boxes like it’s my job.

It’s funny that matrimony has me contemplating mortality.  I suppose it’s a rite of passage that is both exciting and also indicative of my increasing maturity (aka age).  I also just had a birthday.  I also find gray hairs pretty regularly.  Not so you can see them unless you look – I am still fully brown-headed.  But I can see the beginnings of an older body tapping on my shoulder.  Sometimes when I wake up in the morning after a couple of glasses of wine, I look deflated.  I have to drink lots of water and do some jumping jacks to fill my face back up.  It is really strange.

Oh, I’m still young.  I still cross my legs without popping a knee out, run several miles at a stretch, and look my age (or younger, so I’m told by employees right before performance review time).  I’m in pretty good shape, and I feel happy with my life as it was, as it is, as it will be.  Sometimes I let day-mares of losing the Professor, or a family member, or a limb captivate me for a bit longer than is healthy.  But otherwise my life is pretty good.  I suppose that’s part of why I cry – if I feel a little sadness now for someone else’s tragedy, maybe the gods won’t notice how good my life really is, and will spare me.

********************************************************************************

In other, less heavy but more immediate news, my dress alteration went awry.  It was at the tailors for the past 2 months, and when I went to pick it up they said – whoops!  Our alteration lady has been in the hospital all this time!  It hasn’t been done, we aren’t going to get to it, so you might as well take it.

WHAT.  Haven’t you people ever heard of a PHONE?

Two @*&$^*@( months they had it.  Now I have only 6 weeks left!  Luckily, I found a local woman who works from home who can do it.  She is going to get it to me – get this – 3 days before my wedding.  Let’s hope she can sew.  And meet deadlines.  And doesn’t go to the hospital suddenly and unexpectedly.

Most everything else is settling itself down.  We applied for our marriage license last weekend (it seemed too easy!  No questionnaires?  Nobody even asked if we were sure!)  Our invites arrive tomorrow, ready for addressing and stuffing.  We had 2 showers last weekend that were so super, and I wish I had the energy to write about them.  Suffice to say – we loved them, and our tiny house has been taken over by gifts.  We have just a few weeks left, and though my To-Do list is a mile long, it’s all accomplish-able.  I can’t wait.  I can’t wait to be the Professor’s wife.  It’s going to be a great day.