Art had hand surgery yesterday. I spent most of the day at the hospital and the rest at home with him. He'll be on painkillers for the first few days. Today I worked from home. I've thought about the times he's had surgeries, and the times I have, and how each of us watches out for the other. It's a good feeling to have another person around.

I told Art I'd be doing more of the cooking when I'm no longer working. This will be a big change, as he's been the cook for most of our 17 years together. He likes to cook, and I had enough years doing it as a single mom for two boys that it's not very rewarding for me. But there's something about spending time in the kitchen with good smells, steam rising from pots and the scatter of ingredients that almost feels virtuous. Eating out is something we've done a lot of recently, and our reduced income in retirement means more meals at home. So I'm looking forward to finding ways for it to be fun.