ELIMINATING SPACE ENVY

          Decades ago…okay it’s barely more than two…when we obtained our first computer, it was located at the end of the kitchen in what was originally intended to be the breakfast nook. That’s where I sat to write my book and essays. When John retired, he took over this space, and the computer, on a regular basis. 

          At that point, it didn’t matter because I was still working and used a computer all day long. If there was something I absolutely had to do, I could usually accomplish that at work on a break or lunch. When I, too, retired, I bought my own computer and a desk and installed it at the back of the living room. We each had our space at opposite corners of the house.

         Still I had space envy. John's desk window looked out into the back garden. He could watch the birds come and go from the feeders or flowers, the hummingbird stop to drink right beside the window, the squirrels dash about and anything else that happened back there like the time a hawk tried to get one of the chickens.

         He also had the printer and the file cabinets that housed all the information pertaining to our bills, the house, cars, etc. Any time I needed something from the files I had to wait until he moved away from the desk or ask him to move. You have to understand his life became naps and sitting in front of his computer...more time at the computer than in his bed. 

        

I, too, had a window, but was situated in such a way there wasn’t very much I could see from my chair. I tried putting a hummingbird feeder by my window, but they didn’t seem to like it. 

It was probably a month after his death I cleaned up and dismantled his computer. It went home with the youngest son who also took my Dania desk. I cleaned and moved stuff around and finally installed my computer in that space. As I was typing this, Stellar jays, banded pigeons, hummingbirds and a bunch of other smaller birds I may be able to identify at some point all came to visit. It was fun and interesting to pause and watch their antics out my window.  My space envy has been eliminated.