Divana Dictates

My sister Divana appeared in Florida somehow and wrote the following:

Hello, mes petits choux! My little mice! It has been a while since I posted, for which, apologies, etc etc etc. I’ve been… busy.

You know that Royal and the QQ headed in triumph to their little trailer park thingy for the winter (so cute). What you may not know is that my dear brother asked me if I would come down and lend a hand. I am always happy to help, and to deploy my many special skills (and they are many!) as needed.

I imagined that they might want advice on rearranging the furniture (I’m a feng shui master!) or possibly consulting on paint colours and perhaps choosing some colourful new throw pillows (I have a certain flair, you see, and was eager to come up with a colour scheme incorporating this year’s Pantone colour, Viva Magenta. So pretty!)

I arranged for my dear friend, Tira Misu, to feed the six white longhairs while I was gone, and to get them to their various appointments: ergonomic grooming and pedicures, kitty therapy, and weekly Swedish massage. Tira has great fun with them and doesn’t mind cleaning up the occasional deposit of kitty sick-up. They are high-strung little things, my fur babies.

I broke several hearts cancelling dates, and headed south. But when the limousine delivered me and my minimal luggage (only five suitcases and a tote) at their little place, and I sized up how the two of them were doing after their monumental trip south, I quickly realized that decorating acumen or Marie Kondo-ing the kitchen cupboards were not what was needed.

What was needed was plenty of elbow grease and a pair of sensible shoes, plus a rather extraordinary amount of energy and physical strength every day, which was what my dear brother had been expending for months, in daily loving care of the QQ.

 

I pitched in as best I could, ignoring broken nails as irrelevant in the situation, eschewing my normal two-hour makeup and hair regime, and getting in there wherever I was needed. I expect it’s hard for you, my darlings, to imagine me putting anything before my personal appearance, but you see, I love these two. And they needed me.

It would be an understatement to say that the experience was life-changing. I learned just what a person will do for love of another. My brother was the personification of selfless, patient, kind, loving care, and I don’t care if I cry and wreck my mascara just thinking about it. (Okay, I did just apply a quick coat every morning, but that’s IT, I swear.)

I want to make him a gold medal that says “BEST HUSBAND EVER”, but I think that would be tacky, so I’ll just shout it out to all who will listen. I know the QQ agrees.