It will come as a shock to absolutely no one when I say that James does a lot around here. I mean, a LOT. Since many stores were on his route home from work and because he had the opportunity with his work schedule to be at the stores mid-day and not on busy weekends, he did almost all of the errands for our household. I expressed my gratitude regularly for the groceries that just “magically” appeared in the cabinets and for the chicken feed that just “magically” appeared in the garage and for the oil changes that just “magically” happened while I was at work, but I’m not sure words of gratitude could ever be enough.

To help as I transition into unfamiliar roles of Chief Lawn Mower and Chief Errand Runner, I now have pictures in my phone of the brand of dog food we buy for Trudy, which hitch we use for which trailer, and of how to hoist the lawn mower up with the tractor so I can detangle whatever I ran over (hypothetically, of course, not that it might have been a doormat by the barn) from the blades. He still answers every text I send while I am learning the ropes as I ask where we usually buy this or that, or even in what aisle at Meijer can I possibly find the Craisins. He is ever patient and helpful.

But sometimes pictures and texts just aren’t enough. Like when James was showing me how to disconnect the water to just the dishwasher in the case (God forbid) I have to replace the dishwasher again (for the fourth time since we moved here). Or when he showed me how to start the zero turn mower – these kinds of things need a video.

And so it is that I have started a folder of videos on my phone of my beloved teaching me how to do the myriad of things that he does around here. And yes, before you even ask, each and every one is absolutely heart-wrenching to make. But I would rather have him teach me all of these things than to have anyone else try to show me later.

Which is why, last night, he made a video on how to cut chicken wings apart. He was showing me how to cut the “wing” from the “ding”. I’m honestly not sure I could ever do it on my own as it really grosses me out, but I really do love wings, no, I love the “ding” it would seem, so he agreed to make a video so I would know how to do it should I ever decide to. And he was super funny and had to explain why some people use a knife, but why he uses scissors and then he used his own arm to tell me what part of the wing was which, and well, it was just very typical, funny, James.

And at the end of the video, as I make him do for all the videos, he tells me he loves me. And of that, I have no doubt. For who else could stand in the kitchen, knowing all the reasons for why we are making these videos and still find a way to be funny about it? Only James.