The other day I mentioned that I’ve been having trouble recently getting my words out. When this happens I know what I want to say but all that comes out is a jumble of sounds. This afternoon I was trying to explain to Leftwing Idiot that I wanted to sort out some paperwork on my desk and all that came out was “Fuf-fus-cous.” This had absolutely nothing to do with what I was trying to say. Leftwing Idiot was very patient and waited while I kept trying to explain. Soon, the continuous repetition of “Fuf-fus-cous” got too much for both of us and we started laughing. In the end I managed to communicate what I was trying to say, and a little while later my speech returned to normal. Being able to laugh together even when we’re both finding a situation difficult is important because it helps make it feel less frightening.