Thank you, my seester, for sending me this valentine. Although I do like to get valentine cards in the mail from my girlfriends and my sister, Jim and I don’t “do” valentines, just as we don’t “do” Christmas gifts and anniversary gifts for each other. We both feel the same way about that: we both want to be loved and cared for by the other every day. I would rather have a little surprise gift on any ordinary day, than on a mandated occasion. I want him to say “I love you” in the middle of the night, when we both just happen to wake up for a second, you know, when one of us has snored too loudly or something like that.
I love it when he fixes me a cup of coffee with just the right amount of chocolate Coffee Mate. I love it when he picks me up a scratch off lottery ticket when he is at the store. I love it that he will eat all my gluten free stuff without complaint, and that he gets it that I can’t eat stuff like biscuits and donuts anymore. And he always thanks me for cooking dinner by saying “Thank you, my love.” And when I ask him to do something for me, he says “Certainly, my love.”
Yeah, it is a mushy thing, but how else can I tell you about the guy I love. And now, for those of you who don’t know, here is how we met:
I was a divorced mom with three teenagers, going slowly out of my mind. I had bought myself a new lawnmower for my 39th birthday, but it was missing a bolt on one side of the handle from the day I brought it home from the store. A couple of months later I got so fed up with the handle that would not stay up, that I jumped in the car and went to the hardware store that my brother in law managed to buy a bolt to fix it.
When I walked into the store, my sister’s husband was standing there talking to this guy. Alan looked at me and said, “Look what the cat dragged in.” and the guy said, “Why are you talking about this nice lady like that?” to which Alan replied, “She is my wife’s sister, so it’s okay.” and the guy said, “all the more reason to be kind to her.” (ooooh, I liked that) Anyway, the guy waited on me and got the bolt for me and I went home to finish mowing the lawn. I did not even know his name.
So, when I got through with the yard, I called my brother in law at the store and asked if that guy was married. He said no. Then I asked what his name was, and Alan said “Jim.” So, I told Alan to give Jim my phone number and tell him if he was interested in going out to dinner to give me a call. And he did. 16 years ago. On our first date we went to a state park to go for a walk. Hmmm, we did that yesterday, too.
Meesh says
Ohhhh, so beautiful! Who knew, in their wildest dreams that a lawnmower and a hardware store would be the back drop to your love story?
Tune into my blog,,,as I blog lift your idea and write about my knight in tattooed armour.
Michelle
Linda's Place says
My Seester…that’s so sweet….I knew ya’ll had met at the hardware store, but never knew it was over a bolt…who knew…. 😉 You’re welcome for the card..but I do still love you on the other “ordinary” days too 😉 Your Seester
Sandra says
What a wonderful story! You got yourself a great one!
My husband and I don’t do the ‘gifts’ thing any more either. No room in an RV! He, too, has celiac disease and we get by just fine. He’s actually gained weight over the last 6 years for the first time in his life. He was diagnosed at 55.