Dwight, thanks so much for the holiday wishes. I wish you and yours a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I love getting together with family during the holidays but I find the shopping and even just leaving the house to be stressful this time of year. I could use a little more Peace and Good Will right about now. The Garage Journal is one of the places that provides lots of both!
Gil, so nice of you to stop by and I appreciate the kind words. When IBM moved us to Florida in 1975 we bought a house with an in-ground swimming pool (an upgrade from our 24-foot above-ground in New York). The first year we swam in the pool right though the winter. In the fall of the second year we stopped using the pool by the middle of October. Eventually our pool season shrank to the same Memorial Day to Labor Day season as in New York.
Bobby, you have nailed it. I had some success early on in our marriage. We had very little money and all of it was earmarked for necessities like food and lodging for the four of us. I managed to squirrel away $5 (4 hours pay) by the time Christmas rolled around and I spent it on a bouquet of flowers. On the 25th of each month for the rest of the year I brought home another $5 bouquet of flowers (springtime meant a dozen long-stemmed roses from the yard and a $5 bottle of wine). The failures began when I brought home a peach-colored item my wife rejected as being too pink. My inability to control the factories that made the presents is one more of my many inadequacies.Bob that's where you have been missing the point all these years, or not. The surprise (which is the most important part of the gift if she is anything like my wife) is that you get to be wrong; just a tweak less than perfect if you will. The double surprise is that you have to bring it back. These things PROVE once again that you really love her enough to go through all the trouble without grumbling, and you know and want her to have whatever her heart desires. Looks to me like your position will be safe for a long time; just as long as you know what that position isP.S. if you knew exactly what it was that she wanted, and SIZE did not factor into the equation, it would be too easy for you to prove your devotion! (My wife proof read this and she says I am KINDA right
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Lyndon, thank you so much for the well wishes! I'm hoping to extend my Corvette hours into the time my eyes are open. Your posts and especially your thread are a high point of my day. I already received my Christmas wants last Sunday with quality family time with both our children and all nine grandchildren. Our daughter invited us to Christmas brunch on their new patio (Florida isn't always a horrible place to live).Bob
I want to stop by to say I wish you and the family the very best for a safe Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year full of Corvette hours, or hilarious responses on here (either/or - your choice).
I look forward to our conversations daily, and to you humorous jousts with Andy.
I hope you get everything you want for Christmas (or nearly anyway).
Have a great one.
Lyndon
Hi Niels! I am thankful to you and all the members that share their garages, projects, skills and lives. I am glad we can share ideas and have some laughs in a frequently negative environment outside this wonderful bubble.
Dennis, there should be a club or at least a support group. I give my wife 'birthday' presents during the year rather than waiting for the official date. I may have been drunk or suffered a brain-free moment one year early in our marriage. I gave her a birthday present covered with Christmas wrapping paper. It was probably a fairly expensive present but it may as well have been a bag of dog turds. Only did that once!
Andy, we won't share this Private Message with anyone else. Your wife has done a fine job turning you into a passable husband. You are lucky to have such a kind and caring person. My wife tends to use the "beatings will continue until morale improves" style, which is more effective with my level of inattention. When you mentioned your wife's walker and the MRIs, I knew you live with a special burden. You can fix almost anything but the thing you want to fix most in the world is beyond your reach. My sympathy is no help but you are welcome to it. There but for the grace of God go I -- my wife's fibromyalgia is not debilitating but she never knows if it's going to be a good or bad day. I treat every day like a gift even if it isn't the one I want. Making the coffee and cooking the meals is the least I can do.
Simon, I tend to write long winded posts. Forum members are very kind and I am happy they are able to escape with a simple click. My grandchildren are not as lucky -- I sometimes wonder if they are asleep with eyeballs painted on their lids. They are also very kind and I love them dearly.Never heard of that as an issue.Hope the next few days are relaxing for you.
Mark, I would feel guilty if you were keeping up with all the GJ threads this time of year. I assume you have been extremely busy trying to get things done at work so you can enjoy an extended holiday in the coming weeks. I wish you a wonderful Aussie Christmas and happy New Year!
Drives, thank you for stopping by and I do appreciate the kind words. Being subscribed to 3,480 threads, you may regret immersing yourself in mine. It's probably best taken, like an elephant roast, in small bites.
Thank you Terrick! Once you get those two sewer aeration pumps replaced, I hope you'll do the same. After you have a good shower, give mum an extra holiday hug from your GJ friends (but try not to be creepy about it).
Warren, thank you so much and please have yourself a Merry Christmas as well.
Andy, it has been my honor to get to know my other brother from the same mother and at my age laughter is pretty good medicine. It no longer matters if it's with or at. I have to focus on the joy in life; the merchants of sorrow are doing fine without my help.Bob, Merry Christmas to you and your family. It has been great getting to know you. You don't realize this but some of your observations and experiences seem a bit humorous to a few of us. I hope you don't mind our collective laughter when all you are trying to do is express yourself.
Aaron, you already got a great Christmas present: wife and kids are unhurt and a relative has a wonderful project to show off his talents. Drive that loaner like you stole it. I also want to thank you for showing your hardware organizers. I have so much work to do -- maybe I'll just make believe my hardware is organized like yours.All the best to you and your family Bob.
Looking forward to reading more off Bobs adventures.
Ric, Merry Christmas and enjoy the holidays. Don't worry about missing anything. If the existing contents of my thread haven't gotten it banned, there's a good chance it'll still be here when you do get some time. I feel your pain with those frigid temperatures and high humidity but understand there are some on the GJ who have no sympathy at all.