Friday, December 3, 2010

Larry's Christmas

– December 2010

She Said

Every year about September or October you start asking me
to put up the Christmas tree. Up until about 3 years ago,
I had always had a live tree, so it was hard to justify
putting up a live tree in October and having a dead tree
on Christmas morn. Since I have gotten a fake tree as
you now call it, it has given you reason to start whining
earlier than usual. I have seen Christmas decorations
all over town,including the stores where I went to pick
up my Halloween candies. It does not seem right to me to
have to walk through the Christmas section to to get to
the Halloween section. We have just about by passed
Thanksgiving all together and I am sure if we had to
buy something for labor day, we would have had to go
down the Christmas aisles to get to the labor presents.
When I take a walk around the neighborhood I am surprised
to see Christmas decorations already on the houses in
November and Christmas lights already turned on.
There are many reasons that this is not right. One
of course is a higher utility bill in November, and
second of all, I would be growing tired of Christmas
by December the first. Are we going to teach our
children that Christmas starts in November so that
they can teach their children to start in November.
By the second or third generation our great great
grandchildren will be celebrating Christmas in July.
I have noticed that some of the retail stores are
already having sales called Christmas in July. Is
this what the world is coming to. I surely hope not.


He Said

As you know I am a very opinionated person. Here
is my opinion about Christmas. I think that we
should celebrate Christmas all year long. We have
never been to Myrtle Beach when we did not go
into the Christmas store. It is always jam packed,
people are lined up at the counter to buy Christmas
ornaments in April, July, August and October. It
seems to me that people want Christmas all year
long but no one is brave enough to bring it up for
fear of people like you who are locked in a yearly pattern.
Well I am one of the future thinkers of America and
my new platform is to get Christmas in every
month. Think about it. Everyone would be more joyous
and happy every day. Having Christmas every month would
certainly help stimulate the economy with everyone
buying presents, going off to some exotic land to
celebrate the holiday, buying more food to have the
families over for Christmas dinner every month.
Think about all the new things we would be getting
as presents every month to make our lives more fulfilled.
Think about how happy all the children would be to be
getting presents every month. Think about how well the
children would behave everyday with parents threatening
to tell Santa if they were bad, or threatening them
with the idea each month that Santa is not coming
this month if you miss behave. I do believe I am on a
roll now and that this new idea of Christmas every
month in the year could be my ticket to fame. People
all over the world will be calling it Larry's Christmas
month. It will be named after me of course because I
thought of it. In the spirit of Christmas I do want to
thank you for giving me the inspiration for this thought
provoking idea.

Merry Christmas to all from Dena Hill and Larry Oldham –

She Said He Said

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Food Fight

November 2010


She Said


We were in Chapel Hill last month checking on sites
for the wedding rehearsal dinner (not for us,for my son).
We ordered food in the restaurant and his meal was
not quite done to his satisfaction. He does this in
about every restaurant that we visit. His food is
either too cold or  too hot; like one of the three
bears in Goldilocks. Sometimes he doesn't have enough
ice in his drink, his fries are overcooked or it
took too long to get his food. Maybe they brought
his food before he finished his salad. I've seen
him make a mental note of when the next people
are seated and heaven help us if they get served
before he does. The list just goes on and on.
If I'm not satisfied with something, I just chalk
it up to an off night and keep quiet. But not him,
in fact, in most all of our favorite restaurants,
the wait staff will run to take their break when
they see him charging through the door.. I have
thought about going in while he is parking the car,
getting a table, ordering my food, and eating my
appetizer before he ever comes in, just so I won't be
associated with all his peccadillo's. Just kidding,
but he does seem to demand perfect food and service
in the classier restaurants. He expects impeccable
service,  food cooked exactly the way he likes it,
and even though he does not demand it, he does like
for the manager to come by our table so he can complain.
Don't get me wrong, he can be very complimentary to
the wait staff for a job well done, to the manager
if the food is cooked right, and he even tells the
manager and wait staff to give his compliments to
the chef. That happens once or twice a year. He
also seldom complains at fast food restaurants.

All of this sure is a pity because he really is a sweet guy.
This doesn't mean that restaurants are the only place he
complains though; he complains about many things, but
I am sure if you read this column each month you already
know about that. By the way, if you're looking for me,
I'll be under the table.


  

He Said


At this same restaurant, we were given two rolls.
You picked up a roll first because I am a gentleman
and ladies goes first. I chose the second roll which
was quite fresh, soft and delicious I might add. I
saw that you took one bite and put your roll down,
and stopped eating. When I ask what was wrong, you
said the roll was too hard to eat. I immediately
ask the waiter to bring you another roll and when
he did, he apologized profusely and later the
owner came over apologized and even brought us
another bread basket full of rolls. He explain
to us that if customers don't point out the problems,
the restaurant can't correct them. Now on the way
home I didn't hear you complaining about my decision
to ask for a soft, fresh roll which, by the way,
you had no problem consuming. Without me bringing
this to the owner and waiters' attention, you
would not have had fresh bread, and the owner would
never have known why you almost lost a tooth.
Your reasoning is that I am just a complainer with
nothing to do except harass the help and vie for
the owners attention. I have run a retail store
and the only way you can correct bad situations
is if you know about them.  I know I embarrass
you sometimes when I complain and send food back,
but what you take as being a troublemaker,
I figure I am a hero and worshiped as a great
quality control expert for every restaurant
in town. Most of the waiters are climbing all
over each other trying to get to my table.
I have never left less than twenty percent tip,
if I get quality service, and most of them know
it. As a matter of fact, it would not surprise
me if some of the managers are trying to beat
the wait staff to my table so they can get to wait on me.

The Laws of Driving

October 2010

She Said

It's an unwritten law that you're suppose to do most
of the driving. It's my job to sit on the passengers
side and keep you company. I can file my nails, read
a magazine, point out interesting sites along the way,
and talk when I can get a word in edgewise. Recently,
when we went to Pennsylvania to visit my aunt, it
dawned on me that you have a problem telling time
and measuring distance. For some unknown reason, I
was behind the wheel for the first leg of our journey.
We got to Lynchburg and you had to find a bank...
not just any bank...First Citizens. We found out
there are only two of them in the whole city after
driving around for an hour. Then you wanted a snack.
(We had just eaten breakfast in Danville). Then
we drove another forty minutes and you were ready
for lunch. IT WAS ONLY 11:30! I guess you thought
if we eat early, we can get in at least two more
meals before we get to Seneca. Our motto should
be "Eat to live" not "Live to eat". By now it's 1:30
and we've barely made a dent in a 9 1/2 hour drive.
But here's the real kicker: we were leaving the
restaurant after lunch and we literally raced to
the passengers side whereas you exclaimed "It's
your turn to drive. We left at 8:00 and it's 1:30.
I've been driving for 5 1/2 hours!" It didn't
matter that we were only in Harrisonburg. So you
see, if you'd follow the rules of "man drives,
woman rides" we wouldn't have this problem.


He Said

I have never heard of the unwritten law so this must
be something that exists in Women's World. I can
share with you that your addition does not line up
with your story so let us begin there. It is at the
most an hour and fifteen to Lynchburg. Let's give
you the sixty minutes you said it took us to find
the bank. Then we drove another forty minutes till
we ate lunch. At this point we should be somewhere
at about two hours and fifty five minutes by my
calculations. Since we left at eight by your own words,
and have been on the road for two hours and
fifty minutes, this would mean that we ate for two
and a half hours to put us to the one thirty mark.
Now you know that we both agree we did not eat for
two and a half hours. So what does the unwritten law
say about exaggeration ? It is ok though, because I
am a nice guy I am going to give you those five and
one half hours of driving time. After all , I think
you have earned it with your discourse. Since we got
there at about eight thirty P.M., if you will add
from one thirty to eight thirty, I think you will see
that I drove about seven hours. Let's leave this alone
for a few minutes and discuss the real problem with our
trip. Why is it that a woman expects to be chauffeured
around for ten hours, taken out to dinner and have her
meals paid for, have the door opened for her, made
to feel like a woman, on one hand? The next thing I
hear is equal rights,fairness for women, equality in
our daily life, except maybe taking turns driving on
an extended trip. Maybe it is another one of those
unwritten laws about fairness because you don't want
to take your turn driving on vacation. I have got
to be going now.
Driving alone. Off to check on those unwritten laws
and hoping I can find the section on manhood or the
rule about men driving, and women riding. Two and a
half hours for lunch, don't I wish.

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

The Joys of Camping (not)

She Said

Well, summer is about over and we haven't been
camping yet. In fact, we haven't been camping
since we started dating. Why is that? I love
waking up to birds chirping and waves splashing
along the seashore. I used to fix dinner over
a camp fire and I guess it always tasted great
because it took so much effort to get everything
ready. Sometimes I would wrap a roast, potatoes,
carrots, etc. in heavy duty foil, dig a hole
and start a fire with coals. Then I would put
the package on coals, cover it up and go to
the beach. When I returned, dinner was ready.
For dessert, I would wrap biscuit dough around
a stick (shaved clean, of course) and hold it
over the fire until it was brown, pull the stick
out and fill it with jelly. Other campers would
often come and visit around the campfire until
bedtime. Of course, I had to camp next to the
bathhouse so I could have a hot shower and
electricity for my blow dryer and curling iron.
The campsite with the most amenities is at
Fort Wilderness in Disney World. There are
so many activities to do on that site, some
days we wouldn't even go to the Magic Kingdom
or Epcot. I didn't even mind camping in a tent
until my daughter was born and then there
seemed to be a lot of sand in the sleeping bags.
So we graduated to a camper and we could at least
sleep in beds. Then we decided it was too hot
so we traded that camper in for one with air
conditioning. Sleeping under the stars, breathing
fresh air, and listening to crickets sing us to
sleep was exhilerating. You just don't know
what you're missing. We have a friend at the
bank who would love to introduce you to camping...
why don't I call her and arrange a trip for all of us?

He Said

We have not been camping since we started dating
for all the reasons that you have just mentioned.
I'm not going to go through the whole litany of
suggestions that you are attempting to make .
You didn't mention one item in anything you wrote
that I could enjoy except the part about eating.
I have no desire to make a fire, cook out under
the stars, be outside with the mosquitoes and
chiggers, or visit with other people who are too
cheap to rent a hotel room. I would rather mooch
from my rich friends who owns condos in all the
places I enjoy visiting. The idea of having to eat
bread off of a stick just about makes me
nauseous thinking about it.
My idea of moving up from an un-air conditioned
camper to a camper with air conditioning is sort
of repulsive also. Sleeping under the stars,
listening to the crickets singing is not my idea
of living the good life and when I have to go to
the bathroom in the middle of the night, you are
suggesting that I do my business in front of all
those crickets, or go hunting and pecking for
an outside Johnny House that you and your friends
call a bathhouse. That toilet is more than
likely shared by many others who can't sleep
with all of the crickets howling. No I don't
think so. I will just continue to woo you with
eating out, going to plays, flying you to New York,
renting an expensive hotel or in my case mooching
off the generosity of my friends and when your
urge to go camping gets too strong, you can just
call your friends at the bank, and hitch a ride
with them.
Don't forget the bug spray and mosquito net.
I'll be in the condo if you need me.

Friday, August 13, 2010

Through Women's Eyes

She Said He Said – August 2010 Evince Magazine

She Said

Many times you come to me telling me about something

you have read in some book or magazine about women

and how they should act or how they are acting.

At times you seem surprised about what

you have read. What it comes down to is that

men and women are different and we as women seem to

know that difference and you as men have not

got a single clue. You can read all you want

about the needs of a women and you even discuss

it at length but still go right on doing what

you have always done. Case in point. One article

told you that women want to cuddle, or women

want to tell you about the work day but are not

really looking for advice. We are not soliciting

your opinion and we are not looking for an answer

we just want to tell you about our day. Men cannot

always save the world or conquer an unknown conquest

with their ideas. I just want to share a story with

you with no feedback.

When you read these stories written about women

(more than likely by a man author), why not take

heed? Try some of their ideas. Think of ways that

would please your woman and make her happy

without always having to make it about you

(not that you would ever do that.) I seriously

think that I should start writing these women

articles for these men magazines and try and

make you and all the other men out there realize

that we just want the simple things in life.

A new house, a nice car, a beautiful yard, fine

furniture, some cute outfits, a nice size ring,

and a quiet type man not opinionated.

Is that asking too much?



He Said

I hear you loud and clear. Most of my men friends

could probably give you a list of things that they

would like to see in their women, and I am sure

there would be differences. I am not even going to

attempt to go there because I do not want to

offend you or upset you with my discourse.

Now back to the men's magazines. I think it is

very interesting that someone would sit down,

analyze what makes a woman tick and then write

it down for men of read. This last one was all

about the twenty some subtle hints that women

give you when they are interested. I know I am

not the brightest kid on the block, but I can

tell you without very much repudiation, that

I know the difference when I am being

shunned and when I am being courted.

There is a difference and it is not subtle.

I heard a female comment the other day from a

woman who told another woman “she put the bait

out there, but he just didn't bite”. Now what

does that mean in men terms and what does that

mean in women terms.

It is like you have your own game at capturing

the game. Now you know none of this pertains to you

because I know you as well as any man could know

you and I know you would never use your girly

charms to entice a man. You are a good cook though,

and you keep a clean house, and you are always

offering to do things for me unsolicited. Maybe

this is what the magazine meant by subtle ways to

know she is interested. Maybe all this time you

have been using your female charms to get me. Well

I can tell you right now that it worked.

I have bought it hook, line and sinker. Those

are fishing terms I think.

Is that what the magazine means by being subtle?

Surprise, Surprise!!

She Said
 
Surprise! Surprise! Isn't it terrific when someone

thinks enough of you to plan a surprise party or

just a surprise event? No, no, no. I had never met

anyone who didn't like surprises until we moved

from friendship to a couple. I considered it a

thoughtful, caring sequence of events to call your

friends, family, etc., plan a party, and let you

unknowingly walk in on it. Now I realize that the

only person having fun was me. Why is this? You've

said that you hate surprises and you want to know

everything that involves you BEFORE it happens.

You like to be prepared for whatever... The element

of surprise on a persons' face is interesting

to watch but on your face, it's more like pain.

I'm sure there are other people who feel the way

you do so please enlighten me. My family all live

miles away and we're always surprising each other

with an unexpected visit. For my 40th birthday,

it was kind of neat to have my office all decorated

in black when I opened the door that morning.

Comments continued throughout the day as well as

good wishes. You don't even want surprise presents

for Christmas or birthdays and that takes all the

fun out of shopping. I may as well write a check

and hand it to you. When two people know each other

as well as we do, I should be able to surprise you

with something you'll really like but you want to

choose gifts for yourself. Maybe I should stick to

basics that you don't like to buy for yourself like

socks or T-shirts. Boring! How about a compromise???

You can humor me by ACTING surprised and then return

it for something you've had your eye on. After all,

life is a game and the object is to make the

players happy.


He Said

Surprise, surprise , are you happy? What I read in

your ever going endeavor to make me into

the perfect man does not surprise me. I am just

surprised that it has taken you this long to

admonish me on my ability to not act surprised.

Do you know how many people in the world fake being

surprised when the occasion calls for it. Aren't

you surprised that the one man you chose to date and

someday marry does not want to fit into the same

mold as every other man. Does it surprise you that

I have taken the liberty of sharing with you that

I want lie or pretend to be surprised when I am not?

It should not come as any surprise that I have

told you up front, I am a man that does not like

to be surprised. But darling, it still grates on

your last nerve that I just will not feign surprise,

or enjoy the ritual of surprise, or will even lie

to you and act surprised. Yes I could let you buy

me a bow tie, not wear it, and then sneak it back

to the store after purchasing an item that I really

wanted, and surprise you with my new gift that I

honestly wanted all the while. Does this surprise

you? I am honestly surprised after all our years

together that you can still find fault with my

need to be told what I am getting as a present,

when getting what I ask for has always made me happy...

after all isn't life just a game with the object

being to make the other person happy? I bet you

were surprised to see that phrase used again?

I know it surprised me.

Diets are not your Forte'

She Said He Said – June 2010 Evince Magazine –

She Said


Another week of confusion on what to fix when you

come over to eat. I know you were on that

100 Days of Healthy Living Diet in the city

because you lost twenty pounds and you were

starting to look like that guy I use to know.

For 6 months I watched you drink low calorie

drinks, eat no bread, eat only one or two cookies

instead of fifteen, and you even walked around

the block a couple of times with the dog and me.

About a week or so ago you started eating heavily

again: hot dogs, cheeseburgers, fries, real Coke,

ice cream sandwiches every night, and enough Oreo's

to make the cows tired of giving milk. Then this

week you tapered off again because you said you

had a doctor's appointment for your bi-annual check

up and he always chastises you about your weight.

It would be a tremendous help to me if you could

somehow co-ordinate your eating habits.

I want you to choose to be fat or be skinny;

just try to work consistency in the equation

so grocery shopping would be less stressful.

Do I buy the real bacon or the diet bacon,

real butter, or the almost taste like butter but not quite?

I am willing to work with you on the diet or at

least keep quiet until you make up your mind to adopt a

permanent weight loss program. Your fat clothes fit

better now and if you start losing weight again,

your clothes will look droopy and you're forced to

buy more. Of course, shopping more for clothes and

less for food might be a good thing so neither one

of us gains any weight.



He Said


Do you like blue or red? Is a Ford better than

a Chevrolet? You are asking me to comment on

something that is almost impossible to answer.

Yes, I want to be thin and yes, I want to look

good in my clothes, but I am going to tell you

right now that I do have this adoration of food.

I really try not to eat so much, but right after

breakfast everyday, I'm thinking about what can

I eat for lunch, or what we are having for dinner.

I think I need a food psychologist to get me out

of this addiction. I don't ever see you eat dessert,

sweets, cookies, or anything like the bad things I

eat. When I ask you what you weigh, you always slide

by the question and change the subject. If I ask

you if you have lost or gained weight, your answer

is always that you are just maintaining your weight.

You exercise 30 minutes in the morning, and walk

two miles a day with the dog, never eat sweets and

just maintain?

I am beginning to think that maybe you are a closet

eater. Just once I'd like to catch you sneaking

around stuffing Oreo's in your mouth when I'm not

looking. You know I couldn't eat a whole bag of

Oreo's by myself. Don't get me wrong I am not

falsely accusing you of being a closet eater,

I just don't understand that when I slow down

my eating sweets and sodas I lose weight, but

when you never eat that junk, you just maintain.

Maybe I should peek over your shoulder the next

time you weigh. It is not that I don't trust you,

I just need to learn your secret. How can you not

lose weight?

Do you see how easy it is for me to turn my eating

habits around to everything being all about you?

Cool huh?

Riding the Food Train

Evince May 2010 She Said He Said

She Said


Why is it that any time I make a dish with more
than two ingredients, you gag? I had always heard
of a "meat and potatoes man" but you really
carry it to extreme. Cassarole is NOT a four
letter word! In fact, in my other life I planned
cassaroles just so there would be leftovers for
another meal. That's like having a night off
from cooking and cleaning up dishes. No wonder
it never takes us long to go grocery shopping;
we end up eating the same thing every week.
Haven't you heard that variety is the spice of life?
The only time I get to experiment in the kitchen
is when one of our kids is coming for dinner.
I get out recipe books or go online to find
something new that will liven up our taste buds.
Yours are dead. There are supermarkets in
Greensboro that have interesting food selections
that are out of this world and anyone with an
imagination could make a meal that would be a
true epicurian delight. But it would send you
running to McDonalds as fast as your little
legs could carry you. I was shocked when you
ordered frog legs at Steaks on the Square one
night; I thought Nathan was going to have to
carry you out bodily after eating so many of
them. Do you think you could get out of your
comfort zone a little more often? By the way,
they serve meat and potatoes on cruise ships!

He Said


Being the Southern Gentleman that I am
(Fried Chicken and Okra)
I will try and answer you as humbly as I can.
(Mashed potatoes and gravy). I grew up
in a home that served what I like to refer
to as country cooking( Hamhocks and collards).
Many mornings my breakfast consisted of a
peanut butter and egg sandwich and a Coca Cola.
(Pinto beans and onions). I took a sandwich for
lunch and we always had a meat and two vegetables
for supper.(porkchops and apple sauce). So to say
that my palate was unusual would be considered by
some to be right at the top of the the list.
(corn bread and buttermilk).
I surely do not think that you are wrong in
describing your desires for better concocted
meals(Black eyed peas and cream corn) and I
have to agree with you that you certainly deserve
the best in a palatable toothsome meal( apple pie
and vanilla ice cream), but I don't understand
why you think I would enjoy eating casseroles and
tofu ( meat loaf and gravy) when I have surrounded
myself all my life with delectable menu items
of my own(hot dogs with chili) that I have eaten
all my life.(Pinto beans and onions.) Maybe you are
in your comfort zone and you need to experiment
yourself (bannana pudding) and learn to eat foods
that I have enjoyed all my life.(Macaroni and Cheese).
You have just got to learn to take me as I am
(fried tomato pies) and I will work hard to accept
your odd and quirky taste. (Asparagus and salads).
Maybe we can find a cruise ship that has food that
we both can enjoy.
Sometimes I think you are trying to leave me subtle
hints about the kinds of foods you want me to eat.
I would never do that to you. ( chocolate pie)

The Art of Jealousy

She Said He Said Evince Magazine April 2010 –

She Said

By nature I am not a jealous person. Does not go

well with my personality. You being a Libra have

a very friendly attitude toward the female race.

In all fairness you are also very friendly with

other male friends also. What I am trying to

understand from the female prospective is men's

feelings about what they can do as compared in

theory to what is expected of a woman and what

can do. For example,we go into a grocery store,

clothing store or whatever and you speak to everyone

you know. Sometimes you even touch girls on the

arm while you are talking to them. This really

does not bother me because I know you are faithful,

I know you are a tactile person, and you like to

make people around you feel comfortable. That is

also the salesman in you so I am not really complaining.

Let us now walk into the hardware store, let me ask a

man which aisle is the paint to be found , and when

we leave the store I get from you, why didn't you ask

a female clerk, or why did you ask that guy? I ask

that guy because he was the first person I ran into

with an employee shirt on saying “I am George , I

work in this hardware store, ask me a question”.

It is just the difference between men and women.

I am sure there are flirty women in some stores ,

maybe even the hardware store, but I don't think

you are going to go looking for her. But if we do

talk to a women within five seconds you are

giggling like a two year old, smiling your largest

smile, and touching her somewhere just to be

friendly...and please don't get me started on

hugging.


He Said

Caught red handed. You are right as usual. There is

a double parallel or a double standard when it

comes to men and women. I have my own personal

theory if you would like to hear it. Number one

I do not mean to flirt. I am a touchy feely person,

but always in front of you. If I have ever gotten

too close to a stranger or someone in a store they

have never acknowledged it or neither have you. My

theory is this. Women are in control of everything

in their lives, their children's lives and their spouse's

lives. Men on the other hand are insecure, in need

of attention, and would like for everyone to like

them. When I am being friendly I am just being

friendly. I don't control what the women are thinking

or I don't have some alternative motive in my mind.

I can't convince the hardware clerk to go home

with me if she does not want to. You or women

in general can control the situation from your

prospective. If you like a man you can let it

be known. You can hint that you are single.

You can flirt with your eyes , or even

accidentially get too close to him by mistake.

Most men are looking for an opportunity, so even

the kindest act, smallest touch, gives a man an

inkling that you want him to take you home.

I am sure that the clerks that I talk to at

the hardware store does not want or need me

to take them home. Bedsides, when they see

you and I together ,holding hands, sitting

on the same side of the table in a restaurant,

I imagine they get the hint that you and I are

really together. Just so you know, I have not

met another woman in Danville that is as pretty

or as fun as you. Now New York on the other

hand.(lol)

Saturday, May 22, 2010

March 2010 Evince Magazine

She Said
By the time this column goes out, our snowy winter should be behind us. Do you remember when we first started dating, you told me that on weekends, your ex-wife didn't comb her hair or put on make-up because she wasn't going to see anyone? Well, there are several inches of snow and ice on the ground and it's 4:00 in the afternoon; however, I'm not sure you've walked past a mirror lately because your hair looks like you were pardoned thirty seconds after the switch was pulled! Do you want to borrow some shampoo and a brush? Seems like I remember another facebook entry from you stating that "there wouldn't be as many divorces if you tried as hard to keep your partner as you did to get her". We all fall into that marriage mode after a few years and relax or so you've told me. Quite honestly, at our age, that relaxed atmosphere is quite appealing to me. Sometimes in the summer when I've worked out in the yard all day, it's nice to come in, shower and relax, skipping hairstyling and make-up. I know the way I look doesn't change the way you feel about me and vice versa. Don't worry though, I won't take advantage of your good nature by going to WalMart in hair curlers. There is a town in North Carolina where the female population actually goes shopping on Saturday morning with rollers the size of orange juice cans. We can vow to keep each other in check better than that.

He Said

Well that is quite a mouthful for me to answer this month , but I will give it the old proverbial try. I didn't wash my hair today , I just threw on a toboggan and
hurried over to your house before the snow got too deep, so we could spend the whole day together( I see you over there yawning so this might not be
as important to you as to me). If combing and washing my hair and coming to your house is the only thing keeping us together , let's stock up on plenty
of Prell shampoo or whatever brand you use. I think in my facebook entry I was probably talking about romance, flowers, cards, attention, handholding, caring,
and all other methods that men use to keep their woman happy. I know that when you are not planning on leaving the house your M.O. is to maybe wash your
hair and let it dry naturally, wear your glasses, not put on makeup etc.

I understand that and to me that would seem to say I know you love me no matter what I look like , so I will just go with my natural look.. however, when I go out, I want to look my best, dressed to the t, so I can know that the world will appreciate the effort I took, to look my best for them.

Hello....how about me? Maybe I want to see you at your best. Maybe I want to see you looking extravagantly beautiful also. And the day you want me to go to any store with you in hairculers is probably going to be the day I go to U-Haul, rent a truck, and move you to that little old town in North Carolina where all the women shop with hair curlers in their hair. Because on that day I will be feeling that I can do better than that.

So next time I come over, my hair will be clean, my teeth will be brushed, my clothes will be clean, and you can be fixed up and we will both go shopping.

You can't ask for a better vow than that can you?

Friday, February 19, 2010

Open Mouth - Insert Foot

She Said

For someone who hates exercise, you sure don't

mind walking around in your mouth. Just yesterday

I started getting these messages on my email and

now on my facebook page about what you have written

so I thought I'd check it out. I know you like

to use philosophical sayings that you steal from

someone else ( sorry...you do give credit sometimes)

or from some book you found at a yard sale. Most of

the time they are cutesy, and I don't remember any

of them having any meaning.

Now all of a sudden you have come up with a saying

about marriage and you have led our friends into

believing that you are against such a fine institution.

I don't know of any person on this earth who loves

marriage more than you do and if this wasn't

true, why would you keep getting married over and

over again? Back to your statement. When I read

the posting, the first thought I had was negative.

I immediately thought "how dare him say such a thing

about me!?" As I said that was my first thought.

My second thought of course was .."What an idiot!".

I thought you were just showing a seamy side of you.

(Note: I said seamy NOT McDreamy) But I know you.

I know how much you love marriage. I know how much

you love, love. I know that you wouldn't make such

a statement and mean it because when you got home...

there I would be. Not that you have to answer to me;

however, if I confronted you and you didn't have a

reasonable explanation, it would be...”.Lucy you've

got some 'splainin to do”. So I am just going to

let it go this time because I know how playful you

can be and I know without a shadow of a doubt that

you didn't mean...” a wedding ring is the smallest

handcuff in the world” to be about us. I'm sure

it's about some other couple you felt sorry for

and were just trying to make them feel better.

You WERE trying to make someone else feel better...right?





He Said



To be perfectly honest with you, I never gave a thought

about us when I wrote that little saying.

I just thought it was funny and that all my friends

would be laughing. A couple of things happened after

I wrote this.

A...My friends didn't read it, yours did.

B. None of your friends thought it was funny.

They started emailing and face booking you about

what a slug I was. As you know I would never hurt you

intentionally and I really thought you would never

see it anyway so what the heck.

Now I see that most of your friends and a lot of

my friends think I am a selfish, one sided, don't

care anything at all about marriage type of guy.

As my friends all say ...marriage is a fine institution

if you're ready for an institution. You can see I

was careful to give my friends the credit for such a

slanderous statement. I love marriage. Some of my

best friends are married. There are probably a

couple of them who think that their wedding ring

is a handcuff. Not me. I think it is a strong sign of

true love between two people who are proud to show

the world how much they love each other by agreeing

to wear a chain, I mean a cross, I mean a wedding

ring as proof of their feelings for one another.

Hopefully some day you and I will be able to show

the world how much we really care about each other

by wearing a ring cuff, I mean a wedding ring.

Saturday, January 9, 2010

What Happened this Year?

She Said

About a week ago it was January, 2009, and we were
planning our year. Now it is January, 2010, and
I don't feel like I have accomplished as much as
I wanted to. I had so many projects planned and
so many ideas about what I wanted to get done in
2009 and somewhere along the way, the year vanished.
Did you steal my year from me? I dislike having to
blame you every time something happens, but really
aren't you the culprit who is usually at fault?
You're a nice guy with a lot of friends and you
love to be the apple dumpling of the FaceBook crowd,
but the idea of stealing a whole year from me, just
tarnishes my view of your charming personality.
I know you are not a thief and I know you wouldn't
do it on purpose but I have lost a lot of valuable
time here and since I don't know where it is,
it must be your fault. I have to say that this year
was a good year though since we still have our good
health, and some of our parents are still with us.
I am not complaining so much as I am wondering out
loud where all the time went. So if you have some
way of making all of this up to me, now would be
the time to do it. I need about three more hours
in the day to get my projects done and then I'll
be happy.
 
He Said

You know the old adage "Time flies when you're
having fun"? You must be having a ball! As we
get older time just flies by a bit more quickly;
everyone over fifty knows that. Where have you
been? Time passing by isn't a problem for me...
getting blamed for everything is the problem.
Must I always be your scapegoat? Some of the
TIME, I don't mind being blamed for things but
stealing a whole year is not my fault and I'll
stand my ground on this one.
I'll admit that I have encouraged you to slow
down, not tackle so many projects, and spend
more time with me just relaxing but most of
the time that hasn't happened. You should
spend more time grazing on the front porch,
sipping cool drinks, and taking trips and
then maybe your year would have dragged by
as mine did.
I am so well rested, I could run a marathon.
We're not getting any younger which means time
will continue to fly by like the wind. Before
you know it, we'll be 100 years old with no
friends, strangers will be feeding us, changing
Depends. and pushing our wheelchairs while
you're bellyaching about not having enough time
to put a new roof on the house or clean the
basement. Fifty years from now, it won't matter
anyway. So start taking it easy...come home
from school, take off your shoes, make dinner,
wash the dishes, fold the clothes, walk to
the dog, and go grocery shopping. THEN we can
settle down in a nice Lazyboy chair, cuddle
up and watch TV. If you would slow down a
little, I promise you would enjoy
life more...or at least longer.