Sometimes It’s Diamonds, Sometimes It’s Paint 💕, A Love Story…..Story #5

Finally, the day for lovers and my 5th and last story for the occasion. Happy Valentine’s Day and think about the idea I’ve offered here

Paint Bucket

Honestly, it’s never diamonds. Perfume, maybe, but not diamonds. Oh, there was a diamond engagement years ago and another one at our 25th, but that ‘streak’ ended there, years ago. Nowadays, prudence, practicality and pocketbook influence my choices..

So, this Valentine’s Day I gave a gift that satisfied all three criteria, the gift of color. I painted a bathroom for my wife, and, not surprisingly, it was one of the best gifts I’ve given over the years. She raved about it and appreciated my work and the new look. As pleasant as that sounds, it’s an unflattering commentary on my gift giving skills. I’m terrible at it.

However, I’m a good painter, it’s in the genes. My immigrant grandfather established himself as a ‘master’ painter. He begot three boys who continued the trade. The line of succession produced more sons, yet, who donned the white overalls, joined the union and called themselves ‘journeymen’.

You see, while ‘diamonds are forever’ (who wears out a diamond?), paint jobs are actually meant to be replaced. Colors fade or fall out of fashion. The painter gets the opportunity to ‘regive’ the paint job, a ‘do over’, if you will.

“Hey, honey, I repainted the bathroom. How’s it look?  And, Happy Mother’s Day!”

“Looks great, dinner is ready”, she shouts from afar. “You slug…”, is the unspoken word you don’t hear because she has resigned herself to the age-old mantra, ‘it’s the thought that counts’. But we all know this about marriage, ‘what you do or don’t do now will be used against you later’.

As I was reminded recently, disagreements, arguments and shortcomings are all part of the bonding process in marriage, no matter how long the union, decades in our case.

But, I digress. There are more gift giving opportunities on the horizon. The bedroom sounds appropriate for our wedding anniversary. And the hallways for her birthday. Oh, I just know she’ll love it. Everyday will seem like a birthday as she walks through the house, admiring the colors, reminding her of just how old she is. Hmm, I should rethink that one. Then there’s Christmas, maybe a brightening up of the guest room would be a hit.

Yes, diamonds are pretty; pretty impressive and pretty expensive. So, gentlemen, heed my advice. When the time comes, give the gift that is bold and beautiful, that tells her how much you love her. Give the ‘gift that keeps on giving’ and is cheap, the gift of color…PAINT SOMETHING!

Paint 3

Steve

Originally February 2016

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srbottch

Retired in 2013 after 5 years as an elementary school teacher and 40 years as a sales representative to begin anew as a school crossing guard. SMy essays/stories are a way to communicate through the telling of personal experiences. One reader said about my blog stories, "...these are like a cold sip during a marathon run, simple, real life events". Another offered about my blog, “it brings some sense of normalcy not easily found in the modern world.”

21 thoughts on “Sometimes It’s Diamonds, Sometimes It’s Paint 💕, A Love Story…..Story #5”

  2. I’m at the point where a painted room is appreciated more than diamonds. I told hubby a few years ago to stop buying me jewellery. There is only so much you need! I do enjoy a nice meal out though.

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    1. Well, it would have to out with me because I don’t cook. Need to learn it because my wife is getting tired of doing it. And I’m getting too old to paint. Boy, are we in trouble. 😂. I did buy some salmon this morning and the recipe is easy so we’ll have a VD dinner tonight and I’ll do the cleanup chores. Big of me, isn’t it😉😎🍺. Happy VD to you and your husband I always enjoy your comments. Thanks.

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      1. We’re going out for dinner tomorrow night which I’m looking forward to. I made us a nice orange cake with whipped cream and a slice of Terry’s chocolate orange for our tea today. Every one was happy!!

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      2. Wow, it all sounds delicious. Wish I was there. I’m salivating as I think about it. I could fill myself on cake with a nice cup of coffee, although I enjoy tea, as well. Then I’d go outside and work on shoveling our walk to our front door. We’re at 100 inches + of snowfall this winter season with a month, or more, to go before we’re out of the woods. Probably have 15 inches on the ground now but temps will moderate this week (by moderating I mean approaching mid 30sF. We look more like an Olympic venue than a small town in western New York State.

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    1. Exactly, hence the under her breath sarcasm which I do richly deserved. As I’ve noted, when I ran out of rooms, then we just stopped acknowledging the special days 😂

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  4. It’s all about the gift of yourself rather than material things. I’ll bet your wife really appreciates having rooms in the house looking fresh. I painted for over 20 years in the summer, including our house. Ironically, the only accident I ever had was when I was painting it, and the ladder slipped. I earned a compression fracture in my back and a lot of pain, but I know it could have been worse.

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    1. Well, not much worse. Do you ever see those videos on Facebook of people falling off ladders? Some of them make me wince. My worse painting story happened one summer when I drove the truck for my dad/uncle’s painting company. They were painting the inside of a new metal building and I had to deliver 5 gal buckets of paint , a dozen, or so, of a baby blue color. I drove the Chevy pickup into the building on the new concrete floor and dropped off a bucket every 50 feet. Forgetting that my helper (another high school knucklehead) had just unloaded a 5 gal bucket, I put the truck in reverse and backed over the can. Yup, blue paint spread like wildfire over the new concrete until that can was empty. Talk about feeling stupid and I was told so by the foreman.

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    1. C’mon, are you pulling my leg? But, truthfully, I thought it was ingenious 😂😂😂. When I ran out of rooms to paint, then we just stopped acknowledging the holidays. Nah, that’s a fib. Hope you had a wonderful Valentine’s Day.

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  8. This story made me smile, Steve. My husband would not paint a room for me. He is not handy in that way. I even change lightbulbs 💡. He has learned over the years to buy me gifts I like. In the beginning, he always bought me jewelry and I always put it in the safe at the bank and never looked at it again. His mother and sister love jewelry so he thought that was the gift you buy a woman. Over the past 10 years he’s bought me a Kenwood chef, a tablet, and various collectors editions books. Now we don’t but gifts, we go on holidays.

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