A Thoughtful Man Indeed

A Stodghill Says So blog:

Hard as it is to believe, someone has suggested that I fall somewhat short of being a thoughtful husband. This cuts to the quick because I have always prided myself on thoughtfulness. A few examples leap to mind:
When we lived in Muncie, I bought Jackie a snowblower so she would not have to shovel the driveway and sidewalk by hand.
While living in upstate New Your I presented her with a power mower because our land was on the side of a hill and I could see that mowing on a slant with a push mower was a struggle for her.
As recently as the Christmas just past, I gave her a hand truck - a dolly, if you prefer - so she would have an easier time moving heavy stuff around the place.
I'm a little hazy on this, but it runs in my mind that I once bought her an aluminum ladder so it would be easy to move from place to place as she cleaned out the gutters and flushed the downspouts.
I definitely recall buying a packet of cloths made especially for the purpose of washing and polishing the car so it would be easier and faster for her.
At one time I even purchased a small, lightweight chain saw so she wouldn't have a difficult time felling the young trees on the hillside and cutting the trunks and branches into the proper size for our wood stove.
So you be the judge; are those acts the mark of a thoughtful husband or not?

Dick,

I think you have another list. I also know you gave her a book of photos she took for Christmas. I imagine there were other presents like that one.

Carol

Dick,
when I stopped laughing I realized why your wife is so special. Just to accept or tolerate that blows womens lib to shreads.
She must certainly have a great sense of humor seeing that she edits what you write.

Only the short stories, Abe. I let her see the blogs, that's all. She can be smartalecky at times. Just now as she waited while I had the hallway blocked for a moment I apologized so she said, "That's okay, I was just standing here basking in the glow of your presence." Can you believe that?

Aw, c'mon Abe. I think Jackie is the kind of woman that would say exactly what she thinks.

My husband loves technology and gets me technological things and then has to spend days setting them up for me. This year he got me an Ipod Show and then the next day I got a special group of songs on the Ipod he had put together. They were very loving songs.

Now my kids are another story. Some of their gifts were a toaster, coffee maker, a fiber optic moose and chocolate. Well, they hit it right on with the moose and the chocolate!

See, maybe Jackie loves ladders and snowblowers.

Carol

I never had to worry about getting such gifts from Bill (my ex). He knew how dangerous it would be. I remember a time I tried to be a thoughtful wife. A heavy windstorm had blown small pine branches all over our yard. I decided I would surprise him, and have the yard cleared before he got home. I went to the carport and started backing my station wagon - a '72 Pontiac. Remember those rounded sides? - toward the drive so I could get the little tractor out. I was thinking ahead, trying to remember how to hitch the wagon to the back of it, and forgot that I hadn't closed the car door. The carport had a couple of 8"x8" pine columns running down its middle. One of them got in the way of that open door. I stopped the car almost immediatly after they collided, drove the car back up, and shut the door. The door shut without any problem, only that curve in it was now completely straight, and there was a four-inch gap between the top of the door's window and the top of the car itself. The Pontiac dealer was a friend, so Bill got back at me by calling him and suggesting he go back to his body shop and take a look at what I had managed to do to the lovely wagon he had so proudly sold us. I became the laughing-stock of the entire dealership for several days.

I would wager that whatever Dick gets for Jackie is much loved and appreciated.

It is the thought that counts.

Whoever said you fall short of being thoughtful, Dick?


Tell me, I will be more than happy to set them straight.

Dick, I had to laugh at all your listed "thoughtful" gifts to Jackie! As a single mother for many years, I have purchased all of those gifts you mentioned for myself--and they are all very handy to have! I'm sure Jackie has appreciated each and every one.

And yes, I can believe she said to you that she was basking in the glow of your presence! Jackie's my kind of woman!

You must be a relative of my husband, Dick. When I asked him what he would do with me when I'm old, he replied, "Stick you up a ladder."

At the time, we lived in an old Victorian property with high ceilings and tall windows. I seemed to spend half my life up a ladder: decorating, cleaning, removing cobwebs, watering hanging baskets. Oh, yes, and I cleaned out gutters, mowed the lawns, raked the leaves and shovelled the snow from the driveway. I even used a pick-axe to break up the compounded top layer of stones on the driveway so that I could restore the appearance of the gravel and fine stones ... and they call it man's work!

For three days a week I would be a single mom as my husband was far away and not even available. (Twice in thirty-three years there was an emergency when I had to get in touch with him. Once we were in contact almost immediately and the second time it took over 12 hours and then he made a $150 phone call from a Munich hotel when he finally got word he needed to call home right away.)

A couple of times when the electricity went out in the winter, I slept by the fireplace keeping it stoked all night. There is this rule of airline pilots, that emergencies only happen when they are away. Most I handled all right. The hardest were the decisions. I got so used to making them myself I did it even when he was home which was not a good idea as he let me.

Ann, I've done silly things with the car also. One time I put the door down as I backed out and smashed out the window in the van. One time I took my husband's car and it was icy out and I ran into a ditch. A farmer came with his tractor and got me out, and although I swore the daughter with me to secrecy the grass protruding from under the car gave me away.

Carol

Dick, you need to meet my poor ol' Dad. He tried to buy thoughtful gifts for my mom, too. She would smile graciously when she opened it, look at him sweetly...and then offer it back to him and say, "I hope you enjoy that honey, I really do." Then she'd go shopping, for days...Dad got all the tools and cool stuff he ever wanted, and Mum has a beautiful collection of jewellery and crystal...

Pam, I like your Mom!!

That sly old devil! Why didn't I think of that?