Saturday, January 05, 2008

Hanging by a thread

The longer Sean and I are together, the truer the stereotypes get. Rather than going into all the ugly details (nagging, belching, shoes, the history channel) I'll focus on one specific thing: home improvement projects.




Clearly we are gluttons for home owner headaches


masochists


and worse.


When we are at our busiest or


most physically limited


we chew off huge projects.


This past weekend we decided to address our closets. Seemed easy enough.

Isn't that always the way...You can do it, Home Depot can help...Lowe's, let's build something together. Yes, let's.

We assembled the tools and supplies we would need for hanging dowel, drawers and hooks. Of course before we did this we had to wade through three and a half years of hamper-stored clothing, which for me, with three pregnancies and different jobs meant an obscene amount of clothing that I am not wearing but must save for: later in the pregnancy, after the pregnancy, transition, nursing, nursing at work, out-of-maternity-but-not-in-regular-sizes work clothes, normal size clothes, bloated day clothes, skinny day clothes, workout wear for all the previously stated stages and so on. Sean had the clothes he likes, the clothes we like, the clothes I like, and the clothes we share. Intermixed in everything were clothes from the girls and their various sizes.

Oh, yes, the girls.


Did I mention we had no sitter?


Were not yet fully back on east coast time?


Exhausted, yet dying to get out in the fresh powder and build a snowman? Well, we didn't and we were, but this was the as-perfect-as-we-are-ever-going-to-get time to address where we dress.

It was a fascinating dance of working together and apart, Sean knee deep in dress shirts and mismatched socks, while I made sandwiches and cruised Noggin. I think we made it through with very few tantrums (the girls, I'm not slamming Sean) and a truly trivial amount of cursing (Sean, people, the girls are not yet trucker mouths).

We were just about to wrap up when I asked Sean if he could hang just one more thing for me.

"Sure thing, babe," he said with a smile.

I handed him a shelf with four hooks beneath it and he ducked his way into the severely sloped crawl space closet. After much banging and sighing and slipping and a few well-earned four letter words, he emerged, red-faced and sweaty.

"There you go, babe." He started for the other side of the room, raising his arm to set the hammer on the red armoire. I looked at the shelf and just beneath it saw the little Willow Tree piece we were given after Briar was born and which has never truly had a home.



I turned to Sean and saw him shucking the sweaty shirt he'd been wearing, he was moving toward a towel and the shower.

"Honey?" I cooed.

"Mmm-hmm," he replied.

"Babe, could you hang this for me real quick?" I held the base out in my hand, it had the kind of hole on the back that you hold over the head of the screw and then slide down. You know, it looks incredibly effective but is impossible to hang for the inability to see or feel the hole?

Sean looked at me, an entire novel's worth of internal monologue passing across his weary face, but those blue eyes and beautiful mouth smiled without hesitation. Setting the towel down he took the base from my hand and said, "Sure thing, babe."

I let him walk two steps before I said, "I'm just fuckin' with ya."

I think he considered swatting me, but instead grabbed me in a gentle I-know-you're-pregnant-but-you're-going-down-tackle.

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18 comments:

BetteJo said...

Oh, but he would have done it for you! That's the best guy ever! And it sounds like the take-down was worth the joke. :)

Lisa Wheeler Milton said...

My sister and I grew up between DIY home improvements - there was always something going on.

I love those shots. I never minded the mess; it was always an adventure.

Crystal D said...

Yep those are the gems that make a great marriage.

painted maypole said...

i am impressed with all your house projects. my husband and I mananged to do a ton of work in our attic in august (in LOUSIANA!!!! bad timing) and come out of it not only NOT hating each other, but actually agreeing that it was the best we'd done working on a project together. not that I plan to do any more any time soon.

flutter said...

You guys are so fabulous together.

Also? Your arms are incredible.

Girlplustwo said...

i've said it before, but i love your love. and who says a big toddler kitchen blocking a doorway isn't a good babysitter?

Jerri Ann said...

OMG, you got a keeper, (as if you didn't know), my husband has never been so agreeable even though he does most of the stuff I want..."sure thing babe" does not exist in his vocabulary, but "ok, later" is his favorite...lol

Anonymous said...

Isn't it amazing what their love and admiration will get them through?

Colleen @AMadisonMom said...

My goodness... you two sure are the do-it-yourself people. Nick and I don't do that. We hire people. We're not talented in that home improvement type of way. It would be a very ugly thing.

Janet said...

Awwww. I like Sean*. He's one of the good ones.

*in a not-creepy, un-stalkerish way.

Damselfly said...

Longsuffering but playful, all of you!

Rachel said...

This is absolutely one of the most adorable things I've read in a while.
I linked to you from someone's blogroll and I don't remember who. oops.

You are brilliant, so fun to read.

Anonymous said...

You're soooooooo cute.

Myshka said...

Hahahaha. What a man. (and what a woman to always keep him on his toes. Literally.).xxoo

Lindz said...

I am always in charge of painting too. God forbid I mess something up.

cce said...

You all take nesting to a new level. I'm so impressed you're doing it yourself. Go team!

Raeanne J. Wright said...

HAHAHA that is AWESOME! I am so glad you give him shit at home... he doesn't get nearly enough of it at work!

carrie said...

Behold! The powers of a pregnant woman!

Love this.