Segundo Aniversario

[Cap'n Jib]

Segundo Aniversario

I might be pressing my luck, but on the 25th of July, we will have been married for two years. She is supposed to return from Colombia on the 24th so we can spend it together. IF for some reason she doesn’t return, I’ll celebrate it on my own…..that is my plan ‘B’.

I am very lucky to be with her. She is ALWAYS interesting…..to say the least. It is now getting hard to remember my past ‘yacht-he-he’ life style. Maybe it was someone else’s life and not mine. Come to think of it, that care free life style was very expensive! At this point, I like where I am and have absolutely no desire to be anywhere else.

Instead of droning on…(too late?) about my loving the heck outa the lady, thought a few snippets of our differences, outlooks and thought patterns might be of interest to those about to go through the process themselves. Poor dumb *******s!

Da Man
I am the man of the family and therefore make all the big decisions and all the big plans. When I screw up, she takes over and cleans up my mess and gets the family back on an ‘even keel’ (gawd, I love that nautical talk). I then go back to being in charge until the next screw up. The process becomes a self reinforcing loop. Responsibility is such a *****!

Only words
One of my ‘assigned’ (and NOT by me) responsibilities is to give instructions to the construction employees. Not knowing the correct (or for that matter caring to know) words for various aspects of construction, my instructions leave something to be desired….the word CLARITY comes immediately to mind.

Usually after screwing up on prior instructions, I attempt to learn the proper word for say ‘border tile’…or ‘el mosaico contiguo’. Told no, it is called ‘cenifa’. Go to the store and they haven’t got a clue to what in the hell I want. Call the Mrs. and she talks to them on the phone and uses the same word as I. And of course they understand HER! I get no respect!

Know what NEW meant
I have always been of the opinion that one tried to preserve the ‘newness’ of an experience, development or purchase. She, on the other hand….well let me give you an example.

Just after the entry way to our NEW house was painted, she had the guys hang an outdoor picture frame as an accent of ‘stuff’ contained within the frame. This process entailed the drilling of holes in the concrete surface. Green colored plastic anchor plugs were inserted in the holes and screws put in to ‘hang’ the various
decorative items. A week later, a change of mind. New stuff to hang and therefore new holes to be drilled....in different locations. Also different colored plastic anchors. The process was repeated two more times (also different colored plastic anchors) until it was just right. This was before we EVEN moved in.

The entry way to our ‘new’ house already had that lived-in look. The stucco entry wall had a terminal disease with what appeared to be various types of colored pus dripping out of it.

During the process, I didn’t say a word….not one. Instead, I am writing about the experience now as catharsis. As a result of remodeling, the ‘scene of the crime’ is being hidden. So there was no reason to get upset after all….no reason at all!

I’m there for YOU!
One of my favorite little quirks is her always wanting to help. Like almost EVERY time there is something heavy and I am lifting it either into or out of the car, she asks if she can help and then stands in the way. I say no and expect her to move out of the way….dumb thinking on my part. If she moved out of the way, then she would NOT be doing her part in helping me (perception IS reality). So I struggle with the load and stagger carrying it around her. Gawd, I LOVE that woman!

I’m in with the ‘In Crowd’
I’ve always thought of myself as a cool guy. I was ‘with it, ‘I got it’, ‘ya couldn’t put one past the old Cap’n’. ……ok, I’m also delusional. On the extremely rare occasion I didn’t get it, I would resort to two entirely different courses of action. I might study long and hard until I did indeed get it or I would try to bull**** my way through the situation. The decision, as to which course of action, was predicated on which course involved the least amount of effort to be expended.

Here it comes…I WILL NEVER, EVER, UNDERSTAND WOMEN (and especially THAT woman)! She, on the other hand has ‘got my number’. A wonderful mixture of mind altering (she changes her mind a lot) experiences. In a battle of wits, she wins hands down. I, on the other hand, am witless. Seldom reaching the august status of half-a-wit.

Possessing a fine analytical mind, she is perfectly content to leave it dormant when in my presence or facing a decision. I, on the other hand, have a huge INSECURITY problem and am not ‘muy feliz’ until I have thought out ALL my options. Then developed the first 26 alternative plans (one for each letter of the alphabet). She is perfectly content to live each day as it is and I am a recovering ’type double AA’ control freak. She once said that dwelling too much on the future is not productive (I would think this to be heresy coming from an engineer). However, she then went on and proved it. “See, I’m still alive and very happy! Without all that planning”. She had me on that point.

In summation, especially with this woman, “I don’t get it / her”!

Wonder what year three will bring?

Second thought, maybe I don’t really want to know.

[Tinto]

Happy anniversary Cap'n, may there be many more!

I'm sure I speak for everyone on the board but just wanted to say we appreciate your input, insight and humor on GT.

[Jim]

Jib,

Congratulations. You have obviously chosen wisely and have a great relationship.

"I don't get it /her."

None of us do man. Just enjoy the ride. Trying to understand women is futile.

[GrizGator]

Congrats on the anniversary! I always enjoy reading about your experiences with your wife....and comparing them to mine with my wife!

Griz

[Micky10]

Cn'J -

Great prose, as is usual. You and the Griz are my two hero's on the board. I hope for you and family the best that there is in life. I am not a believer in 'luck', therefore I will not wish you, and yours, what does not exist. Timing and application, you and family have a firm grasp of that. Thank you for your posts, intelligence, charm, wit and most importantly, like the Griz, a 'real' look into the life of a good man, women and child.

Love - Micky

P.S. - In an unrelated post of yours. FEAR, I could not agree with anyone more. I find fear the greatest opponent in the human endeavor.

[rpcv]

Congrats Cap'n Jib!

[LastLion]

I know you dont talk a whole lot about the family, but I remember hearinng about the early days and it is awesome to see the life you have found!!

Felictades!

[SEDONA7]

Congratulations on making it through another year, Cap'n . I love hearing about your adventures in construction, as well as life. Keep it up.

"I don't get it/her". You are not alone . Jim's comment says it all.

[John Wayne]

I rad all of your posts and I am happy for you in the life ya'll have made together.......

Congrats Mr.and Mrs.Griz....

[SingleFather]

JW,

Check your PM..

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