She's too good to me.

Today has been a really good day.  You see, it's my birthday, and Annette can't do enough for me.  She took me to breakfast after buying me dinner last night, bought me a nice cowboy shirt at the tack store, and then braved the cold weather and rain to go on a trail ride with me.  Now she's making a nice turkey soup which we'll have a nice wine with, then fresh apple-mountain berry crumb pie.  A perfect day for an old man.  Breakfast was good.  There's a chain called the "Original Pancake House", and they have old fashion classic waffles which I love.  It's hard to find them anywhere, most places just serve Belgian waffles.  The only two places where I have found them are the Pancake House and Harry's Cafe in La Jolla.

Annette's always been too good to me.  I admit I'm spoiled with her love and her cooking, (after all, that's all a guy wants), but she's always surprising me with her laughter, her wisdom and her compassion.  I would be totally lost without her.  She's the one that got me involved with horses and bought Flash for me.  I'll never forget that day.  It was in the evening and we drove by the barn where she had a horse boarded and where we both took lessons, (dressage lessons for her, horse mounting lessons for me).  As we drove by, we saw a new horse in one of the round pens.  Annette said we should stop and see the new horse and find out who the owner is.  Well, we walked in and there was this beautiful paint with blue eyes looking lost and confused.  Annette said maybe you should put a halter on him and put him in a stall, he might be more at ease.  I said that's a job for the owner, not me.  She said, "you are the owner", now go put your horse away.

Annette's always pulling surprises like that.  A few years ago I was complaining about having to unload my utility trailer full of dirt by hand.  I think I've unloaded that damn trailer by hand over a thousand times, back breaking work with a shovel.  I used to do masonry and concrete work on the side, but when I turned 59 and had to unload that trailer in 30 degree weather at 10 PM so a pool contractor could have the dirt by 6 the next morning, that did it.  I said a few choice words and vowed to buy myself a dump trailer.  Problem was I couldn't really justify it on my retirement salary.

Annette had heard and seen my frustration.  Christmas was just a week away and I put off all thoughts of any type of trailer.  Christmas morning came and we were opening gifts when Annette handed me a small box.  I opened it up and inside was a very small "match box" trailer.  Cruel joke I thought.  Then Annette said, "do you know what that is?"  I said "yes, but is it what I think it is?"  She said "you want a trailer, here's a check, go get a trailer.  Merry Christmas honey".  I bought myself a dump trailer December 26th.  It's the best Christmas gift I've ever had.  Annette's parents were here at the time.  I think they thought their daughter had lost her mind.

The best Christmas gift.

My wife is wonderful.  I can't say enough about how much I love her.  How she tolerates me I don't know.  Maybe it's my easy going demeanor; or maybe my patience and tolerance.  Or maybe it's the compost of all three.  Whatever the reason, I'm one LUCKY man.  I love you darling.