Getting Benched

First of many.

Husby likes to build things.

And he’s good at it.

Tables, birdcages, pirate ships, houses.

He’s done them all.

And more.

I didn't realize, when I married him, that I was getting this added bonus.

But I’m very grateful for it.

Let me tell you about his first project . . .

He had bought me a vacuum.

A nice, new vacuum.

Which, because I’m a neat freak, I kept in its cardboard box.

Don’t ask.

Said box soon became . . . tattered.

Husby decided he would do something about it.

And take care of that year’s Christmas present at the same time.

He’s efficient like that.

Moving on . . .

We were spending the holiday with my parents.

Husby squirreled himself away in my father’s shop for several evenings working on my ‘top secret’ gift.

I knew only that a couple of sheets of ¾ inch mahogany plywood had gone into the shop with him.

And a  paper bag or two of stuff.

There was much sawing and pounding and assorted other creative sounds.

Then . . . Christmas morning.

The living room of my parent’s home had been transformed.

I took our (then) two sons into the room, sat down, put the baby on the floor and exclaimed with my two-year-old about the amazing sight of tree, lights and presents.

Gifts began to be distributed.

I helped both boys with the glorious task of unwrapping.

We were bent over, admiring the tractor Oldest Son had just received.

When I realized that I was sitting on something I had never seen before.

A beautiful, leather-topped bench. Carefully crafted and meticulously decorated.

“Oh,” I said. Okay, clever/original/observant, I’m not. I got to my feet and looked down at the piece of furniture I had been perched happily on for the past fifteen minutes. “Oh!” I said again.

I looked over at Husby, who was grinning widely. “Umm, Merry Christmas!” he said.

“Oh!” I said a third time.

Yeah. I’m pretty much hopeless.

But in my defense . . . okay, I have no defense.

It was/is a beautiful gift.

The first of many.

This is its 35^th Christmas.

It’s battered and well-used.

Has gone from storing my vacuum to storing assorted children's toys.

Presently, it is the repository for all foam pirate swords.

Ahem . . .

And is still very much appreciated.