Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Hank Meets 'Snapper'

After reading my sister's ever-so-cute blog, I decided that I needed to do more blog writing. Only I may be setting myself up for failure as far as content and ability goes: no cute or funny kid stories, no thought-provoking messages. Just Hank and me living in our recently purchased home with our recently given Boxer, Halifax.

We just moved into our South Arlington home this past weekend. It shouldn't be a surprise that we are 98% unpacked and settled. It shouldn't be a surprise because I live with Hank. But it is a surprise because he lives with me, a procrastinator at turtle speed. Even my high school volleyball coach/English teacher nicknamed me 'Snapper.' Due to my speed or my personality, neither should be taken as a compliment.

Hank got another taste of the latter trait to 'Snapper.' Curtains are to blame. Our living room, dining room, and kitchen include huge windows that overlook the backyard/pool area. After the discussion of asking a friend to make our curtains, plans suddenly changed when Hank could clearly see into our neighbor's homes due their lack of any window privacy. This, apparently, could not be us. So at 9 p.m. on Saturday night, we went to Wal-mart in search of curtains, curtain rods, and a drill. Besides the fact that I had already been to Wal-mart less than 10 hours earlier and spent a lump sum, I was not thrilled with this plan.

But we went. And we bought. And we almost fought. Almost thanks to Hank. He's above fighting and I love him for it. Here's the meat of the conversation.

Hank: "Let's send a message and have these curtains in the living room and these in the dining room." (Let me explain our floor plan and what Hank is holding. There is no separating wall between our living room and dining room. We agreed that colors should match... Both curtains had cranberry and tan colors. Both curtains were striped. Neither curtain pattern matched the other. I had a problem with this, and 'Snapper' took action.)

Me: "Hank, these patterns don't even match. People will think we tried to get the same curtains but couldn't find them so we got the next closest thing. Let's do the dining room striped in this pattern and the living room solid in this cranberry color."

Hank: "What happened to the old Denise that was easy going and trusted my decisions?"

Me: "She's dead." (Just kidding, I didn't say that, but the following instead.) "This is our house, hopefully for a very long time. This matters." (So what I really said may not have been the better of the two...)

Hank: "You decide. I'll be in McDonald's. I still say stripes in both rooms, but you decide." Then he gives me some cash, does a snapping-finger-point-move, sarcastically says, "Love ya," and disappears to the next aisle.

So I'm left to contemplate: get what he wants or what I think is practical. After too much diliberation, Snapper wins. Living room has striped curtains (Hank's first pick, not mine) and solid cranberry in the dining room. A compromise, right?

Only in the eyes of Snapper. Love you Hank.

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