Life is rosy

Awww, Paul sent me roses at work! (see the photo of my cubicle in this post - roses are in the corner, right by my lunchtime book, plus pictures of my family and tickets from favorite events)

I like impromptu flowers much more than the ones I’ve gotten on “expected” flower days, like Valentine’s Day and anniversaries.

He sent me two red roses and one yellow. I was so impressed that he remembered that we had yellow roses in our wedding. Um wrong. When I texted him to thank him, he wrote back, “Did you like the Cyclone colors?” Iowa State’s colors are cardinal and gold.

Oh well. I suppose after 26 years of marriage, I should quit expecting him to a romantic. I’m not all that romantic myself. I wish I was more so. I’m just so damn practical – it can be a curse. I suppose it’s due to my English heritage – stiff upper lip (if I had any) and all that.

And I’m a tough person to buy gifts for because I don’t like to keep things I won’t use. I’ll never forget the kids’ disappointment when I took the watch back that they (and Paul) got me for my birthday one year when they were small. Thinking back, I should have just kept it and made a big deal out of it. But hey, it was just like one I already had.

And Paul will never let me forget the stick pin he got me for Christmas when we were newlyweds. But my God, stickpins were OUT by then. I couldn’t go around wearing a passé stickpin, now could I? I’ve learned to be very specific with gift ideas, so I there are no unpleasant surprises.

Yep, I'm a lucky girl! I heard this line in a book I listened to last week (Robert Tannebaum's Rage), and I think it applies to my situation in marriage as well. One of the main characters - Marlene Ciampi - she of one eye, big dogs, guns and oh the lust said it: "In my last life I must have been Mother Theresa"...to deserve a such a great husband (something to that effect). Of course her husband, Manhattan DA Butch Karp had just given her a private escape all decked out in cool furniture in the building across from their loft. It was a place for her to paint and get away from the family.

Anyways...I’m determined to think of something spontaneous and romantic to surprise Paul back soon. To pay him back for the beautiful Cyclone colored roses.