As Good as it gets
In the movie, As good as it gets, Jack Nicholson's character, Melvin Udyll, is an obnoxious obsessive compulsive man who has fallen in love with his waitress Carol, played by Helen Hunt. At one point, Melvin is trying to give Carol compliment. He tells her a long rambling story about how he hates to take his medication but he has decided to take it. She points out that in general, a compliment has something to do with the person being complimented. And he says something to the effect of oh, it's all about you. I am taking my medication because you make me want to be a better man.
I was working on a deer fence for the new garden in the backfield this morning. The corner posts for this fence are of absurd proportions, 18" diameter posts, 9" diameter cross members and horizontals. They are that big because I wanted to use wood I could cut on my land but I don't have any cedar. So I am going with over sized posts to makeup for lack of rot resistance. While I was notching these over sized members I thought about how a couple of years ago I never would have managed to tackle a project of this size and scope. Before about four years ago, I was too wrapped up my hardcore whitewater paddling career and riding around on my motorcycle to take on something like this. To prove it, for nearly ten years, I had a kitchen that I had torn apart but never gotten operational again. When I bought this house, I had two kitchens and I thought that summer I would renovate the one in the Elle. I disconnected the plumbing. I took the cabinets off the walls. Then the project sat idle for nearly ten years while I was busy doing other things. I did about the same thing with the bathroom in the Elle, tearing it down to the studs and the floor joists then getting distracted for years.
Working on that corner post this morning, I realized that my wife has been a significant motivator in my taking on these big projects and pushing them to a point of functionality even if not complete. When my wife moved and our son was born, I re-tackled the kitchen and bathroom projects. This spring, we began converting a half acre of brush filled pasture into a giant garden. Around that garden I am building a eight foot high deer fence. I doubt I would have tackled any of these things while I was pursuing the perfect wave.
My wife makes me want to be a better man.
Happy Mother's day, Smoochie.
I was working on a deer fence for the new garden in the backfield this morning. The corner posts for this fence are of absurd proportions, 18" diameter posts, 9" diameter cross members and horizontals. They are that big because I wanted to use wood I could cut on my land but I don't have any cedar. So I am going with over sized posts to makeup for lack of rot resistance. While I was notching these over sized members I thought about how a couple of years ago I never would have managed to tackle a project of this size and scope. Before about four years ago, I was too wrapped up my hardcore whitewater paddling career and riding around on my motorcycle to take on something like this. To prove it, for nearly ten years, I had a kitchen that I had torn apart but never gotten operational again. When I bought this house, I had two kitchens and I thought that summer I would renovate the one in the Elle. I disconnected the plumbing. I took the cabinets off the walls. Then the project sat idle for nearly ten years while I was busy doing other things. I did about the same thing with the bathroom in the Elle, tearing it down to the studs and the floor joists then getting distracted for years.
Working on that corner post this morning, I realized that my wife has been a significant motivator in my taking on these big projects and pushing them to a point of functionality even if not complete. When my wife moved and our son was born, I re-tackled the kitchen and bathroom projects. This spring, we began converting a half acre of brush filled pasture into a giant garden. Around that garden I am building a eight foot high deer fence. I doubt I would have tackled any of these things while I was pursuing the perfect wave.
My wife makes me want to be a better man.
Happy Mother's day, Smoochie.
posted by MMP at
9:46 AM
2 Comments:
YOU are full of surprises! Thank you for your lovely thoughts. I take the compliment with no hitches or add-ons. I hope I can do as much for you as you do for me. You are a wonderful husband, even before the self-sacrifice...back when you were the true lone wolf, in the time before, when you were a quiet, unearthed intention of the man you are today.
Much love.
Smoochie
By
Anonymous, at 5:27 PM
I think that more may have changed then your willingness to tackle and pursue big projects. In the twenty years I've known you (I know it's hard to believe it's been that long,) I would definitely have put "reserved" in the top ten words I would use to describe you. Holding your cards close to your chest was just the way you seemed to operate. If someone had told me ten years ago that you would write this wonderful piece and then post it on the web for all to see, I would have said "I bet it's in his heart, but I doubt anyone will see it in print." Isn't it great to be wrong sometimes?
You guys have created a warm home and loving family. I'm so glad to know you both.
-Holly
By
Holly, at 6:58 PM
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