The Pink Chair

It is quite amazing how you can actually live with someone for almost 25 years and they still surprise you. In my first blog I somewhat introduced you to my husband, aka "certified genius". This is the name our 21-year-old daughter gave him while raving to her friends about the full house remodel with 1400 square foot addition he constructed. This addition came complete with a new balcony off her bedroom, the perfect place to daydream or cram for finals. It also included a huge backyard entertainment area with outdoor fire place (perfect for about 20 girls to make smores), built in grill, cobblestone pavers, lots of lush grass and flowers, plus a fountain. Hence, after showing these new additions to friend after friend, led her to explain her dad is a "certified genius". Not one of them disagreed.

This is the same man who, for a group of college girls celebrating Halloween by carving pumpkins, will whip out the skill saw and the drimmel tools when knives and other implements prove too time consuming. Who wants to spend all night creating a master piece when you can have it done in a matter of minutes with minimal mess? Of course, by minimal I mean the pumpkin mess is only on the outside of the house, not the inside.

Now we are talking about one of the most macho guys on the planet. He is 6'2" and about 210. I've been married to him almost 25 years and never seen him without a beard, or at least sideburns and goatee. He owns his own trucking business for heavens sake. This is also the same man who on any given Thursday can be found crashed on the couch with "Daughter" (as he calls her) watching The Vampire Diaries. For graduation, her friend purchased Daughter the third season of The O.C. I am not sure who was more excited- Daughter or Certified Genius. And while Daughter and Certified Genius spend their nights camped out in the man cave with the big screen TV, guess who is regulated to the 27" TV in the bedroom to watch Forensic Files? Why me of course. Although I can't complain, Certified Genius installed surround sound in my master bedroom.

Anyway, as I said he does surprise me at times. A year or so ago, Daughter and I were at a antique flea market. Something Certified Genius is not into. Lucky for me, Daughter is. It was around noon and getting very, very hot. We live in the desert southwest for heaven's sake, well more specifically Phoenix. So what do I spot in one of the last stalls? The most amazing pink chair I have ever laid eyes on. I must have it, plus the teal green wing chair. And lucky for me, the nice couple running the booth give me a deal for the both of them. Only one problem- the flea market is getting ready to shut down and I am driving a Honda Civic. Lucky for me again, they live on the same side of town and will drop it off for me. I told you they were a nice couple. Flash forward, we get home from dinner out with the in laws, and what is sitting on the front patio by the door? "What the H#!!," exclaims Certified Genius. "They're new chairs," I reply. "New? Are you kidding me?" he asked.

The chairs did make it in the house (along with me). The teal wing back sits proudly in a corner of the man cave. Certified Genius uses it often when watching The O.C. But the surprising thing is guess the favorite sitting place in the whole huge house for Certified Genius? Why the pink chair of course, complete with tattered cushion cover and hole in the front. Oh well, what the H#!!?