Bigger Is Better

" Coming together is a beginning.

Keeping together is progress.

Working together is success."
Henry Ford

I don't think I am telling tales when I tell the you that my Sweetie's life motto is along the lines of "Bigger is Better" or something similar "More is Better".


Take for instance vegetable shopping. When I go to the store I will usually by a relatively small bunch of bananas so they can be eaten before they turn black. I buy a couple squash, or a few tomatoes. Sweetie on the other hand likes to go to the Farmer's Market and buy baskets full of cukes, peppers, squash, tomatoes and beans. He does save some money, but when he gets home there is little or no room in the fridge for it all.
[Photo: Carrots anyone? See Note]


For Sweetie, bigger is always better when it comes to hotdogs. Personally I like a good Ball Park frank that plumps when you cook it. Sweetie goes for these jumbo dogs that are already plump enough to make my sister and I laugh just looking at them. Big ol' weiners or little breakfast sausages can make grown women giggle like school girls.

Sweetie's "Big/More" theory is not just about food. He doesn't sleep with one pillow like me - he uses four. When he goes to the library he doesn't pick up one book, he goes armed with with a list of every book his author du jour has written, then picks them up and reads them in order. I must admit here that I often buy more than one book at a time when shopping on line, but only because I can get free shipping!


I discovered yet another difference between Sweetie and I today. He uses man-sized tools, I manage almost as well with my petite pink handled putter - togetherers.

We've had a bit of a backyard shed issue going on. The old one that Dad put up close to 25 years ago finally rusted through. Over dinner and a few Sat. afternoons the men discussed the pros, cons, and in-betweens of a) getting a new shed b) what kind of shed (metal vs wood) c) what size (bigger, of course, will hold more but take up more space than is currently allotted for a shed) and d) where would they get the best price. My God, you'd think they were buying a new purse! Finally they came to a joint decision, Sweetie ordered a shed identical to the old one and in two weeks sit was delivered to our doorstep.

That was in August. Since then Sweetie, his son and the house engineer discussed platforms and made plans, that for one reason or another, never materialized. I cussed every time I almost tripped over the box in the garage. Yet, I was impressed with the way Sweetie could ignore both the box and my bellyaching!

To make a long story short, Sweetie's son built the platform last weekend. I'm not usually tuned into these sorts of things - one plywood base looks like another, doesn't it? Well, apparently not. Aaron built something that we could put the Taj Mahal of aluminum sheds on and be proud to invite tourists in to see it.

Today was the first day of the Great Shed Raising. Unlike the Amish who build their outdoor structures in community, Sweetie had to make do with me. I was a little concerned that this project could be the unraveling of our relationship. Our different styles (I throw the directions away, he reads them once for information and twice for clarity) could very possibly inhibit shed production and lead to harsh words, name calling and I told you sos. [Photo: Take a look at this instruction booklet. The pictures are in Greek but at least it's written in English.]


However, I'm pleased to tell you that Phase One actually went pretty well. I got a lesson in "torque" which can be applied to automobile, airplanes and screwdrivers. Discussion of screwdrivers led to a little bit of bedroom talk which is always fun. As we warmed up, we developed a kind of groove. Either I'd hold the screw and he'd apply "torque" or I'd offer the needed bolt and its matching washer and nut like an OR nurse, or I'd do it myself. On more than one occasion I offered a suggestion and my big, blue-eyed Sweetie would look at me and say, "what would I do without you?" But he didn't say anything when I stepped on and bent a few neatly aligned and number pieces on the garage floor, not once by more than twice.

All in all I think it was a very productive day. We've still got Phase II to get through. The directions clearly state that this must only be started if there is enough time to finish. Perhaps tomorrow we'll lay aside the commandment to rest and proceed on. It will be nice to have the shed erected and all the gardening and paint supplies out of sight again.

The people who live down the street and around the corner have had professionals building in their back yard. I've watched as both a huge double-car garage and smaller mother-in-law apartment have gone up a little bit each day. Once Sweetie and I get this shed built I'm thinking we can start on a cute little Merry ME cabin to hide out in. A place where I can leave fabric all around like confetti after a birthday party when I sew, and hang my pink tools!

When it comes to spending time with your boyfriend, husband, significant other, or guy pal on a cool autumn afternoon I've got to agree more IS better.

Merry ME

Note:Sweetie did not really buy all these carrots. I couldn't find the picture I took of all the produce he brought home from the Farmers Market so I used the carrot picture which I took at the Restaurant Supply House. I'd never seen so many carrots in one place in my life. When shopping Sweetie does go all out, but not insane.