Valentine's Thursday Thirteen

Since Valentine's Day is coming up, I thought it appropriate to offer up 13 wonderful things about my husband. He is wonderful man and I am very lucky to have him. We will be celebrating 28 years of marriage this year. I can still remember our first Valentine's together. I had mono and it was his first day on the job with the fire department. Even though I told him to stay away because I didn't want to give him what I had, he came over and brought me a bouquet of artificial flowers (because I have allergies). As he came to the front door, flowers in hand, the whistle in Fincastle, which called volunteer firemen to emergencies, sounded loud and strong (you could hear it from my parents' house if you were outside on a clear day). He thrust the flowers at me, gave me a kiss, and went off to fight the fire.

He came back a little later.

This is what he looked like when he was a toddler!

This is what he looks like in his dress blues as a Battalion Chief with the city Fire Department.

And here are 13 great things about him (though there are many, many more).

1. He is a kind man. My husband can be very tender and loving, a rare quality in this day age when meanness seems to be rampant.

2. He is a hard worker. He gets up at 5 a.m. and leaves the house by 6:30 a.m. almost every morning. He then either goes to the fire department to work or he works on the farm or he goes out to do work with the backhoe.

3. It doesn't matter what I do so long as I am happy doing it. He doesn't try to micromanage my life.

4. He loves his family and is very considerate of his mother, sister, nephews, aunts, cousins, etc.

5. Accompanying me to lectures, poetry readings, or other cultural events is not something he minds doing. All I have to do is ask.

6. He doesn't snore (too much).  He sleeps better than anyone I know, actually. I wish I slept like that.

7. He is fanatical about keeping the car clean.

8. He cheers me on when I am working on projects.

9. Sometimes he will put a load of clothes in the washing machine. Every now and then he volunteers to fix dinner (particularly if I'm sick).

10. Mowing the lawn and keeping the exterior of the home looking good is important to him, and he does a fine job of it.

11. He never forgets a birthday, anniversary, or other holiday.

12. He loves living on the farm and being a farmer. He is happiest when he is working with the cows, cutting hay, or down at the barn.

13. He loves me and only me. And I love him and only him. It's a mutual exchange.



Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here.  I've been playing for a while and this is my 177th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.