Old Age Day by Day September 25m 2012

My husband returned from the cabin with quite a cold and cough.  He had to miss his chorus rehearsal and be satisfied with watching Antique Road Show.  He is a paradox in that way.  He loves the show, but won't actually ever stop at a garage sale or look at antiques or consignment shops.  He did go to two shops when we were searching for a sofa, but I could see the cost.  He is not a shopper, and his anxiety kicks in big time.  He hovers over my shoulder like a vulture.  The fear that I will buy something is palpable.  This, as you can imagine, is not relaxing for me, and I prefer to shop with friends or even enemies, rather than my spouse.  But it means a double hurdle if I see something that enchants me:  it has to pass my test of price etc then what would my husband think?  I try to consider him, but mostly I cross the first hurdle to the finish line and take home the prize.  Luckily, he likes what I buy, and even luckier, I am frugal, but the other day I came home with a small oil painting, very cheap, a still life in a dusty old golden frame, and it now is hung above the little coal fireplace in our bedroom.  It was $100, and a bargain, and looks charming.  But we could have had some fun picking it out together, but that would be in an alternate universe, I guess.  So he calls me in to see treasures on the Road Show, but I am the one to have the actual joy in finding something in real life.  Strange!