August 19 – “The Home Depot Plot”

After my visit with Josh to the Urgent Care Clinic the other day (that would be the visit to treat the catfish stab, not the smashed face), he asked me if I wanted to go with him over to Home Depot.  He said he had an idea for a birthday present for his mother and he wanted to get my take on it.  Now, those of you who know Chris know that wasn’t all that unusual a request.  It didn’t sound strange to me at all, given Chris’ affinity for power tools recently.  For several months all she wanted was a nail gun.  I just figured Josh had been looking at sawzalls or table saws or something. 

But as we approached the door of the Home Depot he made a confession.  This trip wasn’t about Mom at all.  He and his brothers had conspired to get me a new grill, and I was simply here to pick out the one I wanted.  I have to admit I did need a new one.  The old one has seen too many Galveston salt-air nights.  The gas side didn’t even operate any more.  Guess with a fire fighter involved in family cookouts that wasn’t going to pass muster for long.  I am not by any means a connoisseur of outdoor cooking utensils, but Josh had just purchased one, so he had some ideas that helped out a lot.  We found a whole row of the style we wanted all chained together outside.  As the sales guy unlocked the chains Josh inspected each one with a fine tooth comb.  Virtually every one of them already had at least a small spot of rust on them.  Welcome to Galveston.  Josh asked if the floor model inside was any better.  The sales guy chuckled and remarked, “We rotate them all inside, so it has had its turn out here, too.”  Of course you do.  We finally selected the one with the tiniest rust spot and two of the workers loaded it into Josh’s minivan.  Of course that was quite an ordeal as well.  They had to take it apart so it would fit.  We made it home in plenty of time for the hamburger cookout that night.  In fact we kind of surprised Chris with it, too.  We quietly rolled it into the back yard and then came in the front door.  About that time Chris said she was on her way to the garage to get the George Forman grill to begin making the hamburgers.  In my best attempt to sound sad, I told her, “Don’t bother.”  Of course she wanted to know what was wrong.  With a sigh, I replied, “Just come look.”  Surprise worked.  She didn’t bruise me too badly.

Oh, and they did together for a present for Chris, although it wasn’t from Home Depot after all.  They presented her with some seed money to go toward the purchase of a display cabinet for her Precious Moments figurines.  Very smart move on their part, by the way.  This way she can pick out the one she wants.  I’m excited because she has been looking for one literally since Hurricane Ike.  That was in 2008.  She has never felt comfortable when she compared the prices involved to our own budget.  Now maybe she’ll go ahead and pull the trigger on a purchase. 

Psalms 13:6 says, “I will sing to the Lord, for he has been good to me.”

Father, thank you for the creativity you placed in our kids.  Sure makes opening birthday presents fun.  Amen.