Knowing what you want

When my son was 5, he announced, for no particular reason, “I want, what I want, when I want it.”
Sounds like a Hershberger planning to remodel or arrange plants in the yard.
It took a while to begin remodeling – both my husband and I wanted something different. His designs were complicated, curved and in dark shades. Mine were simple, straight and very light. My husband wanted to keep the paneling. I wanted white walls.
We finally began remodeling after I suggested using half of the paneling as wainscotting. However, once I saw those antique ivory walls, I didn’t want to cover even half of them with paneling. I wanted a border and nor more dark wood. He looked at the border and agreed.
Then we went shopping for floor coverings. I really wanted an expensive wood floor. He kept talking about durable vinyl tile that we could buy very inexpensively. We settled on ceramic tile and parquet.
We have shopped for furniture. My only specification is something in dark blue. My husband wanted the most comfortable furniture in the store and couldn’t find anything in blue. The blue ones that I thought looked great, he said sat like a board. Maybe that’s why we only have one new chair and matching ottoman – we are still negotiating a compromise.
For a couple of weeks, we did have an oversized lounge chair built for folks over 6 feet 3 inches tall, who weigh at least 230 pounds. My daughter at half that size, thought it was great and spread out her books to study in it every night. I liked the color. My husband pronounced it “too big.” After the monster chair left, it was replaced with an old, regular-sized lounge chair that by comparison looks right for a midget. My husband likes that chair. Until we have time and money to buy new furniture he ought to be happy.
We never have had to compromise on the yard. As long as I don’t have to mow it, he can do it a he pleases. For years, my husband talked about putting dry leaf yucca plant on either side of the drive. After he got some, he enviously watched while every other yucca plant in the area bloomed and his didn’t. Last year,both plants finally put out a thin stalk and blossomed. As proud as any new father, he grabbed a camera and took pictures of the identical stalks of bell shaped flowers on either side of the driveway.
Later that day, my daughter and I were heading into town to drop off his film and do some shopping. As she drove out between the towers of fragile flora, she growled, “Why don’t we cut those ugly things down.”
The plants are still there. I can see them from the living room – but I won’t b able to see them if he puts up the room darkening drapes with sheers he wants instead of doing what I want: something simple that eliminate window clutter and lets in lots of light. Hmmm, I guess we’re ready to shop for window treatments. We both know what we want and it’s definitely not the same.