How The Death of My Treadmill Reminded Me Love Is In The House
I have this treadmill. Rather, I had this treadmill. I used it for years. It’s not like I have been training for a marathon or anything. I just like to walk on it at a nice clip for 30 minutes a day. You know, to shake my groove thing.
Three weeks ago, my treadmill broke. Or part of it did. The speed keys stopped working which meant I had two options:
- I could walk at .5 mph. One-half mile per hour should not even qualify as a speed. It’s like moving in slow motion.
- I could use one of the custom programs, which vacillated between too slow and too fast and too much elevation.
It took a while to figure out if it was worth trying to save my 7-year old treadmill, but when I learned a new motherboard was going to cost over $500, Hubby and I found ourselves shopping around.
{Because he knows I need to move my badinkadonk for 30 minutes a day.}
Last Sunday, while I napped on the couch, Hubby called for backup. He needed help carrying the heavy 55″ platform downstairs, but then my man hung out in the basement – alone — putting the whole mess together.
It took him hours.
There was absolutely nothing in it for him.
And he’ll never use it.
It’s all for me.
Does that not scream of selfless love?
This week, Piper Bayard wrote The Happy Man Manual in an effort to offer tips to befuddled women everywhere about how we can keep it simple when it comes to pleasing our men. Piper asserts:
Men come with a three sentence Happy Man Manual: 1) Feed me; 2) Feed my ego; 3) Feed my libido. If a woman does at least two of those three things, she’s made him happy. Three, and bliss ensues.
So here is what I did:
1) I fed my man’s ego. I told Hubby how awesome he is for putting together the new treadmill. Even if the old one is lying like a heap of trash at the foot of the basement stairs. Whatever.
2) I fed my man. I made an awesome meal last night because everyone knows that restaurants jack up their prices 20 gazillion percent on Valentine’s Day. Plus, it’s a school night. So we’re not doing that.
Hubby LOVES these gross Kosher for Passover fruit slices. a few days ago, I happened to be in the grocery store where the good folks at Wegmans were starting to fill the aisles with all things Pesach. And there they were. I bought him a package and hid the box.
Last night, I brought out the box.
Paydirt.
What? Oh, you want to know about the libido thing. Can I just say Hubby and I are going on an adventure on Friday and leave it at that?
Currently, we’re hovering somewhere between happy and bliss.
And you know who else is happy?
Marcia from Finding Felicity (@FindMyFelicity). She won the gnome salt & pepper shakers in my impromptu Getting To Gnome You: Valentine’s Day Giveaway. I loved reading everyone’s entries and I had a great time finding You Tube videos for y’all.
Gifts notwithstanding, what have you done recently to show someone you love them? Because isn’t that what it’s about?
tweet me @rasjacobson
I mailed cards! It’s a SUPER easy way to show someone you love them … and the bonus is, you don’t even have to be in a good mood when you send them … it will almost ALWAYS put the recipient in a good mood when they receive!
Oh Naomi! Cards are truly the BEST! And almost no one does them anymore so they are super special. Happy day to you, my sweet friend.
Happy Valentine’s Day! And look at that thing, wow – I think that treadmill could do the walking for you, it’s so fancy.
Can I tell you, this was the no bells and whistles model! I was like: Can I have one that just has buttons to go fast and buttons to go slow? ANd they were all: But you can have fans and this one has iPod adaptability. And this one has a bidet! Okay, maybe there wasn’t really any iPod adaptability. 😉
I am so very jealous of your new treadmill! I asked hubby for a treadmill a couple of years ago for Christmas. I got an elliptical instead. I know I should be grateful but I just HATE that thing! It is too hard on my knees so much so that I ended up at the ortho doc! He says it’s not a natural walking gait and I should stick to walking a TREADMILL or outdoors!! *SIGH*
Oh! And I totally agree with the gross fruit slices! Billy likes those too! Blech!
My friend Michael is trying to sell his elliptical. He says it’s the most expensive clothes hanger in the whole world. My treadmill is so awesome. I can watch TV or chat on the phone or really walk hard. Can you believe he put that together? And he didn’t even know he was getting those {gross} fruit slices or anything. Does Billy like the kosher ones? Mark says they are the best. YUCK! 😉
I agree with you! YUCK! But Billy does like the kosher slices the best so I guess there are at least 2 people in this world that eat them!! 🙂 Billy uses the elliptical almost every day so mine is not a clothes hanger. Still I would rather have a treadmill. :/
My husband is a good egg. He is always doing things to show me he loves me and will put up with my crap (which shows TRUE love, let me tell you!). Every Wednesday night, when he’s not travelling, he makes dinner, gives baths and puts the boys to bed so that I can shake my groove thing at Zumba. Last night I was still feeling a bit under the weather from a cold I got earlier this week, so instead of Zumba, I just vegged in front of the TV in my room, while he did all the super dad things, even though I was right there in the house to help if he wanted. But he just let me be. That is love. Giving me a night off when I need it and not asking for anything in return. He’s a sweetie!
Misty! I was going to include what you wrote on my Facebook page here today, but since it was on the private page, I figure I either needed to ask permission or I needed to back out names. Your husband sounds wonderful. And I’m so glad that he knows how to show love everyday of the year — not just on Valentine’s Day. I believe you should keep him. 😉
It’s the little things that do it alright. We men can be so easily lead. 🙂
Happy Valentines Day Renee! Enjoy the time out with hubby.
Hi Nelson! I have come to realize that my husband gives by these acts of love. And you know what? It works for me! I just have to keep feeding him! Happy Valentine’s Day to you and your wife. Something tells me that she is one lucky lady.
Ah thanks. *blush* I’m pretty lucky too. Not many women would have the fortitude to live with me this long. 🙂
I’m grinning here. (And I’m with you on the gross fruit slices… urgh, reminds me of my childhood!)
But – what’s in it for him if he mends your treadmill for you? Isn’t that obvious? He’ll make a fit mamma even fitter (fit=hot). 😉
Hi Val! I suppose that is true. But more likely he doesn’t have to hear me whine every two minutes about how I neeeeeeeed to get on my treadmill. Because I neeeeeeeed to move around. Because it’s soooooooooo cold outside. So I neeeeeeeed a new treadmill. Likely, he saved himself a lot of that. He’s not stupid. {Except for maybe his choice in sweets.} 😉
When I bought my treadmill from Sears many years ago, they delivered and assembled it for me for free, so sorry Hubby had to go to that trouble. The closest we ever got to an unhappy marriage was when we carried a refrigerator down into the basement. Didn’t know at that time that I was newly pregnant. It was decided then and there that carrying heavy items on stairs was no longer something we would do together. Happy ever since. Good news… the Friday adventure includes a bottle of Champagne and chocolate covered strawberries.
Wendra! Do we have dinner reservations? And you know Hubby. He likes to put things together. He felt the need to do this with our gas grill (the first one). I thought we might divorce over that one. Can’t wait to see you guys on Friday, Friday. Woot woot! 🙂
Way to care for your husband!
I aim to please. I wonder which feeding he likes best. 😉
Putting together that treadmill really DOES scream love. It’s like that song from My Fair Lady…[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8zyF0ZOy3k?rel=0&w=560&h=315%5D
Right? He’s a good man. I believe I will keep him. (At least for another 7 years. You know, until it’s time to get the next treadmill. LOL.) Enjoy the day, Peggy.
That’s very sweet. You know what I love? A box of those conversation hearts. Nothing to do with the actual words they say, I just love those things, chalky taste and all. I love NECCO wafers too and everyone thinks I’m nuts. Sure probably some truth to that!
I LOVE Necco Wafers. No one likes them! I think they are the best. I would totally share a roll with you, Cowboy. You can have all the chocolate ones if I can have your pinks. Hope someone gave you some today. IYKWIM.
I like the chocolate ones and the licorice ones too.
Wait, I love licorice. Nobody said anything about sharing licorice. 😉
Treadmill maintenance is husband of the year material to me. But to put one together? Swooning … Great post. I appreciate knowing I’m hitting two out of three in the keep husband happy department and no I’m not spilling which ones (but I better stop writing and start cooking!). And you, hot mama, keep the rest of us on our toes!! Happy V Day!
Cooking? How, exactly? In which room? 😉 We will have to catch up after Valentine’s Day for a full report. On cooking. And other hot stuff.
I love that story, Renee! I’d be mad for my man over that too!
I’m down hard with adult croup (which I didn’t even know we could get) and my honey brought me GF Chicken soup and chopped liver from the Jewish deli for lunch today. So, he’s at the top of my list too. 🙂
Adult croup? Seriously? This is like YOUR holiday. Don’t you have special undies for your man? I hope the GF chicken noodle makes you stop barking like a seal. Feel better soon!
Ahhhhhhhhh,Renee,
you guys were sooo meant to be together. Sweet Love.
I must say, I love feeding my man, too. This is one of my favorite things to do.
Xxx kiss
And exactly HOW do you like to feed your man? In which room of the house? Wearing what? How naked are you? I’ll bet you are a romance ninja. Hope you enjoy the day (and the night), Kimmers! ????
I think that the fact that he put so much love and sweat into putting that treadmill together tells me what a catch you have. Hey if you’re going to go on an adventure on Friday – bring those fruit slices. They are like an aphrodisiac!
Oh yes. Love and sweat. To be completely honest, it’s a good thing I didn’t try to help with the treadmill thing. My dude is an alpha make; when we try to do stuff like this together? It never ends well. I don’t think those fruit slices are going to make it through the night. Enjoy your VD. LOL.
LOL. Sounds like you’ve got all the bases covered. Thanks so much for the blog love. Enjoy your Friday adventure. 🙂
Thanks for the inspiration! Sorry about the confusion between your hubby and Holmes. 😉 How cool to have a writing partner in crime!
No worries. It’s a common misperception, and completely inoffensive. 🙂
Three Cheers for your wonderful hubby.
I work from home and I desperately want a trek desk…. maybe someday
What is a trek desk? What am I missing?
It is a desk that fits over a treadmill… allowing you to walk at a slow pace whilst working…. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Pyu6Np3V1eI#!
Omigoodness! That is so cool! I wonder if I could type while on that thing. That is awesome. Could definitely talk on the phone! Love it, but expensive, yes. That is definitely a luxury item. 😉
That’s true love … totally … are you sure he didn’t have an inkling about those fruit slices? (I agree with your YUK comment, btw.)
Enjoy your adventure this evening!
I’m positive he didn’t know about those fruit things. No way. They were just putting them out! But I was happy to deliver. Simple pleasures for my dude. I believe I will keep him. 😉
Nothing in it for him? How about a svelte and healthy wife? I’d say that was something.
Thanks, David. I suppose that IS one way to look at it. But I think it was more an attempt to avoid a potentially nagging wife. 😉
That’s a great story. It goes to show what an amazing catch you are. I don’t know if I could get my husband to put together a treadmill. His office chair has been sitting the box for six months now. Hehehe. I did feed my hubster for Valentine’s day. I gave him a card that told him I noticed all the awesome things he did and I took him to his favorite movie. We’re in a great place these days.
Debra: Hubby loves to put things together. The question is how long will that old, broken treadmill be at the base of the steps. Sigh. I might have to wait until spring for the snow to melt before that disappears, too. Glad to hear you and your hubster are in a good place. I think we’ve hit our sweet spot, too. Even without the fruit slices. 😉
Those 3 things really are the keys. They are like magical relationship boosters. 🙂 And you had me laughing at the candy. They really are gross. When my kids were younger, they were the favorite Passover candy. Now they wouldn’t touch them (matzo smores are the thing now).
Matzo s’mores are sooooo yummy! Hubby still digs the old school stuff. I like those candies that come in a tin that are chewy and have a nut in them — they cost 9 zillion dollars for like 6. They remind me of my grandparents’ house in the Catskills. It’s not Passover without them. Maybe we should try to share some Passover recipes? Do you have some yummies to share? I have a rice noodle, gluten-free kugel. So delicious!