Crem de la Creme

If you know my latest theme (gratitude), and if you've known me a while you knew this was coming sooner or later

Today I'm grateful for ...

Crem - my best friend (and pseudo kid brother)

Crem is one of those kind of friends that everyone needs, and hopefully a lot of us have. One of those people that you can text, email, or call anytime with any issue, large or small. And, like a "true" friend (as opposed to an agreeable pal) he tells it like it is, and not how I want to hear it (which I complain about to no end but I still keep going there so I do know the value).

Some of the things I appreciate (with expanded explanations below)

1) He knows how to, and is willing to fix things.*

2) Of all our friends, he's the only one that drives a pickup truck.**

3) He has power tools.***

4) He'll babysit. For FREE****

5) He'll let me vent, and he'll tell me when I'm off base about it.*****

There are things in this world that go together (chicken broth and noodles) (ice cream and chocolate :} ) (must be lunchtime) and things in this world that seem incompatible. When I look at Crem, and I look at myself, I think "what the"?? Okay - I've gotten over the fact that he was born with an unfortunate chromosomal abnormality (he's got one of those "y" chromosome things -- poor kid), and he's a bit younger but when you hit the "adult" years that's not so important. But then he's single and doesn't have kids. I sometimes think "we have nothing in common."

But then I take a moment and look past all that at the really important things.
A) He can FIX things (unlike Spouse or myself) B) He has a pickup (the only person we know that does) c) He has POWER TOOLS!!! D) He appreciates a well poured Guinness

And when you get there, you just stop looking further.


* It's a fact, I'm really really GOOD at taking things apart. Hand me a screwdriver or two and I'll get anything into pieces. Some of my readers were with me the last time I had lobster -- you know I got all that I needed out of that shell. I'm not, however, the best "putter togetherer" in the world. And Spouse -- while not incompetent he's NO Norm Abrams.

** We all know how important the "friend with the truck" is -- I have told him that I don't just love him for his truck, but the value of the truck was noted the day that, at 10:00 at night, we're sitting grabbing a VERY LATE dinner near an Ikea before driving home in the snow. Yeah - a lot of buds will help you out with deliveries - but late at night - in January - in the snow. And THEN he helps bring the king size mattress in and drag it up the stairs. And then there have been the trips to Ikea followed by the furniture putting together (and then the time he pick up the really cool movable shelves and helped me put them together as a Christmas surprise for Mike).

We've been known to buy him dinner. How much does it cost to rent a pickup truck? How much does it cost to hire a mover?

*** And, in my office I have made to order shelves that fit the exact length of my table and fit very nicely over the milk crates -- I mean file boxes.

**** but only in DIRE straights.

*****Sometimes I vent his way about Spouse, we have some issues (let's face it, like 99% of folks that are in a long term relationship and live in the same house and raise kids together have issues - it goes with the territory). I know that some folks (why is a picture of Dr. Phil popping into my head) might tell you if you have issues with your partner, you should talk to your partner. I vent to Crem, sometimes he reminds me it's not worth it. (Thus saving bad feelings between Spouse and myself). Last summer we had the fun of replacing the roof on our 30something house. We managed to get through all the bits, finding the contractor, picking the type and style of roof we wanted, and even figuring out where the money was coming from (okay - so if his folks continue to live, we have to pay them back, and if something happens to them well, we've already spent part of our inheritance :} ). Finally the day came when we had all these guys crawling all over our house. Spouse says "we" (meaning ME) need to stay home. I'm like "I want the heck out - it's too noisy and they're bonded and insured." But instead of venting this to Spouse, I call Crem (who used to be in roofing). He's like "okay you're right BUT this is only one day -- is it worth arguing about -- pour some lemonade, grab a chair in the yard, and enjoy the view." (yeah yeah -- so some of the roofers weren't hard on the eyes, and as they day got warmer the layers of clothing ...).

Then there's also the issues that he reminds me that I can't ignore, and some things are worth pulling up to the surface and examining, no matter how much simpler it is to stick with the status quo.

Occasionally I buy Crem a cup of coffee ($2). How much does a marriage counselor cost???