a really insanely touching thing that Dan said, and my new official rule on self-portraits

So last night, Dan and I are sitting at the kitchen table, eating a substantive serving of whole wheat capellini, tomato sauce and Byerly's label freshly grated parmesan, and I was telling him in a very the-world-and-Weight-Watchers-has-beaten-me-down tone of voice that sure, I was eating healthier, and yeah, my snacks were things like almonds and dried fruit, and that okay, I was walking almost every day, and so on and so forth, but that I still missed being a skinny smoker, and I would never deny that.

Trying not to sound ridiculously melodramatic, however, I weakly pointed out that I was not, in fact, a smoker anymore, and that I was still fairly proud of that, whoop de frickin' do.

Now you know guys. You know how sometimes, they just aren't sure what to say or do when they sense their partner is trapped in the suckage of a pity whirlpool. So what do they do? Usually, they start hitting the facts. The numbers. Pointing out the non-emotion related things that are supposed to make you feel good, instead of just saying, "OH, honey. I KNOW!"

Now first, a little back story before I continue: Dan is convinced he will outlive me. And rarely, if ever, do I challenge him on this fact. His grandmother is 96. Her sister lived to be older than that, and her other sister is still alive. He has longevity in his genes. We often imagine him moving to a loft in downtown St. Paul, living the hipster lifestyle as only an 80-plus year old man can, and very likely, having an endless stream of hot 70-year-old chicks at his disposal.

I mean, afterall... he IS really charming.

So there I am, in my melancholic stupor, and Dan is pointing out that YES, eating almonds and dried fruit is WAY better than potato chips, or loaves of french bread, and that the walking is doing wonders for my ass, and that the not smoking thing is absolutely HUGE as far as my health and longevity go.

And then, sweetly, with glistening eyes, he says: I only want to outlive you by one day.

Gulp.

God, I have no idea why or how, but this man really seems to like me.

And with that out of the way, I would like to present my new official rule on self-portraits:

they MUST include a toilet.

Have a great weekend.

Love,
Cathy

Comments

[Katy]

gulp.
you caught the one for you, that's for sure.

[tryshia]

Oh...my...gosh!

"I only want to outlive you by one day"

HEELLLOOOO...that is the sweetest thing i have ever heard!! wow Dan sounds like a really special guy if you ask me. You are a lucky lady.

and yes, all selfies should include a toilet. oh my... that was a good laugh for a Friday!

have an awesome weekend : )

Trysh,

Ottawa, Canada

[Jaana]

Ok, so that brought me to tears, which I explained to my co-worker as "allergies". What a beautiful thing to say. Lucky woman!

[michelle]

dude...that's like the best flippin comment ever!!

[Jane]

aaaahhhhhhh....that is the sweetest thing. Why can't my husband say things like that! He will pay for this one!

heehee
Jane

[Tamara]

LOL!!! Cathy I just can't get enough of your blog. I love the honesty that is in your posts and I love that you share so much with us. Dan is a great guy, what a sweet thing to say. He was definitely meant to be with you! The self portrait will keep me giggling all weekend. Have a good one!

[annie]

That was the cutest story ever!!

[Meghan E]

Sometimes guys do find JUST the right thing to say :)

[Jaime Benavides]

They never cease to amaze... What a great hubby you have!

Jaime Benavides
www.scrapcrazydiva.blogspot.com

[Randi]

loved the husband comment and peed myself with the toliet photo comment! Thanks for a great start to the day!

[Jill]

As I sit quietly at my computer, eating my lunch, tears welling up in my eyes and then...then nearly spitting my lunch on the monitor when I see the toilet as the backdrop in the self protrait. Well done! I needed that!

Jill

[Angie]

The comment by your adoring husband...awesome, but the angle at which the camera caught your very long and thin face...flippin awesome!

[Linda]

That was really a nice thing to say, so filled with love! Take care! Linda from Sweden

[Deborah]

This is why we love you, Cathy. A tug on the heartstrings and then a laugh. Only you can deliver the old one-two like that. Thanks! (and kudos to Dan for saying exactly the right thing!)

[Sugar Creek Farm]

Toilet or no, that is one really cute top!

[Liz]

I was listening to Stars by The Weepies when I read your post.

I'm brought to tears and a simple smile.

Thanks for sharing a piece of your life. : )

[Debbie]

I just have to say whenever I am feeling the sucking of the whirlpool I only have to read your blog to suck me right back out.
Thanks for all of the laughs!!!!!
I hope you enjoy the sweetness of that hubby of yours. My hubby is great too, he just never finds the right words. He gave up trying that, it was not a win win situation. Have a great day!

[Gabi Butcher]

This is too good!!! Your DH is a sweetheart and the self-portrait rule is FabuLOLus - LOL

[Juliana]

Oh, Cathy! What a great blog post. Sounds like you got yourself a wonderful man there! And LOL on your self portrait rule!

[tara Whitney]

that color needs to be your new staple.
mustard is the new orange sweatshirt.
and dan-dan.....you sweet little monkey you.

[Jill]

Okay...crying...so sweet...

Request: Can your husband teach a "How to be a great husband" course...soon...please???

[shaina]

Love your nononsense attitude!

[Jill]

Forgot to mention...your toilet is very clean!! :-)

[Julie Mitchell from Canada]

Very sweet. Needs to be recorded on a LO.

I agree with Tara above, that yellow looks perfect on you. I think the almonds, fruits and walks work wonders. You are radient next to the bowl.
Julie

[paperdiva]

he seriously puts other men to shame.
I also like the yellow!

[Laura]

The Dan thing - totally sweet and earns him an extra big smooch later when you're feeling like it.

The smoking thing, OMG! It's been 2 years, 3 months and 4 days and there are days still that I think being a skinnier smoking b*tch would be so much better. Cuz I'd be happier right, and don't happier people live longer? Don't happiers people keep themselves out of jail easier cuz they don't go around killing folks just cuz they'd rather have a cigarette in their hand than look at some totally nice dude who's just irritating the hell out of them for no good reason at all?? *Sigh* I guess after my deep breath now I can tell you that I understand, one ex-smoker to another, how sometimes the almonds and the walks and all the good things just can't top one long drag.

[Sue in Grapevine]

Have you seen this quote?
If you live to be a hundred, I want
To live to be a hundred minus one day,
So I never have to live without you. ------ Winnie the Pooh

Your Dan seems to be a great guy.

[tammy t]

Oh my....that really is a beautiful thing to say. Really. And I love your description of him as a hipster old geezer. Maybe he could start a new band...."Geezer!"

t

[kelli]

That brough tears to my eyes! What a sweetie!

[Michelle Davies]

ROFL! the toilet is now a "must have" for all my portrait work!!

[Lorrie Spotts]

My husband would be a happier person if he learned from your husband. I have had many a many a many conversations about my fights with Weight Watchers. Right now I am not letting WW beat me down. I am beating them down. With my vanilla scones from Starbucks, leftover chocolate bunnies, and avocados from my mom's backyard tree...turned into guacamole. (which "needs" tortilla chips) I am pretty darn good at this fight.

[Kathleen]

Who is this guy? I think Winnie the Pooh said something similar in that “If you live to be 100, I hope I live to be 100 minus 1 day, so I never have to live without you.” OK I know it's a tad different but in the same respect Dan is so much like Winnie the Pooh. How sweet! I'm a sugar addict but that is WAY too sweet for me.
By the way, you look great! You are a very lucky person!

[Sarah Kristiansen]

I always knew I liked Dan...

[April Driggers]

Oh my GAWD that is TOO f-n sweet! :)

They go on and on and on and just bug the ever lovin crap out of us and then say something like that ... and it's like... awwwwwwwww!!!

and the toilet... that cracked me up! :) (just as long as nothing's floatin' in it! ;)

Love ya girl -- you always make me smile!

[Chris Ford]

Dude, thank God every day you're not a smoker. We go in next Friday so my grandma, a lifelong multiple pack a day smoker, is having half of her lung surgically removed because she has lung cancer - and we're thanking our lucky stars she's even eligible to *have* half of it chopped out. And she is *still* smoking.

She says she's gonna quit the day after surgery, but she also said she was throwing her pack away the day they told her she could have the surgery. And my mom is sitting right next to her sucking the damn things down, too.

As a reformed "secret smoker" like you, that's all it took for me to swear I will never, ever again (even when I'm drunk! I swear!) suck down another coffin nail.

Muffin tops are way better than lungectomies (or, you know, whatever -ectomy medical term they use for this thing).

Smooches. And tell Dan he's the man. What a keeper!

[Kitsa]

I will be heading to the toilet for my self-portrait as soon as I finish writing this. Bhwaaaaaaaaa!!!!!

[andie]

you look great in yelllow!!!!

[Kelly C.]

Cathy & a toilet!!! You crack me up!

[amanda]

Shocked you have a shorty toilet with two boys. Is'nt there a saying for shorty toilets? Somehow I feel cheated when using a shorty toilet. Just a thought. cheers.

[Molly]

super sweet.

Your skin is absolutely radiant, I don't know whether it's the toilet or the yellow top, but whatever ... it's working for you.

[Jana]

What a sweet thing your guy is! Love when they can pull those romantic words out of thin air...

um, nah, lose the toilet, there's gotta be a better prop out there! Great self portrait though!

[mary bartolotta]

Hi Cathy,
sounds to me like you got one of the good ones..how can you not love a man who says something like that!! hate to throw this in, but you got me thinking about "fame" and how I was so into that...someone else from the movie died yesterday...makes me feel old. (45 in 2 weeks..)but I will love that movie and how it made me feel until my dying day..have a great weekend, maryb

[Bek Vavic]

Oiw... not JUST that, he knows exactly what to say to shut you up TIC LOL!
That is adorable, you two are the cutest!
Bek

[Lainey]

Seriously, Cathy...you freaking crack me up. What a way to end such a sweet (and I mean sweet-in-a-Cathy-way) post.
xoxo

[Anilu Magloire]

So cool that you realize how lucky you are to have such a cool dude in your life!?!?!?!
Very jealous.... And teary eyed too :)

[kim in Camas - ScrapToMyLu]

You always make me laugh.

[Linda]

what a cutie that Dan is! Enjoy your weekend!

[Sue Martin]

What a sweetheart Dan is and the photo with the toilet is too funny.

Many years ago one of my colleagues was retiring so we put together a video and each person talked about the different memories they had with Walter. I convinced the guy doing the video to film me inside the ladies' room right next to the Tampax machine. Walter just cracked up when he saw it.

Don't ever go back to smoking...watching my stepmom slowly die of emphasema,in a nursing home for a period of six months would be a cure for anyone. She weighed 59 lbs. when she died.

[Susan]

Tears. Nuff said.

[Susan]

CZ,
You definitely met your soulmate!What a sweet comment(so Jerry MaGuiresque) TFS! BTW,
I like the self portrait con bano idea and I, for one, appreciate that yours was flushed and the seat was down! LOL
Have a great weekend!