Guess what tomorrow is?

 I finished it.

I have spent a few evenings working on windows. That is, we got the new windows and Kathy immediately wanted tinting on those that get the most sun. Now, I want tinting on the windows too. Not as bad as she does, but if it helps even a little (and I can’t see how it can hurt) then it is worth the $100 or so it costs.

But while Kathy wants the tinting on whether it is taped on and nasty looking or not, I only want it on if it looks halfway decent. I don’t want it unless it looks good, she doesn’t care if it looks bad. She wants it bad (looks and heat reduction). I only want it good, (looks and by-the-directions installation). We both got what we want. We had a discussion on it a couple of weeks ago and she wasn’t going to do without the stuff, nor was she patient enough to install it correctly herself. I finally decided that if she wanted it that bad and I only wanted it if it looked OK, then I guess I would just have to put it on.

I can tell you without the slightest fear of contradiction that Gila window film is the most annoying and consumer unfriendly product on planet earth. There are minor surgeries that would be more attractive. The stuff it too thin, it wrinkles, tears, and bubbles up to the point that even after doing a dozen windows I could not get a single one to look nice. They don’t look nasty and we don’t have masking tape all over but they sure don’t looks nice. Fortunately the windows she wanted tinted are, by the nature of the case, covered most of the time by heavy drapes to keep the sun out.

So, a project is done and we worked together on it. I got the windows installed. She put up with the mess, intrusion of workmen in the house all week. I saved the documents for our tax credit. She help move stuff to get to the windows. She wrote the checks for materials and the overall job. I checked each window when they were done to make sure they work. I found out how the security latches work. She bought the window film.

My hours of installing it is my anniversary gift her. The removal of the masking tape and mess is my anniversary gift to myself. We don’t often do anniversary gifts anyway. Anniversaries are their own reward, so why gild the lily?

That is how it has been for 36 years. Our anniversary is tomorrow and the alignment of the calendar also has it father’s day. We’re going to see Toy Story 3D to celebrate. Can you believe it’s been 15 years since the original? Our kids were the perfect age for it then. With my second childhood (actually my continuing childhood.) I am right on time for a good Toy Story installment. I’m looking forward to a nice day off.