Terribly, terribly old Z

I spent a couple of energetic hours in the garden this morning, which was a very good thing. For more than a week, I’ve been mostly sitting down. And I’ve hardly been sleeping, which is probably a consequence of that. It all looks a lot tidier now, although that’s a relative term. Those of you who have visited here know both that there’s a fair area around the house and that it was pretty scruffy to start with.

This afternoon, the Sage was going to visit our dear friends Arthur and Avery. To my pleased surprise, he suggested I come along. Togetherness isn’t quite the Z and Sage way. I had a brilliant time – the Sage was sorting out his ID at the bank for a while, so left us – Arthur had never quite appreciated that he had been the witness of the Sage and I first getting together … can’t remember if I’ve ever told that tale, but if not I’ll come back to it … but we had a very entertaining reminisce – and this carried on once the Sage returned. Then he produced a huge carrier bag containing three of the four pictures he bought at Bonhams on Thursday. I had asked to see them, but he said he had taken the main one to the restorer, and fobbed me off. I understood this afternoon why he had asked me. He wanted to unwrap them in front of other people. He had bought two watercolours and a charcoal drawing on a whim, unseen, and funked discussing it with me one to one. I have no idea why, I wouldn’t have grumbled, except to ask where they were to be hung. I don’t know why he wouldn’t show me the oil painting before restoration, or maybe just cleaning, either. I’ve seen enough paintings to appreciate potential.

If I’m sounding a bit miffed, well I am. Not that he bought them, although why he has this compulsion is beyond me, nor that he’s secretive, because I’m well used to that. It’s just because it rather detracted from a lovely afternoon with some of our oldest friends.

In talking to A and A about that first meeting, I realised something that I’d managed to forget. In May, we will have been married for 39 years. I’d succeeding (whilst knowing last May that it was 38) to leave out a year, and tell people that this was the 38th. I suddenly feel terribly, terribly old.

Tonight, the Sage kindly cooked dinner. I’m now sitting by the fire, bathed, pyjamaed and dressing-gowned. Quite relaxed, but feeling terribly, terribly old.

11 comments on “Terribly, terribly old Z

  1. Z

    No, it’s not a Christmas present. Well, it had better not be. Buying something he wants and giving it to me for Christmas is not an option.

    Bit late for the attic, Rog. For both of us.

    Reply
  2. savannah

    oh, my darling Z! feeling old is just a passing thing, you’ll feel better tomorrow, i promise you! xoxoxoxo

    p.s. dec 31, i will be 62 and on march 8, 2012, the MITM and i will have been married 43 years!!

    Reply
  3. mig

    39 years is a huge achievement though.
    And how fascinating to buy pictures unseen. A sort of gamble? If he does it often, does he keep all of them or does he dispose of the ones he doesn’t like.

    Reply
  4. Z

    Savannah, thank you dearest. I’m not so good on ends of decades, I prefer the start of them. There’s no logic in that.

    Mig, Bonhams had a view of this sale in Bury a few weeks ago, the Sage, A & A went to that, but the watercolours weren’t there, only the more important pictures (so he had seen the oil painting now at the cleaner’s). It’s a good artist (E.R.Smythe) and he just thought they were going cheap. I have no idea what he’ll do with them.

    Reply
  5. Roses

    I also have keen iPad envy.

    And as I’m hard pressed to have a relationship that’s more than a couple of years’ old…well, I look at your’s and Savannah’s track records and I have a bit of a pang.

    Reply
  6. Z

    Yes, Macy, you’re quite right. It does.

    Well, I’ll see it to the forty years anyway, Roses. Not going to let him become complacent.

    Reply
  7. Z

    Never, Pat. You’re ageless.

    He’s brought it back now, it’s been cleaned. It’s a Tom Smythe beach scene – he’s been fond of Smythes for years, long before I knew him. No, it’s not a present for me. I’ve given him an easy ride there, said that he can pay for my phone and I’ll pay the contract. He gave me a rather spectacular piece of Lowestoft for my birthday, or rather the second half of it and I’m happy not to get a surprise this time.

    Reply

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