Best Morning Surprise Ever!

The most gorgeous painting ever arrived on my doorstep today.  I feel so lucky and blessed.  I am hanging in the family room, because that is where we spend the most time.  Just looking at this painting causes a celebration in my heart. 

It’s funny because today started like any other day.  I woke up and was schlepping around in my over-sized pink fluffy bathrobe that was a birthday gift two years back.  It is an extra large and can wrap around me twice, but it was the last one left in the store and it was so soft and comfy looking that I figured, who cares if it’s a little big?  I’ll look cute and tiny all snuggled up in it.  And so on my birthday wish list it went. 

Well, things that are way too big might seem like they’d make me look all cute and petite in my imagination, but the reality is something far different.  I drown in that bathrobe.  It is not a good look for me.  Not only that, but it doesn’t breathe.  And as any woman who is going through the throes of hot flashes knows, a robe that doesn’t breathe is not a good thing!  It’s the dead of winter and still this robe is too warm for me.  I find myself, more often than not, sneaking Don’s robe out of his closet and prancing around in that instead.

Anyway, I was a little slow getting myself out of bed and so once I managed to drag my tired body from the cozy-calling-to-me comfort, I didn’t have time to lollygag and put on a full set of clothes, so on went my pink robe, cinched at the waist and I flew down stairs to make some omelets and toast for breakfast.  We ate.  Don and Will left for school, and I just settled into check my emails when there was a knock at the door. 

Who is that?

I went to the door, peeked through the blinds.  A delivery man!  Could it be?  Is it possible?  I’ve been anticipating the arrival of a painting for a long time.  I knew it would be beautiful.  All the artwork I’ve seen on Rosie’s blog is.  But I didn’t know what had been sent, all I knew was “a large painting.“ 

I cracked the door open.  Two reasons.  The robe, and the dogs going delirious with excitement behind me.  “Can I help you?“ I asked, because maybe it’s the painting, but maybe it’s something else.  Legal documents or dry old boring paperwork.

“I have a painting,“ he says.  The guy’s hair is more white than grey.  He’s short, with a pointy beard. 

“Oh good,“ I say, as soon as the jolt of oh-my-goodness passes through my body and my lips work again.  “If you could just put it on the porch.“

“No way that’s going to happen,“ he snorts.  “This thing weighs 125 lbs.  Can’t manage it alone.“

“Oh…oh…“ I start hopping around.  “Oh dear.  Alright.  I’ll get my shoes.  Just a minute.“  I must have looked a sight.  Brown leather shoes, an enormous saggy pink robe, unbrushed hair (I say that like I brush my hair on a regular basis.  Ha!)  Somehow between the two of us we managed to stagger the large wooden crate/box to the top of the stairs.  I think it was one of those Herculean moments where a mother manages to lift a car off of her child.  That kind of thing, because that box was HEAVY! 

When he leaves I fly inside, get dressed and grab my screw driver and a hammer.  Those were long screws holding that box together!  There were a LOT of them.  I got cramps in my forearms and started to get blisters on my palms until I was clever and went inside and put on a pair of gloves.  But let me tell you.  When I got the crowbar part of my hammer under that lid and lifted the top off, and got the painting out…OH MY GOD!  I almost fainted!  It was THE painting.  The one I had seen a picture of and loved and wished that I had.  It was THAT one! 

I haven’t stopped smiling all day.  I am a very, very, VERY lucky woman!  An image of me just flashed through my head of me, leaping around, clicking my heels together, a-la-Gene Kelly in Dancing In the Rain.  That’s how happy I am inside.

Posted by Meg Tilly on Thursday, February 07, 2008 in