Mother's Day Hatchet

"Boy are you going to be in trouble." Kirk heard said in a variety of ways from his coworkers when he told them what he'd purchased for me for Mother's Day. In fact, the guy he bought the hatchet from said, "You'll be okay as long as she doesn't use it on you." No one he spoke to could believe a woman would be excited about getting such a gift. The part Kirk particularly enjoyed was the incredulous looks he received when he told them that he'd already given it to me and I loved it. I'm sure they figured either his wife was a talented actress or just plain weird. Those that guessed just plain weird would be correct.

With nigh on to thirty years of marriage, my husband's got me pretty well pegged. I've got a practical streak a mile wide and Kirk knows that as far as I'm concerned any tool that makes life easier is a wonderful present.

Most women love jewelry and our daughters are no exception but it holds little attraction for me as dot pearl earrings are my only adornment. My left ring finger is even bare as I got tired early on in our marriage of having to take off my wedding ring to knead bread, work in the garden, make cheese, kid goats and lamb ewes, and a myriad of other tasks where it just plain got in the way or the diamond was so caked with bread dough or dirt it was disgusting. I figured since my husband didn't wear his at work because of the danger it poises and doesn't put it on after work, why should I have to wear mine? As for my fear of someone making a pass at him because he's not wearing a wedding band, well, you have to first be aware that someone is hitting on you before you can be tempted and Kirk is downright oblivious to any such moves. Besides, my sweet husband's favorite place is at home and that's where you'll usually find him if he isn't at the coal mine working. Life's just sweeter when we're together.

I'm not much into clothes either but lately, I've been wandering over into the men's department looking for shirts. The flimsy faddy things in the women's area aren't worth my money as I want something that will last so I don't have to go shopping again anytime soon. I've too many other things to accomplished with my time. When I found an Orvis woman's button up shirt the other day discounted several times down to nine bucks, I was tickled pink. The other three button up shirts I purchased came from the men's department and the sturdy t-shirt was a men's Carhart.

So, when Kirk went to the gun show and brought me home a hatchet, I thought great, he listened when I complained about the last one he bought me. I told him the handle was too flimsy and the blade too narrow and light. This one was everything the last one wasn't. What more could a woman ask for than a husband who listens and tries to please her.

Kirk spent a little while swinging the hatchet around after he came home and then disappeared into the basement returning after he'd cleaned it up. "A collectors item", he proudly told me as he held it out for my inspection while he pointed to the Boy Scout emblem stamped on the metal. I didn't want to tell him it didn't really matter to me. It wasn't going on display anywhere as I had plans for it. But, then maybe, he was thrilled because our son is an Eagle Scout with eight palms and Kirk's mom has the Silver Fawn award and his dad the Silver Beaver and scouting has been a part of his life for a long time. As for me, as long as it does the trick when it comes time to use it on some roosters that are headed into the freezer, then I'll consider the twenty bucks he paid for it worthwhile.