Take a shine to = develop a liking for
I took a shine to The Deer Hunter the first time I ever laid eyes on him, I’m pretty sure the feeling was mutual. I’m glad our shine for each other has lasted over 25 years and I sure hope it lasts for over 25 more.
We met on a blind date, set up by one of my cousins and one of his Daddy’s friends. The saying take a shine to always reminds me of one of the lines The Deer Hunter said to me on that first date. Smiling down at me with his blue green eyes twinkling he said “The sun must shine all the time where you’re from.” I think he was impressed with my summer time tan…a good thing he was because that was probably the last tan I ever had.
Sometimes it seems like it was only yesterday that we met. Other times it seems like I’ve never been without him, that somehow his presence wove itself around my childhood and growing up years even though he resided a whole 3 counties away and I didn’t meet him until I was 20 years old.
We’ve never went in for special occasion presents, not that there is anything wrong with going all out for a special day like Valentines or an anniversary, it’s just something neither of us ever thinks about.
There were a few years, when the girls were little, that neither of us even remembered our wedding anniversary. School used to start on August 27 and sometimes that would remind me or I’d be writing a check and as I wrote the date I’d think “Hey this is our anniversary!”
Since I’ve ended up taking this post down the sappy road I’ll tell you about the 2 favorite gifts I ever received from The Deer Hunter.
- I’ve always had a fondness for Angels. I used to collect them…until I ran out of room. When I was pregnant with the girls I was on complete bed rest. I was only supposed to get up to go to the bathroom and for my weekly doctor visit. The Deer Hunter was working way down in the lower part of the county on some hard horrid job. He went into a gas station to get a drink and a pack of crackers and while he was there he bought me a little Angel. It’s playing a harp and is no bigger than 3 inches tall. Unthinking he left the price sticker on the bottom so I know it cost a whole $2.99. I just never got over the wonder of him being way down there working hard back breaking finger smashing manual labor and thinking about me.
- It was one of our first Valentine’s Day as a wedded couple, actually it was probably our very first one. We lived with Pap and Granny while we were building our house. On Valentine’s Day I came out to go to work and found a heart cut out of lined notebook paper with the words I Love You sticking under my windshield wiper. I’ve still got that heart. At the time I couldn’t believe Mr. Tough Guy found the paper and scissors and made me the heart without anyone in the house noticing what he was up to. All these years later his impromptu Valentine still makes me smile.
Tipper
Another writer said my thoughts so well, “ your memories cause my memories to fall from by eyes.” thanks to both of you
Yep, I know that saying.
It’s so nice to be remembered like that. It shouldn’t have to be big or elaborate, just to be remembered should be enough.
I truly feel sad for those for whom isn’t, who need big expensive to feel satisfied.
Happy Valentine’s Day everyone, and prayers for a safe and happy week ahead.
God bless.
RB
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So Sweet! The simplest gifts are the best.
Tipper, my story is similar to yours in the fact that my husband, of 52 years and 6 more of dating, told his mother on the night that he met me that he had just met the girl he was going to marry. It was just an accidental meeting at a state park in 1958.
We were serious young people and dated another year of high school, four years of college, and a year of the Navy before we married. We finished his Navy service and then back to WI for graduate school. I put him through law school working at the VA hospital as an RN.
This year will see retirement and a whole new adventure together. Isn’t love great? Happy Valentines Day everyone.
Oh, Tipper, I’m so, so glad you went down “Sappy Road” in your post today, and (Ed Ammons excepted) I’m glad I know (and share traveling time with you) on “Sappy Road.” Loved your stories; loved how a romance has lasted 25 years and will continue right on. I urge you, get on Sappy Road as much as you like. Some of us know the signs, the curves, the quiet places, the hills and valleys–and appreciate that road to travel. I’m a sentimental person, and love, too, to write about things my other better half did to make me happy. I was high school librarian for 23 years of my teaching career, and oftentimes in the spring, when our rose bushes got their first blossoms, my dear Grover would come to the school library bearing me cut roses from the roses he had grown in our yard. “Why the roses,” my high school library aides would ask me. “Is it a special day, your anniversary or something.” And I would say, “Just because our roses bloomed today, he wanted me to have some for my desk at school, and for you to enjoy, too.” Maybe it was down Sappy Road; but those teenagers loved seeing me get roses!
We are not traditionalist, we’ve always felt that a few times a year to be nice to each other was not at all what it was about.. Christmas, Valentines, Birthday, Anniversary, just an excuse to buy each other a gift, we don’t fit the mold.. We try to treat everyday as if it’s or last, we know couples who don’t even see each other unless they are on a ball field or court most of the year and buy each other traditional gifts that seems pointless to us, never seeing each other except passing in the back door is just wrong in our book, going on so call family vacations with other couples, just something wrong with that picture,, it shows us they are not really interested in each other just being alone with each other is a chore.. We’ve always felt anyone else planning our life, where we cannot be with each other, was very annoying.. And we don’t do it.. Call us Weird,, but we’re happy
I have lived around here all my life and thought I’d traveled every road in this here land but have never been down nor up nor ever even heard of “the sappy road”. I’ve been on soggy roads, soppy roads and sloppy roads. I’ve been so far as to run slap out of road. But I think you’ve one-upped me on this one. Come on! Tell me now! Where is the sappy road?
Tipper,
Happy Valentine’s Day to Everyone! Both stories are touching, thanks for sharing them with us. I can tell they’re straight from the Heart. It seems you belong together and I’m glad you’re my friends…Ken
True stories of the heart are the best and so
nice that you could share.
Such a sweet story! I love hearing how people met.
My hubby and I are celebrating our 40th engagement anniversary today. We were engaged on Friday the 13th, and it surely has been our lucky day. Valentine’s Day was too ‘traditional’ a day for our engagement, and hubby always felt like Friday the 13th was a lucky day for him, so that’s when he asked me to marry him. We had friends who were engaged on Valentine’s Day on the day after I got my ring, and they are long divorced and remarried to other people. We have lasted the test of time, and our love is sure.
Tipper,
Awwwwwww….your memories cause me to have memories fall from my eyes…..sniff, sniff…
Thanks angel of Brasstown,
I can imagine you two “Sparking” in your twenties. Love “Taking a Shine” comment. Here’s to future love on Valentines day and forever.
Thank you for the stories, especially the Valentine one. My husband had to drop my car off at work once when I’d been out of town for a couple days and had an evening meeting before I could return home. On the passenger see was a note with a big heart and Love from him and the kitties. I still have that note, too.
All I can say is the Deer Hunter sure had good taste, and for certain Tipper seemed to have made an excellent choice also. You were both smitten from hello. Our choices always affect others–you gave your children a good set of parents.
Often it is the thoughtful, little things that keep our heart and minds in check. Both of these memories remind me of times when I didn’t have any money except my $.25 cents weekly allowance and I would go to the five and dime store to find something special for my mom and dad. When my parents passed on, some of these precious gifts were there among my parents treasures. I loved your memories!
Tipper: You are one lucky girl! There is nothing better than true love and devotion!
HAPPY SAINT VALENTINE DAY
Eva Nell
I’m kinda like y’all in that I don’t get real excited about special occasions , holidays, anniversaries, etc. I think every day we are here is special, and we should make hay while the sun shines. As an aside,guess it goes without saying that the people that darken the church door only at Christmas and Easter don’t rate real high with me.
Awww, what a sweet story! Seems like taking a shine to someone doesn’t have much meaning anymore and is almost always temporary. Your marriage sounds like my mom and dads. They never bought each other gifts, but their love for each other lasted forty five years. They lived by the words “until death do us part.” I think it was meant to be for them to leave this world together, because one couldn’t have made it without the other.
You probably made Deer Hunter special occasion presents and didn’t even realize it. The homemade meals you placed before him surely had more love in them than any store bought gift ever could. I hope you two stay together forever!
Love your beautiful stories Tipper. I hope you and The Deer Hunter have a wonderful Valentines day!
Pam
scrap-n-sewgranny.blogspot.com
I enjoyed hearing about how you and The Deer Hunter met. Y’all remind me of Ken and me with some of your stories. Tomorrow is the 40th anniversary of the day we met at a church Valentine’s dinner and dance. Being as tall as we are, we kept catching each other’s eyes over the tops of all the other heads in the hall.
At the end of the evening, Ken asked my date, one of his tennis playing buddies, to introduce him to that tall good-looking babe. We celebrated our 38th wedding anniversary back in November. Some enchanted evening, huh?
Loved your post this morning!
Awwwww! How sweet, Tipper (daubing away tears, he does). “Takin a shine to.” Another localism that made it’s way to the Ozarks. As in “i took a shine to “the Blind Pig” from the first day readin.” Happy St. valentines and blessings be. (On “yer little pointed head” as my Mama Cora would say.)
Thank you, dear Tipper, for this loveliest of all Valentine stories! Bless you!
Sounds like true love to me. You are each blessed but I’m sure neither of you need me to tell you that.
The Deer Hunter sounds like my Dad. He had a softer side but it was rarely seen. He grew.up hard in the Depression and he treated pain as an aggravating inconvenience. I miss him but would not have him back.
Once again your story reminds us that little things are not. And also that those closest to us can always surprize us, even when we think we know them well.Just as we can surprize them.
We are coming up on 42 years very soon. I don’t know how to think about it. In some ways it seems like it couldn’t be me. We’ve had tough times but not with each other. It’s been a good life.
Tipper, what beautiful stories /memories you have! The Deer Hunter was the sweetest child I’ve ever seen and has grown into the very best husband and father I’ve ever seen. He has told me that he knew from the first time he saw you that you were the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with and I think he made an excellent choice!