Father's Day present

Every time Neal has a birthday or Christmas or Father's Day I struggle with what to get him.  He is nearly impossible to buy for because he either has what he wants and needs, it is too expensive or the last option of picking out clothing is out of the question.  This year I came up with the idea that I was sure I couldn't go wrong with.  He has always talked about a big shower head but has never bothered to make the arrangements to have one installed.  So I called Justin, our plumber, to see if he could get a large shower head installed by Father's Day.  He assured me he could and asked me to send him a picture of the fixtures in the bathroom so he could buy compatible fixtures.  I sent him these pictures.  You can see they have been in as long as we have owned the condo and the condo was new when we bought it in 2002.

I got a call from Justin on Friday before Father's Day.  He said he had everything and had a window of time that he could come and put in the new fixtures.  I happened to be at the hospital with Susan.  She was having cataract surgery.  So I told Justin our garage code and told him to just go in and replace the old with the new.  He has been in our home many times so he would know his way around.  In the mean time I called Neal and told him that he needed to get home as quickly as possible and why.  This was the first he heard about it and was happily surprised.

Now this is where the funny story begins.  I texted Neal and asked him how the plumbing was coming.  These are our quoted texts back and forth:

Jeannine to Neal:  "How is the plumbing project coming?"

Neal to Jeannine:  "Justin pulled up, opened the garage, opened the inside door.  Then left!!!!  Can you get him back?  Maybe he left because he saw my car and did not want to spoil the surprise???  I do not have his number or I could call him."

Jeannine to Neal:  "No, he knows you might be there and he knows that I've told you.  that isn't why he left.  He must have forgotten something and gone to get it.  His phone number is xxx xxx xxxx."

Neal to Jeannine:  "Thanks."

Jeannine to Neal:  "So did you get him?  Did he come back?"

Neal to Jeannine:  "Well, when I heard him come, he was actually leaving.  I must have dozed off at my computer and did not hear him say 'hello' or come up the stairs or leave.  The garage door closing woke me up.  It was weird when he did not come in and was gone!! When I called him, he said he had finished in 15 minutes including fixing the drain.  He heard the radio in my office but did not want to interrupt me!"

Oh my gosh!  Neal was at his computer and slept through the whole thing!  Never did here Justin come and put in the whole new appliances.  Gracious.  We could be robbed blind with Neal snoozing in the chair!

This is the picture of the new  fixtures:

I also gave Neal a new patio clock with a barometer, weather and time. 

Maren gave her dad a container of coconut candies and this card:

 Lynda Ann made some tags for Neal to put on his Dutch ovens so when he loans them out people will know who they need to return them to.  Clever Fathers Day present.