Replacing perfectly good furniture

Shirley and I have a fundamental difference in our furniture philosophy. My tendency is is to take my time, when I see something I like, I buy it. I'm not done with it until a leg falls off or the fabric is in shreds (and not necessarily even then). Shirley, on the other hand, believes that if there is a space, it needs to be filled. Replacement time occurs when she sees something she likes better.

Last week, while leaving Sam's, she sees a set of chaise lounge chairs she thinks would be great on our patio, replacing a couple of perfectly good ones. She likes these chaise because of the thick cushions. The ones we have are a woven plastic. I explained that my experience with the thick cushions is that they collect yard debris and turn shades of green and black in the seams. I don't think she heard me because when the weekend arrived, she announced we were going to Sam's to check out the chaise ... which means she needed me to load them.

We got to Sam's and it turns out that the chaise were really chairs with footstools and part of a six piece set for roughly two grand. It wasn't what she wanted. You may be thinking that I am happy with this but not if you really know Shirley ... for the journey had just begun. Everywhere we go (even a trip for dirt at Home Depot) now involves a search for outdoor furniture. That night she asks how would I like to eat dinner at Macaroni Grill. She knows I really like the Parmesan crusted sole but she never liked the place. Turns out there is a new Casual Living store right next door.

We enter Casual Living and she says "Wow, look at that table." It was a combination onyx, petrified wood and other stone. It was beautiful and I agreed. Then we continued our search for the perfect chaise. They had a large selection but the only thing I noticed was that a single cushion sold for $200 (actually $199). She asked if I liked any of them and I casually responded that the $3,000 table was the only thing I saw that I liked. She responded with "You just have to have that table don't you. Well OK but it is both your father's day and birthday gift." The table arrived Monday and the only good news is that it occupies the exact space designated for the new chaises. At least the journey is over for now.