In the Shower with Fern

If you come to our house to stay for a while and you end up needing to bathe, you will find that we have a houseplant in the shower.

"Why?" you might ask.

My husband read that houseplants such as ferns help with in-home air quality, of special interest to us since I have allergy-induced asthma and three allergens cats. So this weekend, when we were at the hardware store, James suggested purchasing a fern to put in the bathroom, our smallest and least-ventilated room; a room which also happens to have a litter box.

At first, we considered hanging it from the ceiling, but we were told early on that the owner might get testy about putting holes in the ceiling (although he seems to have no problem with opossums doing the same thing). I had an idea to put it in the magazine holder, until James mentioned that we needed to get a mister/sprayer for it. Then it hit me to keep it on the pedistal at the end of the shower. That way, it will get misted quite often.

So, thanks to my thoughtful husband, our house guests get to get back to nature when cleaning up. Because he loves me and wants to do something to improve the air quality for my beleaguered lungs.

On a similar note, this morning, after James left for work, I hurriedly pulled myself together to meet my sister at the store for a much-earlier-than-usual (for me) grocery run. When I plopped down in the van and saw my face in the rear view mirror by daylight, I momentarily recoiled.

Because of the weather's being so wonky (I've loved the warm spells, but not so much the environmental aggravants that go along with it), I have had sinus issues for weeks. My nose was decidedly raw and red and just generally disgusting, but I distinctly remember the way my husband looked at me this morning before he left for work... And it was with the same love and appreciation as he looks at me when I'm fixed up and my imperfections are more well-hidden.

I guess that by now, he's seen me just about as good and as bad as I get. And he loves me, not in spite of the bad but including it. I am so grateful to have a man who wants to take care of me and I really do hope to make it worth his while.