I have been married forty five years to a wonderful lady. And you say so what, all I want to know is why she is like a patio umbrella. Fare enough, here is why-

• They have both been in my life for a long time.
• At first they were both bright and shiny.
• As they grew older they didn't give up, but learned to age gracefully.
• When they broke down I repaired them.
• They are loyal, stand by me in all kinds of weather.
• Over the years they both just get more and more beautiful.

So this is the old gal, well one of them. When I first bought it, it had a bright green canvas. After about five years in the sun it faded and I was almost ready throw her out. Instead I got thinking of ways to improve it. I have always liked the paintings of Jackson Pollack, and since I had gallons of old house paint I decided to paint her. I spread the umbrella canvas out on the ground and started drizzling paint over the surface. After it dried I put it back on the frame and set it back up.

I am not sure how many years I have had this patio umbrella, but I am sure it is at least twenty years old. I love how the surface has aged and grown richer.

One other way my umbrella is like my wife is that its full of surprises. It takes time to discover all of its different designs. Every once in a while I see something new, a part of the design I had never really appreciated.

Over the years there has been some catastrophic damage, but I have always figured out a way to repair them. Here one of the spokes was broken so I used rebar and wire as a splint. Another time the shaft of the umbrella was snapped in two during a storm. To repair it I glued the pieces together and the sheathed them with aluminum roof flashing.

It's a love story: my wife, my patio umbrella, and me.