I just discovered that occasionally extreme tactics are necessary to get your message across to someone. Grounding my grandchildren for what they did to my wife wasn’t going to be a sufficient lesson in this case. I set them a challenging task to ensure their redemption. I, Clarence (74), have always thought my wife Jenny (73), is the loveliest and most kindhearted person. This was particularly true with regard to our grandchildren. She knits them exquisitely detailed sweaters every year for their birthdays and Christmas. She puts all of her heart into this tradition. She would frequently begin new initiatives more earlier than necessary.
This was done to guarantee that every child received a unique item created particularly for them. She would make the kids stuffed animals for their birthdays. Maybe a blanket for the grandchildren who are older. We just had a trip and decided to stop by our neighborhood thrift store last week. For our landscaping project, we were trying to find some old-fashioned pots. What was supposed to be a relaxing trip became an unforgettable, heartbreaking experience!Something I wish we could take back from our shared history. My wife stopped as we were browsing the aisles. Her gaze fixed on something, causing her to momentarily stop. “What the heck is that? She questioned, gesturing with a quivering finger, “Am I seeing things? The sweaters she had crocheted for our grandchildren were hanging there among a gazillion other trashed stuff! All of them were for sale! Among them, there was a blue-and-grey-striped one that was definitely the one Jenny made for our oldest grandchild last Christmas.
It was clear from the expression on her face. She stretched out and caressed the fabric softly, and her heart broke. She tried to hide her pain with a grin and a repression of tears. Her voice was barely audible as she said, “It’s okay, I understand that kids might be embarrassed to wear grandma’s sweaters.” I could hardly contain my emotions as I drew her closer for an embrace, realizing how hurt she was. No, this wasn’t acceptable, and unfortunately for our family, my wife was more understanding than I was. They committed a heartless, destructive, and blatantly cruel act! Even though she maintained her composure, I couldn’t help but feel furious! Once I was sure she was asleep, I went back to the thrift store that evening and bought back everything she had made! I had made up my mind to put this right. I made the decision to impart a significant life lesson to our grandchildren without even speaking to my wife! One that would instill in them the value of showing gratitude for future blessings. I made a package for each grandchild the following day. I put wool, knitting needles, and a basic set of knitting instructions inside each. I added a picture of the sweater they had thrown away along with a severe note that said, “I know what you did.” You had better start knitting your own gifts now!”Grandma and I are coming for dinner, and you better be wearing her presents,” I said in my note. Alternatively, I’ll notify your parents and you won’t receive any further gifts for birthdays or Christmas. As one could guess, there was a wide range of reactions! A few of the grandchildren apologized sheepishly over the phone. They acknowledged that they were unaware of the significance of these gifts. Some remained mute, maybe feeling awkward or not knowing what to say. But the point had been made. When dinnertime finally arrived, there was a palpable sense of excitement. Our grandkids arrived one by one. All of them wearing the sweaters that nobody thought were worthy. To be very honest, some of the art they produced was absurdly poor! The one short design and one long hand made me chuckle uncontrollably! Some sweaters were obviously dropped mid-project, while others were simply too large! Not a single reproduction could have done MY Jenny’s original work justice. When sincere regret was expressed through their apologies, the tension subsided. Our oldest grandchild stated to their parents, “We are so sorry for taking your gifts for granted, Grandma,” while their parents watched. “We swear never to give away anything you’ve lovingly made for us ever again.” They made an attempt at knitting. They became aware of the passion and work that went into every stitch as a result. “Our oldest grandchild admitted that this was harder than he had anticipated, Grandpa.”
He continued tugging at the sleeves of his hurriedly constructed attempt as he spoke. Another person said, “Yeah, I’m sorry, Grandma,” with wide eyes. “It took me hours to finish one section of a scarf!” Bless her heart, my wife pardoned them, giving each one her customary warmth and compassion. “I’m amazed you got them to do this much!” Jenny loved our grandchildren and turned to face me. I needed to take action, my darling. I couldn’t allow them to believe that your gifts were just throwaway objects. I knew I had made the right decision when we embraced and she opened her warm heart to me. The laughter increased and the mood lightened as we ate dinner. This difficult lesson bonded everyone. It served as a helpful reminder of the importance of recognizing and appreciating one another’s work. Ultimately, our grandchildren gained knowledge about love, respect, and the elegance of a handcrafted gift in addition to learning how to knit a basic stitch. My wife felt better when she saw that her efforts were eventually recognized. I discovered how much of an impact she had on bringing our family together. The grandchildren added one more thing as we were wrapping up our dinner: “We promise to cherish our handmade gifts forever.” A promise that brought my wife more warmth than any sweater could have! I said to them, “I have one last surprise for you all,” before I left. I ran to the car and returned with a bunch of big plastic bags. “Open them,” I told our grandchildren. When they discovered every sweater Jenny had given them, they were all beaming with happiness. When they transitioned from their awful attempts at knitting to the flawless sculptures my wife had made them, they were like completely different persons. “Grandma and grandpa, thank you so much!” they exclaimed as they gave us a warm hug before we left. The spouse of a woman in the following tale was in need of some important life lessons. Before she put her foot down, he had developed the poor habit of making purchases—big and small—without getting her approval.
Harrison Ford was married twice before he met and fell in love at 67 with his third wife, actress Calista Flockhart.
Harrison Ford fell in love at 67 with a much younger woman after two failed marriages, and he even adopted her son. The actor felt like a little boy again and gushed over his wife, with whom he lives a quiet life on a farm where they enjoyed spending time in the woods.
Harrison Ford was married twice before he met and fell in love at age 67 with his third wife, actress Calista Flockhart. In 1964, the actor tied the knot with his first wife, Mary Marquardt.
Harrison began working as a carpenter to support their two sons because he wasn’t a famous actor. In 1977, he was featured in “Star Wars” and found fame, but his marriage wasn’t equipped to handle the Hollywood lifestyle.
Carrie Fisher, his “Star Wars” co-star, confessed years later that they had an “intense” illegal substance-fueled affair while he was married. Long after his marriage to Marquardt ended in 1979, Harrison went into union with Melissa Mathison in 1983.However, before tying the knot, the duo failed to sign a prenuptial agreement. The “E.T.” screenwriter and the actor welcomed a son and a daughter, but their relationship was also not meant to last.
The “Raiders of the Lost Ark” star paid a whopping $85 million when he and his second wife divorced in 2004. Their separation was described as amicable, but it was rumored that Harrison had been adulterous.
In 2003, Harrison, then 60, who was usually reserved about his personal life, admitted, “I’m in love” when speaking about his relationship with Calista, then 38. He said romantic love was one of the most fulfilling and exciting kinds of love, adding:
“I think there is a potential for it at any stage of your life.”
The star revealed he wasn’t surprised that he could fall in love and did. At the time, the “Ally McBeal” actress and Harrison had been dating since January 2002 when they met at the Golden Globe Awards.
However, until that interview, the actor had been reluctant to open up about his relationship with Calista. The “Indiana Jones” star was so serious about the actress that he proposed on Valentine’s Day in 2009!
Harrison’s proposal to make Calista his third wife happened while they were on vacation. The couple didn’t waste much time before making their relationship official and married in Santa Fe, Mexico, in June 2010.
Before the actress began dating Harrison, she’d become a single parent by adopting her son, Liam, in 2001. However, after marrying the actor, he formally adopted Calista’s son, adding him to his other four children from his previous marriages.
In 2008, the star, then 65, confessed that being a father again to a young child “made me just a bit less self-centered.” He revealed how Calista had brought a child back into his home.
At the time, Harrison shared how his youngest child was 17, other than Liam. He reveled in having the “wonderful opportunity” to be a part of a child’s upbringing, which he described as “always an endless springtime.”
The star gushed about seeing how the growing, blossoming, and nurturing were paying off. The People magazine’s 1998 Sexiest Man, Alive’s other two older sons with Marquard were Benjamin, then 40, and Willard, 39.
With Mathison, Harrison had a son Malcolm, then 21, and a daughter Georgia, then 17. When speaking about the sort of mother Calista was, the actor said she was the best in the world!
He explained that she was a mother by choice and took on a great responsibility when she adopted her son as a single parent. The actor noted how his wife had devoted herself to Liam and was doing a fantastic job raising him.
Harrison shared how he was pleased to be helping with the job of parenthood. However, he noted that he was “naturally” different with Liam compared to his other children because now he was a little more mature.
Calista and her husband were completely in love, and this time around, the marriage might not end in divorce. The couple was so in tune that they had activities they did together, and the actress once had the role of caretaker for Harrison.
Finding True Love and Companionship at 67
When Harrison met Calista in 2002, he wasn’t looking for love. The former explained that there were times when he felt lonely, but he didn’t want to live his life mitigating “against loneliness.”
The actress, who had allegedly dated many celebrities in her past, including comedian Garry Shandling and actor Ben Stiller, had never had an interest in Harrison before. She once confessed:
“I remember loving him in ‘Mosquito Coast,’ but I didn’t really think about him.”
On the other hand, Harrison also seemingly didn’t have sights on the actress but recalled watching “Ally McBeal” once in a while before meeting Calista. However, now that they were together, she wasn’t allowing him to watch the comedy series because she didn’t like seeing herself.
In 2003, the couple opened up about the age gap between them. The actress admitted that it didn’t “faze” her, and she sometimes would forget that Harrison was 22 years older than her!
Calista said the age difference didn’t factor into their relationship in any way. Instead, the star liked how the actor looked first thing in the morning; she said he wasn’t handsome but more cute and looked like a “little boy.”
There were also conflicting stories about how the couple met. Some reports claimed that the actress threw a drink over Harrison, but he explained that she didn’t intentionally spill her glass of wine on him.
She said they conversed for around 20 minutes before the wine spilled, and Harrison was the one who did the spilling! In 2015, the couple discussed the mutual activity that they enjoyed together.
Years before, in 2003, Harrison had shared with the public that Calista loved flying. He said it thrilled him because it was important to him, as it was more fun when done with someone who enjoyed it.
The actor shared how the actress liked the process, what she saw from the air, and seeing him happy. He speculated that she enjoyed it most because she loved seeing him do something he loved.
Calista revealed that she had complete confidence in his piloting abilities. She confessed to having been a bit nervous about flying, but surprisingly, when she went to Santa Barbara with her husband for the first time, she didn’t feel any nervousness; instead, the star loved it!
The actress believed she loved the sport because she trusted her husband, and she revealed they would take Liam flying all the time, and he loved it too! Besides flying, Calista and Harrison tried to be a giving family.
On November 21, 2007, the couple and their son, then 6 1/2, went together to assist in feeding the homeless in Los Angeles. The couple was photographed wearing Los Angeles Mission aprons as they dished up food.
The actors even wore gloves as they taught Liam about the blessing of giving back to the less fortunate. Then in 2015, tragedy struck the family when, at age 72, Calista’s husband was involved in a plane crash and suffered a nasty laceration on his face.
The actor had to be rushed to a local hospital where his wife, then 50, son Benjamin, and daughter Georgia rushed to be by his side. The actress stayed with her husband at the E.R. section of the hospital until late at night after his vintage plane crashed.
The following day, a Friday, she was photographed driving away from the hospital. Calista allegedly looked tired and was seen holding a tissue, but later that day, she returned to the hospital to be by his bedside.
Sources said the actress “looked concerned” when she arrived shortly after her husband. The following morning she allegedly drove Liam to school before returning to the hospital and remaining there to take care of Harrison.
An insider described the couple and their family as normal, “super loving,” and down to Earth. The couple, who waited for over eight years before getting married, whose shared love for flying was mentioned by the source, before adding this about Harrison’s hospital stay:
“This whole thing must be terrifying.”
Ultimately, Harrison recovered from his injuries and returned to his family. The actor, his wife, and his adopted son now live on a ranch where they keep busy with various activities.
Calista and Harrison’s Quiet Life on a Farm
In August 2022, it was reported that Harrison and his family live on a Jackson Hole, Wyoming ranch. “The Fugitive” star’s home boasted 800 acres of land and was located along Snake Rover.
It was revealed that year that Harrison said he had lived there for 35 years. He even confessed that when he was in Wyoming, he had the leisure of just walking out of the door and continuing.
The farm was described as a “personal sanctuary” for the actor, his wife, and Liam. In 2020, it was revealed that Harrison split his time between his Wyoming ranch and Los Angeles home, which he shared with the “Brothers & Sisters” actress.
Besides living quietly on their properties, Calista’s husband kept busy with his career. That year he was back on the big screen starring in “The Call of the Wild,” an adaptation of the classic Jack London novel.
According to reports, the actor also used to own a home in Brentwood, California, but in 2012 he put it up for sale for $8,295,000. The property had been his home for almost 30 years when he sold it.
Harrison bought the Gerard Colcord-designed country Colonial home in June 1983 for a mere $1 million. The house was initially built in 1951, and its 7,164-square-foot space boasts four bedrooms, an additional poolside, a one-bedroom guesthouse, and two separate guest/staff suites.
He put it on the market after buying another mansion with his wife in Brentwood that cost $12.65 million. The property was described as their longtime primary residence in Los Angeles.
When on the ranch, Harrison spent his days balancing his time between doing a little work and a little play. He once revealed that when his chores were done, and there was nothing more pressing waiting for him, he liked flying when the weather was good.
The “Blade Runner” star admitted that he loved flying in Wyoming. However, sometimes he opted to walk in the woods, do some work, and ride his road or mountain bikes.
Calista’s husband also shared that he had chores given to him by his wife, and he was always working on fixing something on the property. He did the home maintenance, worked in his woodshop, or discussed putting in a new roof with some people.
When the “Air Force One” actor wasn’t doing all those things, he enjoyed spending quality time with his wife while raising Liam. In 2010, the star opened up a little about what he did with his adopted son.
Harrison [Ford] shared some things he’d learned over the years to help make his marriage last.
He revealed that he did whatever his wife and son wanted to do on weekends. Sometimes on Sunday mornings, they went hiking, or motorcycle riding, or he and Liam would make a birdhouse, which took him three days!
Speaking about his son, Calista’s husband said having a then nine-year-old child was something he hadn’t expected. The star grinned when he shared that it was also a joyful experience.
He recalled Liam was around six or eight months old when he met him and his mother; they’ve been together since! In 2020, the couple celebrated their tenth wedding anniversary.
Harrison shared some things he’d learned over the years to help make his marriage last. The “Supergirl” actress’ husband joked that it was best not to talk and nod your head.
He also hilariously admitted that he had no idea where his dry humor came from. The actor said he’d never thought about his humorous side and noted, “I see funny, I think.”
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