Birthday ideas for DH

[glypnirsgirl]

I have always prided myself on getting DH the perfect birthday present. Last year, I took him to the Axis of Evil Comedy Tour. The year before, I took him to a book signing by his favorite author.

He used to be interested in garden railroads, and I got him an LGB digital train set up.

I have bought him all of the first class scuba gear that the store sells.

He has a brand new cell phone.

I am completely stumped for ideas and his birthday is coming up. Its a week from Saturday.

He hates getting clothing and he dislikes getting technology stuff because he wants to buy both of those for himself.

Any ideas???

Elaine

[TW1]

Is he an instant-gratification kinda guy? Or can you pay it forward with a promise of something special on your next trip to WDW, like an illuminations cruise, or special dinner, or segway tour, etc.

[greenban]

I have always prided myself on getting DH the perfect birthday present. Last year, I took him to the Axis of Evil Comedy Tour. The year before, I took him to a book signing by his favorite author.

He used to be interested in garden railroads, and I got him an LGB digital train set up.

I have bought him all of the first class scuba gear that the store sells.

He has a brand new cell phone.

I am completely stumped for ideas and his birthday is coming up. Its a week from Saturday.

He hates getting clothing and he dislikes getting technology stuff because he wants to buy both of those for himself.

Any ideas???

Elaine

Since you are both so OPEN minded, if your marriage is likewise ;)

A BLONDE

otherwise an AKV add-on is always a thoughtful gift!

-Tony

[glypnirsgirl]

Tom - He is definitely not a pay it forward kind of guy. He wants his birthday present NOW, he would prefer not to have to wait until his birthday. He is already bugging me about what I have gotten for him.

Tony --- what in the world makes you think that my DH is open minded??? I am the open minded one. He would DIE of embarassment if I got him a blonde. He has never even been in a men's club. He objects to me going skinnydipping in our own back yard with a 8' tall privacy fence ... in the dark!

Love the idea of the AKV add on. Too be BLT is not on sale yet, that would be perfect. Neither of us has even seen the AKL or the AKV. I think that I will lool for some small addons though. Maybe BCV?

Elaine

[JimP]

Elaine,

I am a lot like your hubby... there are very few items that I would want someone to pick for me. There is no way anyone would choose the proper technology item... it just cannot happen.

Clothes are boring. I still remember the dissapointment as a kid opening a package and seeing clothes. I think I would throw them back over my head along with the wrapping paper as I would dive for the next gift. I never outgrew that.

I did tell Deb that I would like a Jimmy Buffett CD... it gets me into the beach mood... and I only have about 250 JB songs on my iPod... I can always use more of those :) Live from Fenway Park sounds like a good one!

/Jim

[glypnirsgirl]

I looked at all of the resale places and I could not find a contract to my liking AND within my price range (more the latter problem). Last week I was talking to Ian about what he wanted for music for his Blackberry. He thought about it, said the Dixie Chicks and promptly downloaded all of their albums. He likes Ji,y Buffett, but I LOVE JB (anoter parrothead wannabe) so he would feel like Debbie did about upgrading the plane for her comfort.

I am thinking of getting a tempurpedic king sized mattress for him. He loves his tempurpedic mattress, but it is just queen sized so we have it in the guest room. I think I will have to wait to see how big my trustee check is to see if I can afford it.

Would any of you guys LIKE tempurpedic mattress for your birthday, or is this too much like pots and pans???

Elaine

[JimP]

Would any of you guys LIKE tempurpedic mattress for your birthday???

Elaine,

Does it come with the blonde?

/Jim

[glypnirsgirl]

I am the only blonde that it comes with. But believe me, I am enough blonde for my husband to handle. He could not handle another one, too.

Elaine

[glypnirsgirl]

There is a good reason my husband thinks to buy me flowers... I earn them.

[glypnirsgirl]

Okay, I thought of two more possibilities: a gunsafe (one of the large cabinet type safes - he always admires these when we go to REI or Cabela's or Bass Pro Shops OR pool cleaning for the summer. He is the one that always cleans the pool. WHat about a professional pool cleaner?

Several years ago, one of the first gifts I ever gave my husband was one of the large craftsman tool boxes (told you I was a mechanic's daughter) he loved this present. It gives me hope that he might like the gun safe.

What do you think?

Elaine

[JimP]

WHat about a professional pool cleaner?

Is she blonde too?

Actually... I really like the tempurpedic foam mattress. That would make me happy :)

/Jim

[JimP]

I LOVE JB (anoter parrothead wannabe)

OK... do we have a date? I am dying to go to a JB concert!!! Debbie can visit with Ian.

/Jim

[glypnirsgirl]

Thank you - it really is hard to cross these gender lines when it comes to gifts. I think that guys just do not complain about what their wives get for them even if they are not thrilled. Maybe it comes from getting a lifetime supply of ties, socks, underwear from their moms. The bar has just been set really low.

Elaine

[greenban]

Elaine:

I too would love a tempurepedic bed (#3), a sleep number bed (#2),or if your husband has really been good, the best bed I ever slept on, the Fairmont bed, from the Fairmont hotel in San Francisco.

But a nice, big gun safe (filled is even better, BTW) is a great option too. Be sure to get the electric drier for it as well.

Neither is a Pots & Pan Gift IMHO.

-Tony

[TW1]

FWIW, the tempurpedic was one of the best purchases I ever made.

[tomandrobin]

Personally, I like to get toys or tools. Don't buy me any electronics, unless I give you the make & model before you shop. Same as with clothes, I like to pick out my own outfits.

My wife and I have consecutive birthdays 2/25 and 2/26. We don't buy each other gifts (we already have most of what we want and need). We go on a trip for 4 days, just the two of us. That is our gift to each other.

[JimP]

Personally, I like to get toys or tools. Don't buy me any electronics, unless I give you the make & model before you shop. Same as with clothes, I like to pick out my own outfits.

My wife and I have consecutive birthdays 2/25 and 2/26. We don't buy each other gifts (we already have most of what we want and need). We go on a trip for 4 days, just the two of us. That is our gift to each other.

I feel exactly the same way about electronics. I am WAY too picky to just want some random gadget.

I like your idea abot your Feb getaway.

/Jim

[JimP]

Elaine:

I too would love a tempurepedic bed (#3), a sleep number bed (#2),or if your husband has really been good, the best bed I ever slept on, the Fairmont bed, from the Fairmont hotel in San Francisco.

But a nice, big gun safe (filled is even better, BTW) is a great option too. Be sure to get the electric drier for it as well.

Neither is a Pots & Pan Gift IMHO.

-Tony

I love Fairmont Hotels. The one in Union Sq SF is really nice... I also love the restuarant downstairs. The San Jose Fairmont is also quite nice. I have held industry conferences there and it is my favorite hotel in the San Jose area.

I have never stayed at the Fairmont Empress in Victoria BC... but I have walked through several times... absolutely lovely.

/Jim

[AFMom]

I actually did get a mattress for my B'day this year. Have been wanting it ever since I slept on the Marriott bed almost 2 years ago. Got a king size mattress (we had a queen) and a feather bed to go on top of it. Ahhhhhhhhh:blueflowe
My DH has a gun safe and loves it. He collects guns - and with kids in the house - well - they can't get into the safe and neither can their friends! I reccomend Liberty Safes - DH did a TON of rsearch and has been really happy with his for about 10 years now. But I'm sure there are plenty of good ones out there.
Does he have an Air Compressor yet? If he's into working with tools - an air compressor (a big one - not the little dinky ones) and a few air tools with make any guy pretty happy!

[glypnirsgirl]

I actually did get a mattress for my B'day this year. Have been wanting it ever since I slept on the Marriott bed almost 2 years ago. Got a king size mattress (we had a queen) and a feather bed to go on top of it. Ahhhhhhhhh:blueflowe
My DH has a gun safe and loves it. He collects guns - and with kids in the house - well - they can't get into the safe and neither can their friends! I reccomend Liberty Safes - DH did a TON of rsearch and has been really happy with his for about 10 years now. But I'm sure there are plenty of good ones out there.
Does he have an Air Compressor yet? If he's into working with tools - an air compressor (a big one - not the little dinky ones) and a few air tools with make any guy pretty happy!

Ian has a few small safes that he keeps his guns locked in. I am concerned about those portable safes just being stolen. Our home has been burglarized twice (none since we bought the guns) so he has a rational basis for his concern. Thanks for the heads up on the Liberty Gun Safe. I will look for that specifically.

Thanks everyone,
Elaine

[greenban]

Ian has a few small safes that he keeps his guns locked in. I am concerned about those portable safes just being stolen. ...Our home has been burglarized twice (none since we bought the guns) so he has a rational basis for his concern. ... Thanks for the heads up on the Liberty Gun Safe. I will look for that specifically.

Thanks everyone,
Elaine

I want to take this time to point out, that despite the lies of the liberal media, here is another example of gun ownership reducing crime!

(Of course don't ask me to explain how future robbers know Elaine and Spectacular Macro Shooting Guy have guns, because there goes my whole argument!)

-Tony

[glypnirsgirl]

I want to take this time to point out, that despite the lies of the liberal media, here is another example of gun ownership reducing crime!

(Of course don't ask me to explain how future robbers know Elaine and Spectacular Macro Shooting Guy have guns, because there goes my whole argument!)

-Tony

You know what Ian says, "Nothing like being a liberal in Texas to appreciate owning a gun." (or five or six)

My favorite story about owning a gun was before I converted Ian to the idea of gun ownership. We had recently married and he had just moved in with me. We were laying in bed and we could hear a dog bark way down the street. Then another dog would bark, slightly closer. Another, closer still. This kept up for about 6 or 7 dogs. Then no dog bark, but 'BOOM" --- total silence.

My first father in law gave me a Winchester 8 shot pump action shot gun that he had cut down from being a bird gun to a personal safety gun. My first husband traveled alot and he did not want me in the house with his only grandhild without some ability to defend us. I never bought shells for it until DS was used to going hunting with his granddad and had developed some appreciation for guns. It was my father in laws position that the SOUND of a pump action shot gun was enough to scare off all but the most determined bad guys. The burglars did not find it.

Anyway we have two long guns, both shot guns, which do not fit into the small portable safes that DH keeps his hand guns in. I think that the hand gun safes are fine for keeping kids away from the hand guns, but do not keep the guns from being stolen. I am looking forward to looking at the Liberty Gun Safes.

Elaine

[greenban]

You know what Ian says, "Nothing like being a liberal in Texas to appreciate owning a gun." (or five or six)

My favorite story about owning a gun was before I converted Ian to the idea of gun ownership. We had recently married and he had just moved in with me. We were laying in bed and we could hear a dog bark way down the street. Then another dog would bark, slightly closer. Another, closer still. This kept up for about 6 or 7 dogs. Then no dog bark, but 'BOOM" --- total silence.

My first father in law gave me a Winchester 8 shot pump action shot gun that he had cut down from being a bird gun to a personal safety gun. My first husband traveled alot and he did not want me in the house with his only grandhild without some ability to defend us. I never bought shells for it until DS was used to going hunting with his granddad and had developed some appreciation for guns. It was my father in laws position that the SOUND of a pump action shot gun was enough to scare off all but the most determined bad guys. I always kept this gun in a special sling at the head of my bed. The burglars did not find it.

Anyway we have two long guns, both shot guns, which do not fit into the small portable safes that DH keeps his hand guns in. I think that the hand gun safes are fine for keeping kids away from the hand guns, but do not keep the guns from being stolen. I am looking forward to looking at the Liberty Gun Safes.

Elaine

It is a shame we're married Elaine :beatinghe

I do agree, the sound of a shotgun's slide being racked, is about universal, and does not need to be translated into any language!

"I'll be back!"

-Tony

[7swans]

I think your mattress plan is a great one.
Does he have XM radio?
I gave that to DH a couple of years ago for Christmas, he loves it.

[JimP]

I think your mattress plan is a great one.
Does he have XM radio?
I gave that to DH a couple of years ago for Christmas, he loves it.

This falls under the "no electronics" rule. If DW got me an XM radio it would have to be returned... unless she hit the 0.000001 probability of choosing the correct model.

/Jim

[7swans]

Perhaps Elanie could be relied upon to research available models and choose the best one to meet her DH's needs.
However, she could pay for the programming and give him gift cards to purchase the unit of his choice.

[JimP]

Perhaps Elanie could be relied upon to research available models and choose the best one to meet her DH's needs.
However, she could pay for the programming and give him gift cards to purchase the unit of his choice.

There we go... this works just fine with guys. However... evidently not with women... if you recall my $1,000,000 check example.

/Jim

[glypnirsgirl]

I think your mattress plan is a great one.
Does he have XM radio?
I gave that to DH a couple of years ago for Christmas, he loves it.

Yep got that for hubby for Christmas a couple years ago too! It taught me not to buy electronics for im and led to the no electronics rule. He is simply happier doing the research himself and then going and hanging out and talking tohis fellow geeks to see what their recommendations are, then taking a stance with what he thinks is best. Then going vack to the geeks to find out what they think about his choice and mulling it over some more after their input. Perhaps revising choice, perhaps doing additional research so that he can more eloquently pleasd his case to the fellow geeks. Going back to the geeks for more discussion. Making a final decision, pricing it out at several places. Going to the store and talking to the salesman about what he is looking for, what their recommendation is, etc. And then finally making the purchase.

If I choose the absolute best thing for him, I have robbed him of almost 6 months worth of socializing. So it is not just a matter of whether or not I have made the correct choice, it is also having robbed him of the joy of the experience.

Elaine

[JimP]

If I choose the absolute best thing for him, I have robbed him of almost 6 months worth of socializing. So it is not just a matter of whether or not I have made the correct choice, it is also having robbed him of the joy of the experience.

Elaine

I love you more and more every day! :) What a thoughtful DW!

/Jim