Terrible Awful Gifts From My Husband

    Last night Alex returned for a crazy fun weekend with our son, Jack, in Nashville. They went to see the Who perform Quadrophenia.

Proudly, Alex said, “look what I got you!”

Then he held up a large black Who concert tee-shirt with tour dates on the back. It was big ugly shirt unless you are a bearded middle aged dude who loves the Who. If you’re that guy it’s the coolest shirt ever.

Alex really did buy it for me but he’s a man, and men typically are not great gift givers. In the past Alex has given me mixing bowls, potato smashers and meat thermometers and lots and lots of lingerie. (By the way he’s a chef.)

Fortunately, I have two daughters with great taste and a son with an amazing memory. They generally help me out and  tell him what I really want. And sometimes he listens.

But the truth is I don’t get upset when Alex gives me another butcher knife or a  set of drill bits. He does lots of things that are more important, he just can’t wrap them up.

Every morning he gets up at 4:30 then re-sets the clock to 6:00 for me. Even when it’s freezing cold and sleeting, he jump-starts my car or changes the tire when I’m stuck….and he never ever bitches or complains. When I have to write a blog because it just won’t wait…he understands. He knows home much I love Muhammad Ali and surprises me with odd Ali stuff sometimes. But the most amazing thing he gives me….well, three nights a week, when I want to work out at Taekwondo for an hour, he understands, encourages me, and actually tries to get things done at the house. All these gifts add to the quality of my life so much more than “the perfect Christmas present”.

So, when I’m sitting next to the tree and open up the set of jumper cables or new cheese grater, I’m gonna give Alex a big hug and say thank you.

He just won’t know what I’m really saying “thank you” for.