Christmas 2009

[sepefrio]

As we all know, we could all help each other out in the inspection business, but no matter how much help you you provide there, there is NOTHING like helping someone to make their spouse happy. (At least that what my wife says)

So, along these lines, and I do it now so we would have plenty of time to find it, buy it, built it, fix it, loose it or whatever, what do you think would be an awesome gift for an awesome spouse? Remember, we aren't talking about a $5000 diamond ring. Although they may think that is nice and love it, I'd like to hear ideas of extraordinary things.

For example, so far I think the best one I ever did for my wife was a few years ago. Her mother has passed that summer (her father a few years prior). Her parents were not the camera type people and not only are their barely any photo's of her childhood, but there were NONE of her parents. Well, not real Photo's of just them.

So I searched and found every photo I could with them in it. I got their national ID cards (Spanish), wedding videos and photos from ours and her brothers and sisters weddings. I even went to the newspaper archives and found a picture of them when they were younger on the farm. Then with the help of photo restoring folks and editors, I made a big collage of photos of them. We took wedding video, took a still from it, cut out just them, alone or together and rearranged them to make them look like the picture was intended to be taken of them. Same with the ID cards and the newspaper clipping (that they added color too).

To this day, I don't think my wife can recall any of the other presents she (or anyone else) received that Christmas. It was a bit of work, but boy did she love it. To this day I know she will thank me again when I see her staring at it. The only down side, all her brothers and sisters wanted copies.

So, whats your idea?

[Richard Moore]

John, my first thought after reading your post is that it sounds like you have a very good marriage. One that will survive quite nicely whether you come up with the perfect gift or not. So don't sweat it too much. If your wife is anything like mine, it's the goofy little gestures she really appreciates.

Here's one thing I did many, many years back. I'm fairly sure that it was for her birthday rather than Christmas (she remembers these things better than I do). Anyway...maybe you could adapt it.

My wife isn't much into fashion, mostly being a jeans and sweater type. I had noticed that almost all of her socks were a very boring dark blue or black and my first idea was to buy her a bunch of more colorful ones. This I did, selecting a dozen individual pairs with various "fun" patterns (doggies, stripes, etc). I then came up with the idea of how to present them to her. I knew she was a creature of habit in the morning and so I planted them in places where she couldn't help but find them. A pair went into her favorite coffee cup, another in the top cereal bowl, a pair in the cutlery drawer, etc, etc. I taped a pair to the window behind the blinds I knew she opened each morning. One pair got attached to the leash used to let the dog out for a quick pee. You get the idea. She "happened upon" all 12 and I can remember laying in bed that morning hearing her laugh with each new discovery. And, yes, she's been into fanciful socks ever since.

[hausdok]

How about this?

[sepefrio]

Hey I ain't worried, been with this woman for 23+ years now and not only do I still like her, the amazing part, I think she still likes me.

And this isn't so much just for me. Maybe I get no ideas that would work. Maybe some other guy here take yours or my idea and end up having a better Christmas. That's a win in my book as well.

Just though we could all talk about it and help each other out. It can also be fun reading hearing about different ideas or past histories.

I like that idea about the socks. That can be converted into so many different items.

Besides, I have to do something to get some of this math out of my head. If you notice, I usually post now in the wee hours, after the kids are well in bed and I'm working on my math homework. Gotta find some distractions.

[Steven Hockstein]

Love the sock idea. I may steal it [8D]

For my wife's 40th birthday party (it was a surprise party), I invited many of her current and past good friends. I asked everyone to send me a flat 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper with memories of her. No rules except it had to be flat. Photos, notes, drawings, stories, etc.. were welcomed. They were due two weeks before the party. Everyone sent something and my sister was kind enough to make a scrapbook of them. On the first page I wrote and note and included the napkin that she wrote her phone number on from when I met her 20 years before. I gave it to her at the party.

She still gets teary when she reads the book.

[Inspectorjoe]

How about this?

Nah, we prefer Club Orient on St. Martin. After all, Nothing is better!

[Erby]

They're all better with nothing on!

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[Robert Jones]

I have a sinking feeling that the promotional pics at Club Orient, is the exception to the rule. I can picture overly wrinkled and tanned skin on much "older" bodies.

[Jerry Simon]

I have a sinking feeling that the promotional pics at Club Orient, is the exception to the rule.

I agree. Did you see the size of that banana in the one shot?

[Inspectorjoe]

I have a sinking feeling that the promotional pics at Club Orient, is the exception to the rule. I can picture overly wrinkled and tanned skin on much "older" bodies.

Rob, of course the people in the promotional pics are the exception - they are promotional pics after all. It's good marketing to use attractive people on your web site, isn't it? Still, they aren't that far off the mark. A median age range for club O visitors might be 30-50, with roughly half of them being European. Europeans as a rule, are generally more fit than their American counterparts. But then you don't go to look at others, right?

I feel bad veering this thread off topic - it's a good one. I've been trying to think of something really special and unusual I've done for my wife , but have come up empty. I do try to make her feel special every day in little ways though.

If when this economy eventually turns around, I'll look forward to announcing to her that I booked us a vacation at Club O.

Here we are going through customs:

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[Richard Moore]

If when this economy eventually turns around, I'll look forward to announcing to her that I booked us a vacation at Club O.

Great! Now I have this picture in my head of a TIJ sponsored Home Inspector convention at Club Orient. It's a very disturbing image and I apologize if I just passed it on to others.

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