I’ve mentioned before how difficult I find it to shop for my husband. You have to understand that the man is quite frugal, so the very idea of someone spending money to buy him a birthday or Christmas gift often invokes a negative response. Don’t get me wrong – its not that Justin is not grateful for gifts he receives, he simply doesn’t want it to be a big deal, particularly when the money could be spent on what he deems to be more important things. For this very reason, I aim to keep most of his gifts practical. Yes, I am the wife who has given her husband socks and underwear as part of his Christmas gift. (Don’t knock it till you try it, folks – a healthy surplus of underwear and socks means more time between laundry loads for me. Ulterior motive? You betcha!)
So when Justin turned 30 this year I found myself in a bit of a pickle. There was no way I was going to let his 30th birthday go by without a really great gift. But with Operation Fund IVF Cycle #2 underway, I also had to get creative with my limited budget. Enter the spark that ignited the creative genius behind this gift:
I found a nice set of two pilsner glasses online.
**idea lightbulb above my head!**
Justin really enjoys a good beer. In fact, one of his favorite venues in Clarkston is the Riverport Brewery, where you can bring in your own food, sample a few microbrews and watch sports on the big screen until the hour your wife dictates you must be home.
Interestingly enough, when Justin goes to the Riverport Brewery it is usually with his buddies from work. And it just so happens that two of those buddies are DIY home brewers themselves.
Can you see where this is headed?
With the pilsner glasses ordered I headed over to Amazon for resource material. My buys:
1. How to Brew
So when Justin turned 30 this year I found myself in a bit of a pickle. There was no way I was going to let his 30th birthday go by without a really great gift. But with Operation Fund IVF Cycle #2 underway, I also had to get creative with my limited budget. Enter the spark that ignited the creative genius behind this gift:
I found a nice set of two pilsner glasses online.
**idea lightbulb above my head!**
Justin really enjoys a good beer. In fact, one of his favorite venues in Clarkston is the Riverport Brewery, where you can bring in your own food, sample a few microbrews and watch sports on the big screen until the hour your wife dictates you must be home.
Interestingly enough, when Justin goes to the Riverport Brewery it is usually with his buddies from work. And it just so happens that two of those buddies are DIY home brewers themselves.
Can you see where this is headed?
With the pilsner glasses ordered I headed over to Amazon for resource material. My buys:
1. How to Brew
When Justin’s birthday finally arrived I had him open the pilsner glasses first, followed by the books. His initial response to his gift was his usual laid back “Thanks, honey. Now lets go to dinner.” I held my tongue and didn’t express my disappointment. I had really put a lot of thought into this gift and I was so sure he would positively love it!
Its a good thing that I did hold my tongue. Justin tried out his super cool new pilsner that very weekend, and his eyes were glued to his How to Brew book for the next week. Within two weeks he was telling me about another book he found online about grains/herbs you can grow in your own garden to incorporate into your home brew. He was also coming home with hand-me-down brewing supplies from his buddies at work.
At this point I started to question my gift a bit. Truth be told, I really dislike beer. Acquired taste? I think not. Even the smell is nauseating. So why would I want to encourage a hobby such as home brewing? On the other hand, I do enjoy a tasty hard cider, which Justin insists is nearly the same process. So, being the great wife that I am, I conceded to go along with his enthusiasm.
To be continued...
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