The Cost of Spring

Spring has arrived. yippee. whoop dee doo. rah rah… (heavy sigh).

I know I should be excited that winter is over; the sun is shining, the tulips are springing up, and the neighbours have switched their snow tires off their SUV. But, I just find spring to be very, very expensive. I just can’t get excited about a season that always seems to bring me so close to the bring of broke.

It starts with Easter with spring clothes and Easter baskets for the girls. Then, the last week of March is my oldest daughter’s birthday, which is followed 8 days later by her sister’s birthday. This year half a dozen presents, two cakes a platter of appetizers and 20 balloons got us through the week.

It is time to start facing what I have been denying until now. In 10 days it’s my wife’s birthday. This is not just any birthday. It’s her first birthday in our new home. And it’s one of those round numbered milestone birthdays.

This is really not a good time for me to be walking around without a plan, but somehow I’ve managed to, in spite of the pressure. A lot can happen in 10 days. My tax refund could arrive. She might tell me what it is she actually wants. The weather could take a nasty turn. Or a terrific turn. Or both. Just to add to the pressure, after all this, we’ll wrap the season up on Mother’s Day.

It’s not that I have no gift ideas at all; in fact I have several. They are grand ideas; expensive ideas. Frankly, my dear spouse deserves every one of them. Besides, the higher that I set the standard now, the better off I’ll be when my birthday rolls around in October.

She even knows most of the plans I’ve come up with. Depending on the day, she has loved or hated them; said “let’s go for it” or “we can’t really afford that”. It’s an awkward situation, what with me having to make the decision on my own and all. For the last 6 years I have been trained to stop making decisions on my own. I’ve managed to adapt to it well. Except twice a year, at Christmas and Birthday time, anything I decide is by consensus. Or is it by concession? (Note to self: look up the difference between concession and consensus, then ask Carolyn which one is correct.)

This could be bleak. But I know I can pull it off. This is a big deal birthday and I know what I have to do. I may not even have to decide anything. I know which plan to implement. I will go with…BOTH options!…

I cannot elaborate any further.

It is rumoured that my wife occasionally reads my blogs. She states that this is not true, and that she’s excused from having to read them since she’s had to live through most of it in the first place.

And let’s be honest. Some of the people who do read this blog are—uhm, errr, well… I believe the correct term is: recreationally chatty.

I can’t have everyone else knowing what I’m up to before it happens. It wouldn’t be right. Besides, the more I keep to myself, the more I can secretly revise my plan at the very last possible minute. I have a reputation to uphold, after all.

Yes, spring is the season of giving at our house. And whatever it is I’m planning, I hope it’s really special. I also hope it’s easy to pull off; get to; organize; make; obtain; pay for; or whatever the case may be.

After all, I only have ten more days to decide.