Men remembering birthdays

This morning Jessica said, "dad doesn't know when my birthday is." This seemed to bother her and I assured her not to take it personally, but it is something men don't seem to worry about too much. (I am stereotyping here largely from my own experience.) It is also like how no men in our house can find anything in our fridge or a cupboard even if it falls out on their foot.

The whole remembering birthdays discussion reminded me of one of my birthdays years ago when my husband Nick remembered one of mine. He worked shift work at the mill, 6am-6pmish. One one particular birthday he arrived home from work, with roses in hand, and a beautiful card that contained gift certificates for a manicure and pedicure. I was blown away. Not totally that he remembered my birthday without too much reminding, but that he somehow found the time to get me such a nice gift.

A couple of weeks later we had to trade vehicles and I hopped into his truck. In my peripheral vision (note I worked in an eye doctor's office for 13 yrs) I saw a little white piece of paper that had some familiar writing on it. As I shift my gaze I took a better look at the paper.

Here is what it said: roses $, card $, gift certificates $. Written in MY SISTER'S VERY NEAT AND UNMISTAKEABLE HANDWRITTEN FONT, PRICELESS. So I called my beloved sister and she came clean. Don't recall how it all panned out, albeit it must have taken some coordination for the gift hand off, but I thanked her for getting it for me.

And here is the funnier part. Nick never paid any bills. I ran that part of the household. So I asked her if he had paid her yet. She said no. So a couple of days later I paid my sister for my birthday gift. I never said a word to Nick until what might have been months later.

It would turn out to be one of the gifts I would never ever forget. Bless his soul. :)