Three times a year Murph, Kitty, and I struggle with what to get Wayne for (a) his birthday, (b) Christmas, and (c) Father’s Day. This year Tabby will get initiated into the chaos, starting with Father’s Day.
She’ll find Wayne’s not an easy person to give gifts to. He’s pretty modest and doesn’t like being made a fuss over. Nor does he like receiving lavish gifts. He’d rather see us saving our pennies instead of wasting them on him.
Except, he does an awful lot for us, not to mention puts up with an awful lot from us. We have to do something to show him how much we love and appreciate him.
We’re always pretty good about finding cards. I’m a Gold Crown Member at Hallmark because I like their points program. (I buy so many cards a year it works really well for me.) Plus, I like their selection of cards. They always have “From the Pet” cards that fit my needs. This year we’ve already got the cards covered.
So on to the gifts…
Wayne’s really into health and fitness, in particular running. His running partner recently got a heart monitor and loves it. We might have to get him one of those. He also loves music. I’m thinking a gift card for iTunes or an equivalent might be a good gift too.
Whatever we end up buying him, I just hope it conveys how wonderful we think he is for doing all he does for us. Because he sure does a lot!
Not only does he go to work and support us financially, he’s there for the daily grind. He gets up early and feeds the whole crew. (Except for me. I’m still happily asleep in bed at o’dark hundred, thank you very much. But sometimes, like on my birthday or Mother’s Day, he does make me breakfast in bed.) Then he walks Murph and endures the morning bunny hunt that inevitably ensues. (We’ve got wild rabbits roaming all over our neighborhood. We see at least one per walk, but it’s usually closer to three or four.)
At night he puts up with a bed full of monkeys. Murph crowds our feet, Tabby pins us in, when Mr. Meow used to join us he had to suffer being swatted by his tail, and then there’s me, the snorer. Our bedroom’s one crowded, noisy place at night, yet if we dare sleep elsewhere he insists we come back. He seems to like our company, as non-conducive to sleeping as it may be.
Yes, Wayne, a.k.a. “Papa” to Murphy, Tabby, and Mr. Meow, sure does allow a lot of shenanigans most men wouldn’t put up with. That’s why no matter what we get him, we only hope we can make him feel special, loved, and appreciated for what a good pet parent he is.