Monday, April 18, 2011

Happy Birthday Hubs

Today is Hubs' birthday.

What can I tell you about this man?

I'm lucky.

His sons are lucky.

He has taught me more about beer than I ever thought I wanted to know.  I know about hops and malt and wort. I know about top fermenting and bottom fermenting. I know about cask conditioning and the difference between a porter and a stout. Watching him scour the shelves for a new or unusual brew is like watching a kid with a dime in a penny candy store. Watching him sniff, sip, savor and comment is one of my favorite past times. I can't help but enjoy myself, too.

He taught me that windshield wipers should occasionally be replaced, and how to utilize that bizarre tome in the auto section that points you to the correct wiper.

He has taught me about the Red Sox, and the meaning of the phrase unconditional love. Yes, we named both our children after players. Yes, we cried when they won. He has taken me around the country to cheer for them in other stadiums, and it will be our great delight to take the boys to ball parks near and far. Thanks to him, I get to participate in a dream I never would have dreamed on my own.

He taught me that you can make a spreadsheet to evaluate anything.

He taught me how to make scrambled eggs - though they never come out as good as his.

He taught me about bar-b-que. Good bar-b-que. Bar-b-que that's worth driving for. Bar-b-que that is served from a shack or from an old bus, handed out by wizened, overall-clad men with no teeth. The meat's so tender, who needs teeth?

He taught me about character when he stayed with me through brain surgery. We were so young, and they shaved half my head. I looked like Frankenstein but he never wavered.

He taught my boys to love music.

He taught his oldest son to throw a mean fast ball.

He taught his youngest son to do a dead-on imitation of Borat.

He taught me to laugh at myself.

He's a good egg, that husband of mine.

Everyone say, "Happy Birthday!"

7 comments:

  1. one of the best blogs yet..you caught the essense of the "man" ..he is the best and you two make quite a unique and interesting couple..hope he has a happy day today

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  2. Happy Birthday to him.
    I had to smile reading this cos not only do you and I have lots of similarities in life and thoughts (no, i'm not a stalker, I just often feel like i GET what you write so completely)...but our husbands do too. Esp in the sport...here, for us in Oz, it's Collingwood in Aussie Football...OBSESSION...we won last year...and 3 of our cats have been named after players. And also in the spreadsheets...my man is obsessed with stats in any form. And in the caring for me...it comes out in the rough times, yes, when i look my worst. And in the being a good egg. Lucky gals aren't we! Hope your man has a good day.

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  3. Happy birthday Fella!

    Just wrote about my husband today on my blog - strange coincidence! http://maevesmomma.blogspot.com/2011/04/dada.html

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  4. Are we married to the same man!? Minus the baseball, you have just described my husband ;) When we were dating and he was living in a dorm, my house was homebrew central on the weekends, and there was always something fermenting in my cellar. I also had the leasing company call me once to ask if I needed them to have "that, uh, thing" removed from my back yard. Of course they were referring to the smoker he had fashioned from two 50 gallon drums spray painted black. The latter was, naturally, so that he could make "real BBQ."

    Anyway, this was about YOUR husband - happy birthday to him! Hope it's a perfect day!

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  5. Happy happy birthday!
    A good man is a treasure beyond reckoning.

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  6. Happy Birthday to the mister! It's a good day for a birthday- it's also mine! :)

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  7. Happy birthday and, as the Dutch like to spread the joy, you too would be wished "Gefeliciteerd" on your fab hubby's special day! Hope it's been a grand one. x

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