Can’t buy me love on Home Services

Feb

Can’t buy me love

posted by admin in Window Cleaning

Its actually a festival more than 1000 years old, for martyred Saint Valentine, which has somehow evolved into a modern celebration of love.
It%26lsquo;s true, some blokes act like martyrs when the day comes around, moaning about the pressure. They don %26lsquo;t know what to get. The worst of them, paralysed by fear, do absolutely nothing.
Other fellows make excuses, saying they are above all the marketing hype, and also do nothing come Valentine%26lsquo;s Day. It%26lsquo;s against their philosophy, after all, they are romantic every day of the year.
If you ask their long-suffering partners though, these women are hardly drowning in a room full of flowers and champagne on a daily basis.
If you are lumped with either kind of man; a no-doer or a no-hoper; who fails to get into the romantic spirit of the day, they should be banished to the sofa for at least a night.
There is no excuse for avoiding romance on Valentine%26lsquo;s Day. Despite opinions to the contrary, it%26lsquo;s not that hard to please a woman. Most of us want something quite simple, and it doesn%26lsquo;t need to cost much, if anything. We want to be surprised.
We want, in some small way, to be swept off our feet, no matter how successful or independent we are, or how feminist. It could be with a surprise dinner out, or cooking a meal. It could be with a compliment, telling us how your feel, or a love letter.
After some musing, and consulting with girlfriends, here are Tempo%26lsquo;s top 10 list of things a woman wants on Valentine%26lsquo;s Day. And fellas, if you don%26lsquo;t want to end up like poor old Saint Valentine, you best pay attention.
VALENTINE%26lsquo;S DAY DOS - 10 WAYS TO MAKE A GOOD IMPRESSION
TAKE HER OUT: If you are afraid that burning the kitchen down might not seem romantic, surprise her with dinner reservations at a restaurant. Avoid anything with a drive-through window or buffet menu (no McDonald%26lsquo;s or Burger King, and despite the name, avoid Valentine %26lsquo;s too). Think small, intimate, with nice food and a decent wine list.
LOVE LETTERS: Leave a sticky note somewhere she will find it on her coffee mug, on her glasses case, inside her purse or on the rear view mirror of her car telling her you love her, or wishing her a nice day. Keep away from anything x-rated, in case the sticky accidentally transfers itself on to a folder for the boss, or letters for the post office, and someone else gets the wrong idea.
FLOWER POWER: You can%26lsquo;t usually go wrong with flowers (they are beautiful, smell great, and can be admired for days). A dozen red roses are traditional, but you can go for anything colourful and beautiful. Avoid lilies, the flowers traditionally associated with death, or anything she might be allergic to (itchy eyes and red rashes will put a dampener on your romantic night). Handpicked wild flowers are also cute, but don%26lsquo;t go for the neighbours%26lsquo; flower beds, or you might be hunted down by the rake-bearing granny-next-door.
FRONT UP IN THE KITCHEN: Offer to make her dinner, there is nothing sexier than a man who knows his way around the kitchen. Make sure you sort out the recipes in advance, do the shopping yourself, and clean up too.
SPONTANEITY: Going with the surprise theme, find a way to whisk her away, or shake her out of her routine for the day. It might be something like sending flowers to her work, or it might be saying, %26quot;right, grab your shoes, a cardie and jump in the car, babe,%26quot; and whisking her off to a surprise picnic dinner in the park or at the beach. Go for a walk along the river or around the lake, and hold hands, enjoying each other %26lsquo;s company.
THOUGHTFUL GIFTS: Take a photograph of the two of you (where she looks good no double chins, weird eyes or bad posture) and get it blown up, or changed to black and white, and put it in a really nice frame. Talk to your camera shop about how to do that, or a friend who is good at PhotoShop.
GIFTS THAT ARE NOT GOING TO BREAK THE BANK: Trade Aid Trade Aid (Hamilton, Raglan and Te Awamutu) have some inexpensive and ethical gifts, including Kenyan stones shaped like love hearts and beautiful Indonesian scarves, not to mention some of the best chocolate around. Donovan%26lsquo;s Chocolate, made locally, is also a great gift idea. You can visit their Maui St store/factory in Te Rapa and handpick handmade chocolates for your honey.
HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS: Candles are also a good romantic gift, available from most home decor stores. While you are there, another option is a beautiful vase, if you are getting flowers for her. Even after they wilt and are thrown away, she will think of you every time she looks at the vase. It%26lsquo;s also a promise, that you will try to remember to buy her flowers more often during the year.
GET AWAY: If now is a busy time of year for you, make plans for a weekend away in a few months%26lsquo; time. Book a bed-and-breakfast in the country, or a mid-winter getaway. Tomorrow, give her a handwritten voucher for your romantic weekend, detailing where you will go and what you will do.
HAVE I TOLD YOU LATELY: In a quiet moment, sometime tomorrow, tell her you love her or how you feel about her, or the qualities you appreciate in her. Too often, we don%26lsquo;t take the time in our busy lives to do this, and now is as good a time as any to reaffirm how you feel about each other. It doesn%26lsquo;t need to be gushy or over the top. Just a %26quot;hey, you know I love you eh?%26quot; or a %26quot;I %26lsquo;m so glad we are together,%26quot; or %26quot;thank you for everything you do,%26quot; is enough, whispered in her ear. It can be scary to say these things aloud for some men, but for women, this kind of thing is worth more than dozens of roses and a mountain of gold. If you really struggle with verbal articulation, try to write it down in a card or letter (on nice stationery). She will keep this forever. Also, give her compliments, as vital to women as water is to those flowers.
VALENTINE%26lsquo;S DAY DON%26rsquo;TS
-Don%26lsquo;t do nothing. There is nothing worse than forgetting, or failing to even get a card because you couldn%26lsquo;t decide what to do. Despite all your anxiety, or your logical reasons for avoiding commercialism, she will just read it as you didn%26lsquo;t care enough or she isn%26lsquo;t important enough to cherish. It is a rare creature who, despite all arguments to the contrary, will actually be peeved if you get her flowers, write her a love letter or take her out for dinner.
-Don%26lsquo;t bring home a box of %26quot;chateau cardboard%26quot;, but go for a nice New Zealand wine. There are plenty of impressive bottles around the $15 mark. Ask for advice from staff at the wine store or supermarket if you are unsure what is decent or popular. You can%26lsquo;t go wrong with a Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc or an Old Coach Road Pinot Noir, or if you are after bubbles, Lindauer %26ndash; all cheap and cheerful options Tempo loves.
-Don%26lsquo;t bring home a steak and expect her to cook it. Take the initiative and get dinner going, especially if she is busy with work or the kids. Or get fancy takeout (such as Scoffs, or Indian or Thai %26ndash; not greasy chicken wings or hamburgers), and save you both from doing too many dishes. If you serve this on proper plates, at the table, with a nice bottle of wine, it%26lsquo;s almost as good as homemade.
-Don%26lsquo;t buy lingerie unless you are very sure of her size and taste. Invariably, you will get her size wrong, and either too large (%26quot;what, you think I%26lsquo;m a porker?%26quot;) or too small (elastic digging in, creating extra fat rolls) is going to make her mad. Also red lacy scratchy bras and knickers which are barely there may be romantic for you, but not for her.