Perks

My husband showed up with flowers.  Wild flowers.  At least that's the way they looked to me.  He knows I'm not a hot house flower kind of girl.  Too perfect.  Too fake.  No real depth of character.  These aren't typical florist offerings though.  Amaranth, larkspur, sea lavender, brown-eyed susans, teddybear sunflowers, little bits of asparagus fern...  If it wasn't for the pretty paper and ribbon wrapped around them I would have thought he went out into the field and gathered them :)

 I told you we are empty-nesters, right?  About the time he brought home the flowers he asked me to come up with some things I would enjoy doing with him.  You are probably wondering why a husband of 23+ years would be asking his wife of the same to do something when it should be second nature.  I could chalk that up to a lot of things, but it basically boils down to change.  I was 18 when we were married.  I was still growing up, learning, insecure... In the last 3 years I have totally changed the way I eat, am more assured and confident in who I am, yet relearning how to be just a wife (because I've been a mom as well for 22 of the 23+ years).  I love him for wanting to know.  J's interests and mine don't jive.  He is a movie, sports, cigars, cognac, motorcycles, loud music and techy kind of fella.  I like an occasional movie, but it has to be something I'm going to laugh at without being completely moronic.  I enjoy sports, but I'd rather watch them at the field or arena and take photos of the event rather than passively sit and cheer or yell @ a TV.  I like wine and some mixed drinks if they aren't too sweet.  I prefer the scent of pipe tobacco. ... You get the picture.    My tastes lie more with brain games, books, simply watching people, beautiful scenery without too much exertion to arrive there, collecting momentos from wooded paths or indigenous markets rather than ritzy shops, and daydreams.  Sometimes it is hard to fit into each other's world.
As I thought about his request, I tried to think of things we both like and incorporate them into what I enjoy.   We both like coffee (he's froo-froo, I'm plain, but we both like it), we both like water and boats (I like to be near water, he likes to speed across/around/through/over it), we both like scenery (he wants to hike in, I want to drive or walk with little to no incline), etc...
I did manage to come up with several things!  We've already begun.  Have I ever told you that 'lists' also hold a 'thrill' for me?
Here's (most) of my list: (some are not for public mention) ;)

* Sip coffee on a park bench and people watch
* Play card games (you can let me win)
* Build Castles in the sand
* Cuddle - every chance we get
* Purchase ingredients, make lunch, and eat together
* go miniature golfing
* Order Thai, Moroccan, or Korean to go and eat at home by candlelight
* Take a road trip
* Stargaze
* Make a blanket fort (only we are allowed inside!) (he just bought a book to read to me - I think we might do it by flashlight in our fort!  hee hee)
* Take silly pictures
* Dance in the living room
* Buy each other an outfit
* Write each other paper love notes
* Go on a classy-ass date
* Kiss. A LOT. Often.
* Attend a Mariner's game @ Safeco. Cheer and be rowdy fans
* Plant a tree & watch it grow
* Row lazily about a pond
* Pick apples and have them pressed to cider
* Walk & hold hands.  No agenda necessarily.
* Make lists of our favorite things to exchange (just for the thrill of making a list, if for nothing else)
* Do a scavenger hunt
* Ride a ferris wheel
* Attend an outdoor festival (He immediately thought concert - I was thinking Shakespeare or plays, or local foods and wines with music just being background ...)
* Hang out at the Library or Barnes and Noble or a used books store
* Go to Farmer's Markets
* Tour winery / brewery
* Feed the ducks
* 'Rent' a movie @ the library and eat your nachos while we watch it.  ( J makes great nachos - and though I'll eat mine with local, Goat's milk, raw cheddar instead of his yellow dyed, heat-treated, enzyme-less, full of preservatives cheddar, it is something we can do together, right???)

Any other ideas for us?
I'm loving the perks of being back to couple-hood while we are still so young.