Monthly Flower Delivery

Posts Tagged ‘Don’

You know, years ago it was easy.

Your better half was in labour. You’d sit outside in the waiting room with all the other expectant fathers, smoke countless cigarettes {yes, you could smoke in hospitals, then}, talk about the football and wait for the fateful words “Mr. Dirt, it’s a boy”.

At this point you would stand for the applause, take a bow and sling the cigars around.

You’d slip in to see the “little woman”, after she’d been ‘made decent’ by the staff, of course, give her a peck on the cheek and a cheap bunch of flowers, a revolting box of chocolates – Black magic were the weapon of choice in the olden days – and head off to the pub to tell all the blokes how clever you were to have a baby.

Well, my lucky lads, ‘Those days Are Gone’!

In the 21st century you are expected to be, well and truly, “Part of the Action” as far as childbirth goes. And you can forget those stinking cigars, for a start!

Be fair, lad, YOU initiated all this so it’s only reasonable that you should be there at the “Grand Opening”, so to speak.

It’s a tough ask, I know that, but it is something that you will be reminded of for the rest of your days if you decline the generous offer, or command, which ever may be the case.

Prepare yourself well. Childbirth is not the ‘happy event’ we hear about in the movies. The ‘happy event’ is the time directly FOLLOWING childbirth.

Childbirth itself is a long drawn out process, much like you and your wife sharing a tent in the mountains for a month when it rains every day – accompanied by your mother-in-law!

‘orrible, it is!

There are ways that it can be made easier, enjoyable, even.

Firstly you have to consider how much it will mean to your partner. She will be ever grateful and it will bring you closer together than anything else you have ever done.

This is a moment you will share with no-one else except a few dozen selected medical personnel and lots of machines, with flashing lights, that go “PING” at every available opportunity.

Then, of course, there are always the brownie points that you will receive from all your female relatives for being such a ‘caring partner’. No more socks and undies at Christmas. I see Single Malt Scotch on the gift list from Great Aunt Agatha.

As for yourself, well, you will have taken part in a one-off experience that some say has changed their lives forever.

There are so many things you have to learn and you don’t have unlimited time to learn them.

Online you will find videos that will assist you and, hopefully, there are classes in your local area.

Whatever you do, DON’T listen to your mates – listen to someone who knows!

For more valuable information on YOUR preparation for the birth of your child, check out The Guy’s Guide To The Delivery Room.

Oh, and by the way, congratulations. Have a cigar!

I live in Fargo, North Dakota with my wife and two children. And there’s a reason my wife’s been humming the melody from Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond’s hit song, “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers Anymore”. It’s because I don’t bring her flowers anymore. She put a stop to it. She said that with the price of flowers, especially roses, going up so drastically over the past several years there were just too many other things the money had to be used for, especially with two growing kids.

But that doesn’t mean she doesn’t miss the flower delivery person at the door with a beautiful spray of flowers on her birthday, Valentine’s Day, or even Mother’s Day. I don’t want to brag, but I was a bit of a master when choosing just the right arrangement for her. And I’m not talking about just when we were dating. The gift of flowers continued long after we were married. The bouquets were always colorful (and included at least two or three varieties of flowers that grew in her favorite color, yellow) and had such lovely fragrances that it was hard for her to give it all up.

Then one day I woke up. Even though we live in a climate where we have spring and summer for only about five months out of the year, I figured I could still give her a “gift of flowers”, but it would just look a bit different then what she had become accustomed to. I could plant a beautiful garden with all of her favorites in it.

I wondered how I would get such a project underway. I had a feeling that unless I could do this affordably, my wife would not be singing a different tune when it came to the expense.

I had never grown anything in my life and certainly didn’t see myself with a green thumb. But I was determined to learn. So, I started researching on the internet for information about when to plant, what to plant, and how to keep those planted seeds growing, growing, growing!

Early on I ran across a site that did it all. They sold flower seeds, sure. But they did so much more. They had for sale every possible variety of flowers and tons of information posted about each one of them. I found a flower that I hadn’t heard of before, but knew immediately it would be a hit with my wife. It’s called the Shasta Daisy. Here are just a few of her finer points (no kidding, this was all available in one spot):

*She has a bright, yellow center.

*She blooms from early spring through September and is a perennial (that means it grows back on its own each year. That’s right; I’m picking up some new vocabulary here).

*She makes a perfect cut flower, blooming for about two weeks in a bouquet.

*She is easy to maintain and is drought tolerant.

*You plant the seeds at only a depth of about 1/16 of an inch.

*Germination is about 2-4 weeks.

*She grows to a height of 1-3 feet.

I know it seems silly that I am talking about this plant as if it was a human being but this garden was becoming “my baby”.

And, one more thing. Just when I thought I had enough information to get under way, and get my order in, I saw a link to purchase some gardening tools. Oops! I forgot that I needed a hoe and rake and who knew what else. I needed tools that would make my gardening easy and fun. I ran across a name I had not heard of before; Wolf Garden. At first I though it was the name of a rock band we had seen in concert in the late ’80s. Instead I found out these folks sold some pretty helpful garden implements. Basically, they’re easy to store and use because they have just one handle that’s interchangeable with all of their long garden tools (like the hoe, rake, broom, etc.) Cool! I decided to give them a try as well.

So, I am anxious to get started planting. Of course, we had a bit of a late spring with our area flooding and all, but I will not be discouraged. By this time next year, I may once again be in the business of bringing her flowers for some of those special occasions.

What?s the best way for a man to make a lasting impression on a woman? Recent consumer research shows that the answer to making a memorable impact is right under his nose? through flowers. In fact, the study shows that 92% of women can remember the last time they received flowers, and 89% say receiving flowers makes them feel special.

Giving great floral gifts, however, still remains a mystery to most men. To help them out, author and TV host Rebecca Cole provides guidance on giving females flowers.

?Flowers are a sensual gift that can express any emotion so simply ? with just a little knowledge and a phone call to the florist.?

Cole offers advice to guys on:

How to send just the right message to the woman in his life ? a new girlfriend, that special someone, Mom or a good friend.

The New Thing. This emotion may be the most difficult for a man to express, so Cole provides style advice for the guy who wants to show his new romantic interest exactly how he feels. ?A passionate arrangement is filled with hot pinks, oranges, reds and golds. Add a thoughtful card to help communicate just the right sentiment,? says Cole.
The Real Deal. Flowers are intimately ? and internationally ? linked with the art of romance, and for good reason says Cole. ?As relationships grow, flowers become symbols of different events and milestones in our lives together. Take note of her favorite flowers ? the varieties at your wedding, flowers you sent her when you first started dating or the ones she buys for herself. Those will have great meaning and impact.?
Leading Ladies. ?No woman ? especially moms, grandmas and sisters ? should live without a little TLC,? says Cole. A fabulous flowering plant or a garden-style arrangement with greens and soft pastel hues ? no matter what the flower ? will send the message that you care.
The Gal Pal. ?Flowers that show you?re thinking of someone, but not in a sensual way, have anatural, just-picked feeling,? says Cole. She advises to ask for a selection of garden-style flowers or a bright bold color palette that is fun and whimsical. A basket with a mix of flowering and green plants delivered to her door or office is also a sure fire winner.

What are the three top design styles that men can ask for with confidence:

Research shows that 96% of women like to receive flowers when they?re not expecting them. ?Guys should know that they don?t have to wait for a special occasion to give flowers,? Cole says. ?Make an occasion by sending flowers to the woman in your life, just because. They?ll never forget it.?

Cole offers advice for men willing to try something trendy. She suggests these three top design styles that men can ask for with confidence:

Monobotanic. Arrangements featuring only one type of flower (such as all roses, tulips, lilies or iris) are in style and may even include different colors of the same flower in the vase or container.
Monochromatic. Pick a color, any color and stick with it! If her favorite color is pink, for example, ask your florist for a fresh bouquet of different flowers in the same color range.
Bunches of Texture. Ask your florist to select complementary flowers of various textures to place in bunches in an elegant glass container. This unique look has a bold, contemporary feel and will surely provide the ?wow? factor.
Need to find a florist? Check Online Florist in your area or just search on internet.
Don?t know what to say on the card? Check for Creative quotes messages for every occasion.