Finding a fiver in my pocket is always a good surprise too

Do you like surprises? Why or why not? (from plinky.com)

I have had one surprise party thrown for me in my adult life and this was on a sunny afternoon in July when I spent six weeks in Canada during my first year living in Britain. I went home to sort out arrangements for my wedding as well as spend time with everyone. Unbeknownst to me, my co-workers, friends and family had planned a ‘money-tree’ shower for me. I blogged about it here, wherein I explained that I didn’t want a shower yet I couldn’t help but be delighted at the time and effort people went to for me.

In the whole scheme of things the idea of surprise parties are great and I certainly like helping to plan them; but only for people that I know will be legitimately thrilled. When it comes to surprise parties for myself I’m more like my mom in the fact that they are definitely not for me. I prefer to have a date to look forward to, something I can get excited over and even better, decide what to wear.

Andy lovingly took me away to Barcelona for a surprise birthday present a few years back. It was fun to hold discussions with my friends as we pondered where my husband could possibly be taking me and it definitely felt like an adventure in the early morning hours when we were on our way to the airport. I love that my husband went to such an effort to bring me joy, however as I said to him afterwards, its often a good idea to have a close female friend involved when planning surprise trips as they have a better idea of what a girl might need for the surprise destination. I didn’t exactly have the right clothes for January in Spain, although we had one hell of a good time just the same.

My husband has tried to surprise me numerous times over the years and sometimes I’m thrilled at the result, like the time he planned a Valentine’s Day scavenger hunt that resulted in my arriving at a Greek restaurant to find him waiting all suited up with a beautiful bracelet I had been coveting for months. (He was working away at the time so the effort was even more meaningful.) I’m a lucky girl, I know. Sometimes though his ideas backfire on him and I think he wonders why he even bothers; See the problem is I like to be involved in the hunt for most major purchases or DIY decisions. I have a bit of a control issue that way. (No way am I admitting to being a control freak, I’m not that bad yet.) I also don’t think I’m alone in this; most women do want to be involved in decisions that will affect the appearance of their home. Don’t they?

The little ‘surprise’ moments are always sweet too; for instance coming downstairs to a tidy kitchen when it didn’t look that way the night before, or getting breakfast in bed on a Sunday morning. These things happen more often than not so I’m not sure if they could be deemed surprises. (I told you I lucked out in the husband department; I’m not just with him because he’s hung like a horse you know.)

When it comes to Christmas I was never a child that snooped to see what mom and dad had hidden away. I’m still the same – happy to wait until Christmas morning to see what ‘surprises’ await me (I often do a wish list but it’s still a surprise to see what may or may not be there). Some surprises are good surprises but the best surprises for me are the ones when you get to see and spend time with someone you never expected to; like the time I traveled to Ontario to wedding dress shop with my sister Tawny and after we’d hugged each other I saw our little sister Stacy (who lives in another province) pop out from behind a corner. Now who wouldn’t like that kind of surprise?