Yesterday I wrote a post about compliment time as part of a four part series about relationship reviews.  I asked readers what the best compliment they had ever received from their spouse was.  Natasha from Becoming Something left this portion of a letter her husband wrote to her:

Natasha, you make poetry mean something. You put life into music and life into what would otherwise be the mere duty of existence. You make love worth protecting and a family out of a group of children and a motley husband. Natasha, you breathe spirit into soul and feeling into touch. The water from your well shall always satisfy. You are the wonder that all metaphors fail, the gift that can be opened everyday. …There are days when I am forced to pause, when I am struck by the fact that you are my wife. You are a dream I get to touch, a future unfolding before me, a fantastic mysterious and challenging encounter of womanhood as it should be. I love your cheer, your courage and determination. I love your smile and the life that makes that smile an insight into our eternal origins. May the next nine years be better, as growth-filled and as warming.

Love, Jude.

What do you think everybody?  Is this a good way to compliment your spouse?  I, for one, stand amazed.

It’s Fall, almost Winter, and there are great activities that you can do for last minute dates that only come around this time of year.  If you’re looking for something to do with your sweetheart and (like me) often fail to plan something in advance, here are a few easy ideas:

Go see the Fall colors. Women appreciate beautiful things, guys.  Go somewhere you can see the colorful trees and take a walk with your honey.  If you have the time, fill a thermos with hot cocoa or hot tea to stay warm.  Don’t forget to pack an extra sweater or a blanket.  While you’re out on your walk, see how big a leaf you can find, or if you can find leaves that are multi-colored.

Carve a Pumpkin.  Stop by your local grocery store (if your area isn’t suffering from a Pumpkin shortage this year) and grab a pumpkin and two child safe carving knives.  Sit in your backyard or throw some newspaper down on the living room floor and go to town.

What other last minute date ideas do you have for the Fall?

It’s becoming a bit of a weekly tradition, but ya’all seem to enjoy it.

- On your way home, go to the bank and pick up two rolls of pennies. That’s one dollar total. Take your wife to the nearest public fountain. Hand her one of the rolls of pennies and then take turns tossing pennies into the well and making wishes. Make them out loud so that you can share them. After all of your pennies are gone (that’s 50 each, so this could take some time), go grab something to eat somewhere and talk about the most surprising/interesting/fascinating wishes that your partner made. You can find out why they made those wishes. It’s a great way to get to know something about your partner you never knew.

For more date ideas, click here.

- Go to the theatre. For some reason, a lot of people automatically link the theatre with romance. Taking your date to see a play at the last minute is a great idea. You can usually check your local paper to find out what’s playing, and if you call the theatre, they will often have discount tickets or coupons available. Also, if you’re a student, you can get last minute tickets (with an hour of the show starting) at a steep discount. Since it’s last minute, make sure you call to see if it’s sold out.

- Go stargazing. It’s getting warmer now. On the way home from work, grab a roast chicken from your local grocery store, a loaf of bread from their bakery, and maybe some cheese and something to drink. Grab your wife and drive up a canyon or out to a rural area, spread a blanket out on the ground, eat dinner and watch the stars when it gets dark. If you want to do a little more planning, local universities often have stargazing parties

- Go Clubbing. If you’re feeling a little more adventurous, dress up and go to a night club. How long has it been since you did that? My wife and have done this a few times since we got married and it’s absolutely hilarious to us. I get a certain voyeuristic pleasure out of watching all the single people grope around trying to impress everyone….but I like to watch people. If you find the right club, you might even do a little dancing, eat some good food, and/or sing a little karaoke.

Just a reminder friends, there is no such thing as a sure fire, slam dunk date idea. The reason these dates work is because they have a huge potential for failure. That’s good for any date. It makes the best stories when something goes wrong. Couldn’t get to the theatre on time and they locked you out? The date then becomes about how well do you improvise, and how comfortable are you with your date?

I’d love to hear some of your stories.

Looking for more date ideas from A Good Husband? Click here.

Just in case you’re in a crunch for a date idea, here are four ideas that can be implemented with very little notice and that my wife has told me she found very successful.

- Dinner and Games. A candle lit dinner, made yourself or ordered in. Put on some romantic music and after dinner clear the table away yourself. Play some board games or card games for the rest of the evening and make sure you spend your time talking to her and listening to her. Easy to do, cheap, and she’ll cherish it. I promise.

- Argentine Tango Dancing. Even if you don’t know how to dance at all, Argentine Tango (the distinction is important - Argentine is very different from American Ballroom Tango) is the type of dance where you can pick up some simple steps fairly easily and spend the next couple of hours dancing. You can usually find a place that offers lessons before the main dancing starts. The Tango community is very welcoming and you might even make some great friends while you’re out. My wife and I went dancing for the first time just a month ago.

- Guilty Pleasure Night. Go to the video store and rent a season of a show that you both like to watch (like Scrubs, 24, Lost, or Gilmore Girls). While you’re out, go to the grocery store and buy obscene amounts of candy, ice cream, pop, chips, and chocolate. Go home and watch while you gorge yourselves, gab over the TV, and have a great time.

- Check into a Random Hotel Room. You can find some screaming good last minute deals on Hotwire - the catch is that you don’t know which hotel you booked until you have paid for it. You can pick general locales within your city and even the amenities you want. Find something with a jacuzzi and a view and don’t bother packing an overnight bag. The hotel provides soap and towels, so grab your toothbrush and go! Being in a new place provides a sense of mystery and fun.

I’d be interested in hearing from you, guys. What great dates (or terrible ones) have you taken your wife on, planned in advance or winged at the last minute? What worked and what didn’t?

Looking for more date ideas? click here.