Small Treats

[Remington]

Hey I thought we could give each other some advice on how we treat ourselves at the end of a long day or week.

I know some of the best things are the small stuff. I was just telling Louis that sometimes after the kids and wife go to bed I put on a nice show, cook up a nice steak, and have a beer with it at like 11pm.

It isn't much but it is a nice treat. Being able to relax in the evenings is important.

Does anybody else do anything like that or have ideas on how us SAHD's can treat ourselves?

:D

[tt3]

Well, I know you can all predict what I'm going to say, but I'll say it anyway. I really enjoy being able to pour a beer at the end of the day. The big treat is the brewing, the little treat comes in 16oz glasses, often looking like this
http://www.treml.org/tandV/pics/pilsner1a.jpg

Something that I created, and full of flavor and nuances that can be enjoyed from beginning to end. Its cool how flavors come out as the glass and beer warm too. If you are into craft beer, try pouring it cold, then just sipping on it over a half hour, noticing how it changes as it warms. (Just don't do this in sunlight, as it can skunk right in the glass if you're not careful.)
Cheers

[tt3]

Heck no, thats all those diaper changings with those wonderful wipes with moisturizer, makes my hands as smooth as a babies bum.
:P

[Don-Dad]

Well I usually go down to the old computer and do work, wait thats not unwinding is it?

I like to kick the dog, throw eggs at my neighbors house and play tricks on my wife as she sleeps.

Just kidding of course, hehehe!

[Remington]

tt3,

I like stared at that glass of beer for about 5 minutes and started drooling uncontrollably.

What brought me out of my trance was your 'smooth as a bum' hands. My hands get soft sometimes from that and from doing dishes...

No I don't have a dishwasher yet.... arghh!

---

I sometimes just go out for a walk around the neighborhood.

[Jackson's Dad]

A good day is when I can fit some photography in. Yeah, this is more work than end-of-day relaxation. But making art is pretty darn relaxing, in its own way. Sort of like how tt3 described making beer.

I usually shoot in my studio, so it's easy to get away if I get interrupted by crying or other household needs. This is the first time I've had a room dedicated to my photography, and it feels great. It's a great airy space too, so is just a nice place to hang out.

In the evenings, what can I say, I'm predictable. Me and the dog sit on the deck, staring into the trees, while I have a beer and he gnaws on whatever is at hand. Even if it is 15 minutes before dinner, it feels great to do.

[waldo]

I love to go to the movies or Barns&Noble bookstore. A lot of times my wife will konk-out around 10, so living a 2 minutes walk from a 14-plex theater is great. So I usually see at least 1 movie a week, sometimes more. The book store is about 10 minute walk. I'll get a house-coffee and start reading. A lot of times I will just a couple architecture books and drool over all those funky buildings.

If leaving the house is not an option (my wife works nights, 3 times a week) there are a couple online games I like, or I will just kick back on the couch with a book.

Waldo

[tt3]

Rem, growing up my folks always said they had four dishwashers! They didn't ever get one until the last of us moved out. :lol:

I forgot to add a quick game of yahoo cribbage is fun too.

Which online games, waldo?

[SAHF]

Relaxation is the best!

After I send the kids to bed and the wife drifts off to lala land...I head to my computer room. I close the doors, put on my headset and I drift off into a game for a few hours. Mostly Rainbow Six or C&C.

Then a few hands of spades on the Palm...than LA LA Land for me! Of course, I pay for it a few hours later when it is time to wake up! LOL

[mjknapp]

My relaxing is getting the kids to sleep and laying on the couch for an hour or so watching tv, but for a treat, I like to work on little projects here and there, go into the garage and just tear something up with the music playing, and see if I can get it back in working condition. I was cleaning the grass out from the underside of my mower a while back, and ended tearing the motor off, and the blades just to make sure I could clean the underside. And a little self satisfaction of putting it all back together and still having it run.

[waldo]

Louis, I love architecture books because it sets me off to daydreaming about those types of living spaces. I dream of one day being able to design and build my own house, but I wont do it until I can afford to do it my way. We owned a house before we moved, and I vowed never to have another house unless it was one I designed. My wifes parents own about 200 acres of land and have already said we can have what we want when we're ready.

tt3, I like to play "dark age of camelot" and sometimes "americas army". I rarely buy non-multiplayer games, but I just recently played Thief 3, as I love that series.


Waldo

[Anonymous]

Usually once a week I will Get up early and meet a couple guys I used to work with at a local diner for Breakfast. We have been going to the same place for 10 years now. I have been home with the kids for 3 years and it is great to show up in jeans and a sweatshirt while these guys are dressed for the office. You get to hear all their gripes and rejoice in the fact you chose a different path; talk about sports and the latest hottie on the Net; flirt innocently with the Co-Eds waitressing and if you bring home some Blueberry Muffins for your wife; you rack up points for being a "SweetHeart".

[Jackson's Dad]

Mmmmmmm blueberry muffins.....

[EX Race Driver]

First off I like to get one of those huge papers and roll up a big fat turkey and smoke it......

I like to play Dirt Track Racing either online or against the 'puter... Sometimes I go to the garage up the street and just hang out with the guys or work on something...

I also get alot of satisfaction from working with metal...Taking a pile of metal and actually making something functional out of it...Last thing I made was a TV/VCR/DVD/STEREO holder that hangs from the ceiling on my friends porch...There is nothing more relaxing than staring at that pretty blue arc from a good welder (through a helmet of course) or watching a shower of sparks from a grinder as I build something.

I think my next big project is going to be to build another race car from the ground up... just not sure if I want to go totally tube chassis or start with a Monte Carlo chassis and build another Monster Carlo...

It is so cool to know that one of the cars out there on the track doing 100+ mph used to be just a pile of steel and parts laying aroung on the shop floor...