That Man o' Mine

The Mister's birthday is tomorrow, not that he likes to make much of a fuss about it. But I am not passing up the opportunity to have cake, so it shall be celebrated regardless of the birthday boy's feelings on the matter.
It is also our wedding anniversary tomorrow; we got married on his birthday so he'd never forget our anniversary. Not the worst idea I've ever had.

Things You Should Know About The Mister:

• He can fix anything. He's been able to rehabilitate broken down bar-b-ques, install showers, fit eleventy-two pieces of luggage in the trunk of a sports car and sort out banjaxed computers. He's invaluable.
• He can do math in his head. A skill that impresses me every time he does it. I am absolutely hopeless at math, even with a pencil and paper and calculator, and he can just figure out a percentage or add up more than two things together or calculate foreign exchange just. like. that. Amazing.
• He's a really, really good hairdresser. He's cut my hair for years, and did such a good job of it that I married him. He cuts my mother's hair, too.
• He won't eat rice pudding, olives, coffee or clams.
• He can make ten dollars last for a week. Seriously, I have never met anyone who can live on so little.
• He's really polite. He always says "please" and "thank you" to everyone, and even says "sorry" to the panhandlers out on the street when he doesn't have change.
• He is NOT a morning person. Poor man, he really struggles to get out of bed, no matter what time of the day he does it. I AM a morning person, so I have to really reign myself in from bombarding him with cheerful chatter at 8 a.m. He's learned to not have any sort of meaningful conversation with me after 9 pm., because I will not remember it.
• He's 100% Canadian. When Himself and I went to Ireland shortly after we were married (The "Trot Out The New Husband" Trip) my Irish cousins were fascinated to meet someone who could paddle a canoe, had played hockey and drank his beer right out of the bottle.
• He would pick Sandra Bullock over Angelina Jolie as the Celebrity Of Choice To Run Away With, because he "wants someone (he) can talk to". Even if he's lying, it's a good answer.
• He has a brother that's only 11 months older than him, and their mother dressed them in specific colours so that she could tell who's clothes were who's. To this day, the Mister can barely make himself wear grey, blue or purple.
• He always saves the best food on the plate for last.
• He's put up with me for 17 years.