Monday, January 19, 2009

Who Says Chilvary is Dead?



I have one of those husbands who on the outside looks like your typical blue collar guy. He's a mechanic who listens to rock music (with really bad lyrics) while working on the car with a bottle of beer sitting on the roof. He has to be reminded not swear when the kidlet is within hearing range. My guy thinks getting dressed up is a clean pair of 501's and his best Dale Earnhardt T-shirt. My guy pleads with me to take 'the girls from work to see that' when I mention a really good chick flick that's playing at the movies. My guy usually has grease on his hands and facial scruff, (okay, I like the scruff).
My guy is not typical romance hero material. Or is he?
I have to confess, my husband as a knack for giving me gifts I would never think of for myself, or buy myself. You see, we have this inequality between us. I make substantially more money than him (his ego was tormented years ago by this fact. I can write this in a public forum because he's over it) anyway, he hates buying gifts with 'my' money. I tell him its 'ours', but he fails to understand that. So, he puts his extra money away for the Charlotte fund. That, in of itself, is pretty hero worthy. But this latest gift really tops the list.

In December, I sold the first book of the Annwyn Chronicle series. He was very excited for me and encouraged me to tell him how I cam up with this blending of ideas. I went on in rather lengthy animated delight about how I'm really just a fantasy geek (which he knows and teases me about). Then, I mentioned the movie that changed my whole life, and my reading tastes. It was 1981 and I was 11. My dad, another fantasy geek, took my brothers and I to the movies to see Excalibur. And Oh My God!!! I was hooked. I loved it. I thought of it non-stop. And when those mammoth VHS machines first rolled out, my dad bought one and a copy of Excalibur.

Now, I was already a Sci-Fi/Fantasy geek from Star Wars days, I had already devoured Tolkien, but my interest seemed to turn into a medieval fascination~not to mention romance threads with some steamy love scenes. I got turned onto Highlander, and anything about King Arthur.
During this conversation with my husband, I confessed that I still had the original VHS tape of Excalibur, and what a bummer since the movie is so damn old, and NO ONE watches/has VHS anymore.

So, what did my wrench-head hubby do? He found me a copy of it on DVD and gifted me with it on Saturday night. It was utter perfection. Because outside it was snowing and blowing and the wind was howling. The kidlet was gone for the night with her grandparents, and it was the perfect night for movie watching.

I was thrilled, overwhelmed, and he laughed, hugged me, and said, 'God, you're the easiest woman to please. I totally lucked out'.

It was a great night, the movie just as I remembered, and that scene where Guinevere covers Arthur's head with her gold veil is still so awe inspiring. (I'm using something similar in my series-GOT TO!)

So, what has your man done for you lately that totally gave you the warm cozies, and what oldie movie would you pop into the DVD this second?
As a treat, check out the jpeg image for my Annwyn website. Rae Monet is a total genius!!!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

That is just way to sweet for words!
And guys think it's hard for them to shop for us? HA! I think more Women have trouble shopping for they're man.
I think what oldie moive I pop into my DVD would be Labyrinth with David Bowie! I had such the crush on him when I was small, and just love him to bits as the great Goblin King with big hair and cool make-up.
I really need to get a DVD copy of it soon.....

Charlotte Featherstone said...

Oh, I never saw Labyrinth. I gotta get it.

Oh, and I forgot another geeky show I adored. Dr. Who....the orginal one, of course.

Oh, what a geek I am!

Evangeline Collins said...

Aww...your hubby's so sweet, Charlotte!

My hubby's latest unexpected gift was the gift of time. He knew I was stressing over getting a proposal done, so he took the kid to see a movie on a Saturday afternoon and then took her shopping at Toys-R-Us and went to my mother's house to fix her computer. They were gone all day. Wonderful man. Gotta love him.

Fav old movie to pop into the VHS (yep, I've got it on VHS) - BBC's production of Pride and Prejudice. Colin Firth's Mr. Darcy is just begging to be kissed senseless in that movie. ;)

Anonymous said...

OH! I grew up with the Fourth Doctor Tom Baker! I adore his muti-color long scarf, plus I even had a Dalek figure, the new Eleventh Doctor is REALLY hot!

Charlotte Featherstone said...

Evangeline, your hubby sounds wonderful! Husbands of writers have it hard sometimes. Lucky you that you have him!