Cataclysmic Cabinet:

How to surprise your spouse:

Step 1.

Adopt a piece of furniture you don't really need.

For e.g.; A tv cabinet that's too big to fit in your lounge and that you wouldn't replace your current one for anyway:

The gift that keeps on giving...

Step 2.

Decide to make the home fit the furniture as opposed to choosing furniture to fit the house.

ie; throw everything else in the room out in order to fit said un required item in.

Step 3.

Rather than simply rearrange the room, pull up the perfectly good carpet and while you're at it change the entire colour scheme of the room.

ie: start an unnecessary spontaneous renovation.

Step 4.

Finally, just to spice things up, book a floor sander to come and polish the floor boards on the very same day as your in-laws 50 year wedding anniversary. 

Surprise!!!

Yea, I'm tickled pink, just thrilled…

can you tell?

So what began as  the offloading a contribution of an enormous old TV cabinet from a friend (thanks mate!) has now turned out to be the spark of an unnecessary home renovation.

We live in my parents rental property. It isn't ours to invest in.

I hope we get major brownie points in Santa's book this year.

Oh well, at least now I might get the dining room I've always wanted

and maybe just in time to throw a little summer soiree?

(although he insists on painting the walls in shades of grey,
the floors in dark Jarrah stain gloss and is planning to have the fireplace as a feature in black. 
- Lord give me strength!)