I had completely forgotten it is my father in laws birthday tomorrow, could go trailing shops today but after a busy day yesterday Alice and I need to rest, could pop out if I knew what to get but don’t fancy wandering aimlessly (is that a word lol?)
He is a grumpy, doesn’t want anything, diabetic, partially sighted man in his late 70’s!
He does like to hear the birds in the garden but for christmas we bought him a fancy bird table and for father’s day we got him little hangers for birds to go around the garden, so I am out of ideas.

Any ideas?
Will try to bake him some cakes later but apart from that I am stuck, any ideas welcome
sarie

Sorry I can’t think of anything too inspired but I know that my Dad and Grandad always liked food/drink kinds of presents.  I’ve bought local organic cider in the past and scrummy fairtrade chocolate or just good quality organic beer/wine etc.  My Dad always likes a beer called (I think) Spitfire from Morrisons which is organic and comes in glass bottles (and is quite good if I may say so myself!).  If i’ve got the name wrong then I’m sorry, he likes 2 kinds and I know one is spitfire but not sure if it is the organic one or not. 

Cakes and birscuits are always good ideas or some homemade sweets?  It depends how much time you have today.  I’ve done chocs made from melting green and blacks, dropping teaspoonfuls on baking parchment and letting Tom decorate each one with crystallised ginger, nuts, cherries etc depending on what the recipient likes. 

Hope this helps.  Good luck.  I’ve wimped out and bought a book voucher for my Dads birthday and we’re having a BBQ here for him tonight with a lovely choc cake that me and Tom made (Hmmmm, there seems to be a chocolatey theme here.)

I’ve just remembered Saule is much younger than Florence and I’ve only just started having time to do these kinds of things between feeds so please ignore all of this if you’re not at that stage yet!

Sarah x

How about a bird songs cd, or some plants for the garden that he’ll enjoy while watching the birds? Or a garden ornament like a bird bath type thing?
Hope you find something

Not sure about the cost, but what about RSPB membership or a donation towards the work they do re the environment?  Both of these could be done online.
Hope you manage to find something, although I’m sure the cakes and a visit from you all would be the most appreciated!
San xx

I was going to suggest a cd of bird songs too.. perhaps one that helps him to identify he different bird songs?

Joxy.

socks!  The hand knitted sort.  I know it’s a bit late for you to knit some now but you could pop into a knitting shop and I’ll bet they have some for sale.  It’s all my FIL ever wants from us after I knit him a pair a few years back.  Sheepskin slippers, a sheepskin rug for his desk chair…. lots of comfort items are what he seems to like.

Thank you for your help guys

We ended up baking brownies suitable for a diabetic, making cards and then buying asters and a sunflower for the garden (he can actually see the sunflower woohoo!) and some slippers that he apparently hates but hey ho can’t win them all

It did make me laugh because if I had paid for RSPB membership or given a donation he just wouldn’t have got it where as my grandad who is 84 would rather we gave a donation to something family orientated like the Oxfam buy a goat type thing, he loves that we are able to help families that need it
sarie

What’s wrong with slippers!!  I lurve new slippers!!
San xx