Being A Conniving Wife is Hard Sometimes

This is Day 9 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge and is anybody else counting?!

If you came by here yesterday, you know I am having a neighborhood surprise party for my husband tonight.  A 50th celebration for someone turning 49......

So what do you suppose is happening here at the Southworth house?  You guessed it....nothing.  Bill has decided to work from the home computer and maybe not even go into the office today!  Keep in mind, for the past 4 years (since the housing/banking industry and the economy tanked), Bill has gone into work 7 days a week.  His company struggled through a Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and now is trying to make a go of this land banking business even with this sluggish economy.  Usually, on Saturday and Sundays, he only works about 5-6 hours.....except today!

Conversation:

Me: "Hey, are you going into work soon?  I need the computer to write my daily blog post".
Bill: "Your what?"

Me, trying a different angle:

Me: "I think I will go shopping at the mall, since I cannot get on the home computer today....."
Bill: "No, no, no.......I can finish what I am working on at the office if that would be helpful".

Then, Bill throws me a curveball:

Bill: "Say, I've got a great idea.....let's take Wrigley and head out for an all-day hike....."
Beth: (Looking out the window at what seems to be the perfect Fall-like day for Phoenix) "It's too hot for a hike.  Maybe some other time."

Bill turns on the television to a football game, puts his feet up on the coffee table and starts to relax.  Now, I have been asking for him to stop working so hard and hang around the house for 4 years straight.  But today?  I have to come up with a plan B:

Only every plan B I think of has a flawed component:

a) I could go to the store, get all the ingredients, take them to Leslie's house, make everything there, then come home complaining how busy the grocery store was today...."That took forever"!

b) Buy a bunch of ready made appetizers, cake and drinks and take them over to Leslie's house.  The timing at the store would seem right, but it doesn't seem like I put in any effort.

c) Tell him that we are having surprise party for him and that I need to make some things for the affair and that he needs to act surprised when the party begins.  Hate to spoil the surprise.  Plus, that gives him hours to think up a fake headache or some project at work that really has to get done before tomorrow's meeting! 

URGH!  What's a conniving wife to do?!  The saga continues.......