This year, for the first time, AIW's family finally agreed to only give gifts to children, grandchildren, or God children. No need for adult gift exchange. It got to the point that most every adult's list pretty much were all "gift cards" to one's fav store. I always just wanted WalMart cards to buy grocerys in Jan while paying off the credit card bills. Amy Jo's Dad couldn't bring himself to let go of the "Christmas family tradition" of the big hooply gift giving time Christmas morning before mid day meal. Now that he's gone and things have happened since Hurricane Katrina, we've all desired to simplify our lives in many ways.
AIW and I just do what we usually do all year and lotsa little things unless something happens that special moves are called for:
she wholeheartedly encouraged and even "made" me fix the bike and get back on the road cutting back on other stuff to make it happen. I think it was self interest as I'm not easy to live with anyway, and without my therapy and she says getting away from her for a night or two every month or two is a "good" thing.
WARNING: \sappy on - no foul stopping here
She's a teacher, and mostly leads little ones, so there's bleach solutions and soap n water cleanup, and washing of hands alot. One day, she forgot where she left her engagement, wedding ring set and the anniversary ring wrap set. This has happened before and within a few to 24 hours, it's found or remembered where left. Well this time, no search or call for help at work or turning the house upside down including cushiony furniture found it. I think that was the only more than a day depression symptoms I've ever seen in my glass half full, it'll work out, deep faith wifey.
Well, I started thinking and praying for some discressionary $$$. Funny thing was an extra generous tax return check was in the cards when my fall/winter analysis was done concerning Christmas spending and how to pay for it when Jan came. I had a wedding pic of her hand with the engagement/wedding ring on it and got on the internet looking for matching jewelery. Found a sight called "Generous Gems" which had her exact wrap with emeralds. I called the customer service number and only got voicemail for days. I sent an email to customer service, and the owners are a middle age couple and the lady responded that, "yes, they could custom make the wrap with saphires to match, and for same $300 price as the emeralds, but it's no return and pay first. She "guaranteed" I would be happy and was moved by my story. I knew I was covered using a credit card, so ordered it. Well, it was beautiful and a perfect match.
Then, since I could not find my wife's wedding/engagement set (my "like Uncle who was my Dad's Sgt in WWII owned a nearby jewelry shop and was a watchmaker by trade) purchased 20 years ago, I went to the local "rich people's" jewelry store who some employees go to my church and the owners (family owned) of the shop are happy to clean and inspect anyone's rings etc for free. We go there with all our rings every Nov to get checked out.
Well, John Boudreaux (Boudreaux's Jewelers) comes over to wait on me and I tell him my story and show him the wedding pic of my wife's hand at the reception. He whips out a dozen catalogs and asks me to describe the rings in words. As I talk, he stares at the pictures. In summery, the rings are cross section rectangles, with a flat top and a flat bottom with a bit of curve on the edges and the four prongs do a half twist as they go up for the diamond mounting. My uncle advised I purchase the "best" diamond I could afford, not the biggest, so went with a 1/4 carat VVSI top of the line near perfect stone.
Well, John made notes and asked me to come back in a week as he did some research. I did and he pulled out a catalog with a book mark which was all "twisted prong" settings and voila, there was "our" ring. He whips out a box of diamonds and says these are his best "smaller" stones and I could pick out any one I wanted. I asked for his recommendation and he smiled and showed me two. A matching 1/4 carat excellent one, and a 1/3 carat excellent one. He said, "look, I love your story, and if you'll bring your wife by some day to show me the ring on her finger, you can have the bigger one for the same price I'd charge you for the whole set."
OK, the moment of truth. "John, how much is this gonna cost me?" With a grimace on my face (he said I looked like the condemned man on his last day!!!). He checks his cost on the ordered ring set and says he can't do anything about a "special order" set. I'll charge you what they are gonna charge me plus $100, OK? How about $650?. I was sweating all this as 20 years before, my Uncle charged me a total of $600 and I'm figuring triple min. John says he's had the diamonds quite awhile as most folks want bigger ones. How about $250 for the diamond...total $900...no charge for the mounting labor...it'll be under $1000 with tax included...is that OK?
Geez, I wanted to kiss him and said yes, can I pay with my credit card right now before you change your mind (or I think before your Dad gets wind of the deal). He smiles and says sure, but don't forget to bring your wife in to show it on her finger.
Cool.
Well, AIW was deeply moved and it was one of the best visions and mission accomplisments and I consider the first rings (I was teaching PC classes in the city on commission and had the best month ever when I had decided to propose) and now the replacements gifts from God who arranged it all.
She said with tears in both our eyes, "on my death bed I'll thank you for both sets of rings and will cherish it all always."
\sappy off
Geez.
Sorry for the ramble.
Mike in Nawlin's
