Anniversary Gifts

Quite often we go to the local tavern on Friday nights for fish.

And, so it was that I learned our favorite waitress is getting ready to celebrate 30 yrs. of wedded bliss and our second favorite waitress was celebrating her first year of marriage. Since ours fell inbetween their two dates I decided to ask these ladies what they wanted.

You will know why "L" is our favorite waitress when you learn what she was doing. She was making a list of 30 items she wanted! Ha! BRILLIANT!!!! We could each do that.

Thus, I set about talking it thru with my husband. We had 10 days until our anniversary - plenty of time to come up with a 30 point list, independently, respectful of what was possible.

The big day arrives. Let's keep in mind that it was marked by him deciding to go through the preparatory steps so that today (the day after) he could have me wake him up and drive him to the clinic for a test. He had to be there at 5:45 a.m. You probably know what kind of test takes a day of prep, fasting, and then is somewhat invasive. I digress but, hey, the world knows now!

All right, cards are exchanged. I had two for him: a regular one and a hilarious one about him having a cute butt. There's a long story about that but it also ties in with the test, if you haven't figured it out now you never will.

Next, the lists! Ah, the moment of excitement arrives! I had stayed up late the night before, numbering the items and hand printing mine neatly so it could be read clearly. I didn't want any mistakes which would lead to me getting my own blimp or something equally extraordinary.

Let's take a look at the first item on each list. You'll know whose list is which right away, no matter what your gender. At the top of one is "RV". At the top of the other is "I love you" "written in 30 languages".

Still with me? How about some random picks? "Rend Lake vinyard trip & art fair at the end of the month" AND/OR "compressor"; "GPS" AND/OR "$30 to WUIS our NPR station".

We did overlap a bit. We both want to travel. He wants to go to PEI and the Gulf Coast and Burnt Corn Valley (places we have been and love), plus something called "a NASCAR trip". I want to go to St. Louis, Nauvoo, 10 state parks we've never been to, and on a picnic somewhere. Neither of us mentioned the other going along. Was it an assumption?

Continuing on, I asked that he give $5 to 6 strangers in need, w/o them asking for help; that we take 3 +/- days and together clean out the garage; that we work on the medicine wheel garden together so it's done for spring; that he help me bake for the October APL fundraiser...lofty, generous, and yes, practical ideas.

He was practical too. Remember the RV - how could that not be practical? Surely by now you are not surprised by my pointing towards him as the owner of that #1 item. Farther down, what's this - a new car?! A shed? steel cabinets for the garage? (See my garage request involved removing and disposing of items not hiding them in steel cabinets.) To give credit where it is due, he included "weather stripping" - oh, my, I hope that's what I first thought it was and not something really kinky.