Twenty years ago today...
...we were married by a JP at our home in a small Oregon coast town. We had a very small ceremony followed by a potluck "reception," also at home. DH had given me this ring, made by an artist friend, a few months earlier and it became my wedding ring. The pearl and some of the gold is from a ring that was his mother's -- a beautiful ring that I'd never have let him transform, but I wasn't given a choice. This one is pretty cool, though, huh? From time to time, I do like to point out that the woman is bending over backwards to do her part -- and speculate. Out loud. I do realize that certain parts of the male anatomy might be bothersome to my middle finger if he was also bending over backwards.
Several years ago, I was walking through the kitchen and there was a bead in the middle of the floor. I was in too much of a hurry at the time to pick it up, so kicked it to the side (where there were many more wayward beads -- the grrs were little, ya know -- the floor was swimming with them). A little while later I noticed that the pearl was missing from my ring! Mmmhm, it was the very "bead."
This morning, DH had his coffee in his 20-year-old mug -- I have gone through innumerable coffee mugs in our years together, but he is still using one the $3.00 mug that I gave him on the day we got married. The stores were full of Valentine things, being that time of year, and I spied a mug that said, "I *heart* my husband." Hey, I thought, I'm gonna have a husband! After 7,000+ dishwashings, the black lettering on that mug has all but disappeared; the red heart, however, is still bright as the day I bought it.
Looks like my hands could use some lotion. As long as I was photographing jewelry, I thought I'd show you what he gave me for Christmas (now that I have one that fits). When the Harlot had a link to this ring last month as a knitterly gift idea, I immediately forwarded the link to DH. Obviously, he liked it, too. With my short, stubby fingers, it's probably not a style best suited to me, but I like it anyway.
When I first met DH, he was doing finish work on a home that he'd built. I would sit and knit, and enjoy watching him work (yeah, a man with a tool belt). It wasn't long before I was assisting. I eventually got my own hammer, but he had me doing grunt work first -- like digging a trench for footings for an addition. Isn't that romantic? Twenty years later, we're still swinging hammers. We finished the ceiling yesterday!
Knitting News: Thanks for all the nice comments on the conehead hat. I did get around to making a multi-colored tassel yesterday, but it was past daylight and the picture was crap. I got the RH mitten back on the needles, knit five rounds, and then discovered a wayward dropped stitch on the palm. I decided it was time to go to bed...
Hi, stranger coming out of the woodwork here, to say Happy Anniversary! That was a sweet story. I'm a nearly daily visitor to your enjoyable blog and today is as good a day as any to say hello!
Posted by: Heidi | 20 January 2005 at 10:59 AM
Happy, happy anniversary! Love the ring - both of them. Love the cup story too! So romantic. Hope you get to spend some quality time together.
Posted by: Cara | 20 January 2005 at 11:54 AM
How wonderful! Happy Anniversary!! We have our 25th next week and I've been planning a post, too.
The very best to you and may you have 20+ more!!
Posted by: Margene | 20 January 2005 at 11:56 AM
Happy Anniversary, Vicky! Here's to another fabulous twenty!
Posted by: Nathania | 20 January 2005 at 12:02 PM
Happy Anniversary!
Posted by: Melanie | 20 January 2005 at 12:02 PM
Happy Anniversary! Just found your blog and love it. Adding to favorites list as I type.
This year my and dh are celebrating 15yrs. Doesn't the time fly?
Chelee in WA state.
Posted by: Chelee | 20 January 2005 at 12:15 PM
What a lovely story!! Happy Anniversary!!
Posted by: Kim | 20 January 2005 at 12:17 PM
Happy Anniversary to you both. Wishing you many more years of joy together.
Posted by: Cassie | 20 January 2005 at 12:22 PM
Happy Anniversary,
what a lovely story - it's great to read about people that, in these days of deverce, are still happily married. I like that you swing the hammer, but isn't it about time you make him knit something now? ;-)
Like your blog!
Posted by: Hanna | 20 January 2005 at 12:32 PM
Happy Anniversary! Enjoy your special day. :)
Posted by: Annie | 20 January 2005 at 12:52 PM
Happy Anniversary! What a beautiful ring. And that cone hat is adorable. Enjoy the day!
Posted by: Kathleen | 20 January 2005 at 01:11 PM
Happy Anniversary to you both.
Posted by: Celia | 20 January 2005 at 02:23 PM
Happy anniversay !
Both rings are beautiful.
Posted by: Emma. | 20 January 2005 at 03:33 PM
Happy Anniversary!! Wishing you two many more years of love and good times. :)
Posted by: Liz | 20 January 2005 at 04:02 PM
Happy Happy Anniversary! Lucky you to have such a great guy. The rings are beautiful as are the stories you shared today!
Posted by: Jackie | 20 January 2005 at 04:37 PM
Happy Anniversary. Dude sounds like a great catch.
Posted by: Stephanie | 20 January 2005 at 07:21 PM
Happy Anniversary! Did you ever find your pearl?
Posted by: Karen | 20 January 2005 at 07:44 PM
Time does fly! Happy Anniversary!
Posted by: Christine | 20 January 2005 at 08:00 PM
Happy anniversary! My mother lives in a small town on the Oregon Coast - Yachats. It's between Florence and Waldport, if you don't know it.
Posted by: terri | 20 January 2005 at 08:53 PM
Happy Anniversary!!
Posted by: Stacie | 20 January 2005 at 10:22 PM
I love your rings!! I also forwarded that harlot link to my Boar before the holidays, but we ended up with our little puppy instead ...... there's always the birthday, or Valentine's ..... Happy Anniversary you love birds!
Posted by: ann | 20 January 2005 at 10:40 PM
Happy Anniversary, both your rings are gorgeous.
Great work on your upstairs kitchen and the baby hat is adorable.
Posted by: yvette | 21 January 2005 at 12:14 AM
Happy, happy! (And I love that ring on you....)
Posted by: Rachael | 21 January 2005 at 05:52 AM
Awww, what a nice, heartwarming story. Happy anniversary! Here's to (at least) 20 more!
Posted by: Ann | 21 January 2005 at 07:57 AM
Awwww...the cup! How adorable is that! Happy Anniversary to you both! May the next twenty years be filled with as much love and happiness as the first twenty (minus the trench digging)!
Posted by: Curlie Girl/Kim | 21 January 2005 at 08:43 AM
Ahhh, wonderful story and beautiful rings. Happy Days and all my best!
Posted by: Wendy | 23 January 2005 at 05:36 PM