Window Dressing

Today is our anniversary. Who, you say? Well, the house hunk and me. Forty one years.

And what are we doing to celebrate? Nothing is planned at the moment. Quite frankly, the stomach is still in rebellion and I'm a person who likes to enjoy food and service if I'm going to be paying for it.

Anniversaries are funny things, anyway. When did they become a big celebrate-it-bigger-and-better than the Joneses? Except for the standard benchmarks (twenty-five, fifty, and up) why do we have that expectation for more? The house hunk and I have been together long enough that we've learned there's far more to marriage than a superficial celebration marked by flowers, candy, cards or dinner.

Don't even get me started on jewelry. Now, I'm okay with jewelry, but personally, it doesn't do much for me. All my jewelry (including wedding band which I seldom wear) is of the QVC variety--silver, Diamonique, and very inexpensive. I'm trying to remember the last time I wore even one piece of jewelry. Hmmmm.

So what are our plans for a romantic celebration? Well, first he'll unload the dishwasher and then I'll reload it. We'll make dinner (probably salmon and green beans). I believe he plans to dye my hair. We picked a nice blonde color this time so I'm anxious to see how it comes out. He wanted bright red, but I vetoed that. Then if we're still feeling ambitious, we'll make love. It not, we'll go to sleep--because tomorrow night is just as good.

The thing we've learned over the years is that the little things are the important things. If he takes me out once a year to the fanciest place around, showers me with flowers, balloons, jewelry, etc., but ignores me the rest of the time, what does that say about our relationship? Any fool can do that stuff.

Too many women fail to understand that the day to day stuff is what really counts. All that other stuff is just fancy window dressing.

anny