Back in the Saddle - Scalzi's Weekend Assignment #4

Weekend Assignment #4: Share the most memorable birthday present you've ever gotten -- or given (extra credit for both). 

 

Note that the operative word here is "memorable" -- it doesn't have to be the best present you've ever gotten or given, or the worst, just the one you remember the most vibrantly.

 

When I read or write here in J-Land, it is usually when I first wake up, or right before I crash for the night. As such, the fog in my brain has a strange affect on my interpretation of things sometimes, in addition, to the wacky, mispelled comments I litter throughout the journals that I come upon.

My first reading of Scalzi's assignment left me wondering what was the most memorable birthday I had. Luckily, I didn't make haste and dash off the entry I planned with incriminating photos, because I would have been sorely off-topic. 

However, the true question of most memorable gift, left me feeling like an ingrate. I couldn't really think of anything that stood out as most memorable. Sure, there's the boyfriend when I was 19 who gave me not one, but two necklaces, each special in their own way. One was a gold chain with a pearl pendant. I love pearls and that's why he got that for me. But, he also gave me one of those cheesy half-heart necklace pendants with a chain, with him taking the other half of the pendant. Cheesy? Yes! But, still, how sweet is that?

But, that was so long ago. Surely, there were other things! But, I was stumped. Then it finally dawned on me. It's the gifts that you get that you don't even realize you need that are truly the most memorable.

Kind of like the card up above. I came home from work yesterday glad that such a stressful week was over, but bummed that the best I could look forward to this weekend was lots of cleaning and studying. No running off to the beach or getting lost in the woods for me. Work, work, work, is all my life seems to be. (Don't get me wrong, I love to work, but I'm just feeling a bit tired and cranky, PMS does that to me.) I open my mailbox and pull out a pile of junkmail and lo-and-behold the above card floats out of the mess. I didn't ask for it when Mary mentioned she would mail some out, but there it was. And, how perfectly it fit me and my situation. It's obvious she took the time to select one that was just right for me. Thanks Mary! You're the best!

But now back in the saddle.....My answer for the most memorable gift received and given:

My mother and stepfather #5 gave me a toolbox with tools one year for my birthday. I know the perception is that women want perfume, jewelry, and the ilk, and like most so do I.  But, every now and then something like this, comes along that just puts all of those things to shame.  I never thought to ask for something so practical or "manly." Heck, I didn't even realize that I needed it. But, it was the most handiest thing to have ever received. Unfortunately, I leant it to an "ex" several years back and didn't get it returned before the inevitable break-up. So...I am in need of it again. Hint! Hint! ;-)

The most memorable gift that I have given would have to be what I gave to stepfather #6. (For those that are counting, that would be the current one) I'll call him Duck, since that's his nickname anyhow, collects bottles. Not just any kind though. They are the collector's editions of various whiskeys and what-not. I had never heard of such a thing until I saw his collection. One day, I was in my favorite resale shop and looked up as I was checking out. Behind the counter on the shelves was a display of about twenty or more of these very bottles. Most, were priced at five to ten dollars each, which according to my mom is a steal since many go for eighty or more on Ebay. I dashed home and called my mom to find out what bottles Duck had. Then I went back to the store and bought about ten that he didn't have yet. I actually gave them to him for Christmas instead of his birthday though because I wanted to wrap them in my luggage. I was afraid if I shipped them they might get broken in transit. He loved them and still talks about how I gave them to him whenever someone admires his collection.

The gift of the bottles was tied with the wackiest gift that I have ever given. My mother is the hardest person in the world to shop for. I hate buying anything for her. I stress about it for months preceeding whatever special event is approaching. No matter how much I spend it never seems to be right or appreciated. As such, it figures that the wackiest gift that I have given her is the one she still talks about to this day.I was surfing a friend's site on Ebay when I came upon an entry for Decoy Ducks.  My mom was living in Arizona at the time and they had a pond on their property. I thought it would be cool to float them out in the pond. They cost me all of twenty dollars! I have spent several hundred dollars on gifts for my mother that she has thrown by the wayside, but not these things. Before moving back to Texas, they made sure to wrangle every single one of those decoys off the swamp they called a pond to take back to Texas with them! They are happily floating in the watertanks on their property and she is still talking about them. Go figure!