They didn't actually say, "yuk," but I glimpsed it on their faces.
Instead of the usual bouquet of flowers, or perfume, or anything as closely romantic, Tony gifted me with a sewing machine on our first wedding anniversary.
I remember it fondly as we celebrate today yet another anniversary. I took a shot of this gift—now looking its age but which, with proper maintenance (regular oiling and cleaning), has served me exceedingly well, and never once failing, for many, many years.
"If I were not a writer," I often quip in Q and A fora, "I'd be a seamstress." People laugh, but in truth, I do love to sew. Whenever I feel a need to de-stress, I sew, alter, or create anything—from ill-fitting clothes bought on sale to a doodad for an appliance and furniture. I always have a pile of fabric on stand by. I sewed the gown I wore to the first formal affair (Rizal Day in Chicago) I attended with Tony before we were married. In fact, I sewed all the clothes I wore to every important event he and I went to after that.
For one thing, on my meager allowance as a student, I couldn't afford to buy party clothes in dollars. For another, fashionable clothes patterns were aplenty in the US for a song. I must have mentioned it to him (I don't remember), and he must have remembered even one year after our wedding.
The only other person who rejoiced with me on my receiving a sewing machine was my mother. She, too, loved to sew and from her I learned the craft.
On my umpteenth wedding anniversary, today, I raise my head up to God for the umpteenth additional year He has blessed us with. Likening my pace with my now aging but still whirring sewing machine, I celebrate the grace which has maintained me.
I feel I am still whirring as I did on that long-ago July 4 when I got my first wedding anniversary present nobody appreciated, but my mom and me.
4 comments:
Haha! That's how clueless guys are. They're so logical. When Tony learned you knew how to sew, he must have gotten excited and bought you a sewing machine, to your dismay of course. As for me, one anniversary, I received a cake mixer! Hahaha!
Hi, Yay,
This year I didn't get any, neither did I get one last year or the year before last or the year ... oh, for so long, which is just as well. I would never know how to react to a flat iron or a vacuum cleaner. Hahaha!
Hi Ms. Grace!
What a sweet gift from your hubby. The sewing machine is the evidence that your marriage stood the test of time.
I definitely remember you and most of my Dad's colleagues. Some of them became my colleagues also namely Harvey and Val at DDB and Norbert at Saatchi.
I am not sure if its you or Lucy Bigornia who wrote the book "Now the bed is all mine" which I read years ago from our house bookshelf. But reading your blog & life, I think it's Ms. Lucy :p
And btw, Ms. Yay used to be my boss in my first job ten years ago...
How time flies...
Regards and nice to see your blog :)
Joanie, how nice to reconnect after all these years. You must have been the tiny little girl who used to come to the office on Saturdays with your dad (?) I hope you are completely healed from your recent surgery.
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