Uh, Anniversary?

Our anniversary is approaching, and Beloved Wife was scouring the Internet, as she often does, to see what the “Traditional Anniversary Gift” might be for this particular year. Ahhh, but what number year is this?

For many years we cited the day that we met, that very first moment, as our “anniversary date”, 31 years ago. Especially because after a few years of dithering about, when we finally got formally engaged we remained so for another 18 years, in stasis, while one of us waited to see if it was all going to work out. The date on which I finally made Beloved an official, honest woman was a mere 13 years ago, next month. Over the years I have defaulted to the the first date when anyone asks how long we have been together, and so you see the problem.

Beloved’s research revealed the appropriate anniversary gift to be exchanged between loving couples is Lace for the 13^th year. But while she can still rock lace undies, the gift of Lace is a non-starter for me. On the other hand, it turns out the year 31 gift can be, and I’m quoting here :  “a timepiece of aluminum, or a gift wrapped in aluminum”.

Fantasitc ! She gets a Timex and I get a can of Dave’s Pale Ale !

Yeah, it is kind of an off year for anniversary gifts.