Christmas 2012

Forty years ago this month, Stan and I had our first Christmas. We had been married about two and a half months but were waiting for our eligibility for health insurance to start our family. Like many young brides, I was baby hungry and fixated on a beautiful peach faced love bird I saw at the Pet Shop. The Bird was shy and so every day after work, I would stop by the shop and talk to the bird. Finally I asked Stan for the bird. He feigned disapproval but immediately paid the shop keeper to hold the bird while having a turquoise ring set in gold made for me additionally. I bought him his first heavy weighted hammer and some addition tools; wrapped them in brown paper bags and then decorated each gift with a colorful characterture of the tool made of some left over felt. We were so in love. On Christmas Eve, he took the bird to his brother Jerry’s family for safe keeping. Christmas Morning the phone rang about 8 a.m. Jerry described to Stan how careful he had been with the bird but that when he looked into the cage that morning, my love bird was on the bottom, feet upward and not moving. It was a sad Stan who came to tell me my big surprise was dead. I have never forgotten how disappointed he was. We have eternalized the moment with “love bird” salt and pepper shakers. Over the years Stan has given me many surprises but our first Christmas set the tone for the many loving Christmasses that followed.