Since I retired, I've taken to keeping lunch dates, etc., in jeans and whatever, with no jewelry. It bugs Jordan, because over the years the children have given me nice silver--not expensive, not valuable, but things suited to me. Increasingly, my necklaces were in a tangle, and the several jewelry boxes I have were a mess. She has so much more patience than I do, so she untangled tiny fine chains, and laid them all out in one place, put brooches in another (I have a new sweater that cries out for my Scottish heather brooch, which Jordan unearthed for me), and sorted, ultimately carrying off anything valuable to be put in the safe. Now I'll never really wear those things! She unearthed cheap elastic bracelets, one in brown and red beads that matched the sweater I was wearing, and I dutifully put it on.
But she unearthed some treasures--my grandmother's wedding ring, small, worn thin, but that peculiar old gold with a truly rosy touch about it; a cheap locket belonging to my mom that fascinated me as a child because it opened to show not two but four tiny pictures--one of my mom, one of my dad, and one of my brother at age six holding the newborn me and a blank space I always thought should be filled. A cameo necklace of my mom's--I wonder how many people today even know what a cameo is? Some old railroad watches--must have been my grandfather's. The tiny paste gold expansion bracelet and delicate necklace, with red glass stones I'm sure, given to me as a toddler because the ruby is my birthstone. I've never owned a ruby. Now what month is turquoise? I might want to change my birthday. But it was a trip down memory lane.
Of course, when I went out to dinner last night I wore jeans, a sweater, and a raincoat--no jewelry except that expansion bracelet. Maybe I need to sharpen up my act.
But she unearthed some treasures--my grandmother's wedding ring, small, worn thin, but that peculiar old gold with a truly rosy touch about it; a cheap locket belonging to my mom that fascinated me as a child because it opened to show not two but four tiny pictures--one of my mom, one of my dad, and one of my brother at age six holding the newborn me and a blank space I always thought should be filled. A cameo necklace of my mom's--I wonder how many people today even know what a cameo is? Some old railroad watches--must have been my grandfather's. The tiny paste gold expansion bracelet and delicate necklace, with red glass stones I'm sure, given to me as a toddler because the ruby is my birthstone. I've never owned a ruby. Now what month is turquoise? I might want to change my birthday. But it was a trip down memory lane.
Of course, when I went out to dinner last night I wore jeans, a sweater, and a raincoat--no jewelry except that expansion bracelet. Maybe I need to sharpen up my act.
1 comment:
I hear you. I've got some lovely jewelry, including pieces that were my mom's, but 99.9% of the time all I'm wearing in the way of jewelry is a small gold cross, my watch (a simple Timex, leather strap), and my engagement/wedding rings.
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