The truth is that Donnie and I find it difficult to plan personal celebrations--especially date-type celebrations. We're much better at the impromptu fete. I used to think this just meant that we were an unfussy, low-maintenance couple. But after a couple of years, I've come to realize that planning for these little milestones--birthdays, anniversaries, even the odd Valentine's day--is important. If you stop paying attention to them, time begins to look like one long undifferentiated stretch--and that feeling can lead people to do all kinds of silly things!
We decided a few weeks back to copy our friends the Waleses and adopt the traditional list of anniversary gifts. The list provides an extra measure of structure and inspiration for those of us who find it difficult to find something new to do every year. The fourth year anniversary gift is fruit or flowers (under the UK list) or silk and fine linen (under the US list). We opted for the fruit or flowers, in part because I didn't think Donnie needed another tie.
Our plan was to go out for breakfast and then meet at the Phipps Botanical Garden in the afternoon for some tea, and a flower viewing stroll. We went for breakfast at the new Pamela's on Murray. The space is beautiful--they're new gallery provided enough people--watching opportunities to keep Maria fully entertained. The food was good too, and came in heaping quantities.
As my gift for Donnie, I spent much of the day making my version of a German fruit-topped cake. (It's a layer of vanilla cake covered with pudding, covered with fruit, covered with gelatin.) My plan was to bring this cake to the Phipps to have with our tea. We'll, I didn't plan sufficiently for cooling time, so 3:30 rolled around and the kitchen was still a mess, and the gelatin on top of the cake no where near solidified. I called Donnie and he suggested that we skip the Phipps and that way he could come home early for the tea, and then he and I would go out in the evening.
The afternoon unfurled quite beautifully.
Donnie's gift to me was a beautiful peridot-colored, linen scarf with flowers on it (notice he managed to include the UK and the US gift in this one present). I've been a bit obsessed with linen since reading Women's Work and discovering it's amazing moisture wicking . It's also so very chic and European to wear a summer scarf!
We put Maria down to sleep and our dear friend Lynn came over to keep watch. Donnie and I headed to the Southside. It was one of those scrumptious summer evenings when the sky reminds you of sherbert. After a delicious dinner at McCormick and Schmidt's (the baby needed a little seafood :), we went to see Midnight in Paris. We both thoroughly enjoyed the movie, and it was certainly exciting to see the city that will be our new home!
It was a decadent, lovely and memorable anniversary!
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