Saturday, July 09, 2005

Gifts

My husband is enormously generous and thoughtful. I am lucky lucky lucky in many ways. As a pilot for the Navy, he's done a bit of travel. He always brings home wonderful, exciting gifts. True treasures that will be family heirlooms.

I could never remember every item, but...

I have pottery from Italy, more pottery from Chile, jewelry from all over, hard carved camels and elephants, sweatshirts from Alaska and San Diego, a Turkish rug, wool gloves and hat from Iceland, funny little Viking wall hanging also from Iceland, nesting dolls of a Moslem family, a small jewelry box with beautiful (quilt inspired) wood inlay from ???, an amazing set of chunky tea cups from Japan (that we keep toothbushes, q-tips and cottons balls in on our sink), prints of our children's names written in Japanese...

and then he went to Japan again a couple of weeks ago.

and the gift giving hit an all-time low.

Sure, he brought wonderful items for the kids and for my parents and sister who were also visiting at the time.

For me, he brought Japanese chocolate. Let's just say the Swiss have nothing to worry about.

There were 10 tiny "truffles" encased in slimy, sticky goo and dusted with cocoa. I couldn't even down a single one. Admittedly, I have issues with texture, but even my dad who is a sweet freak passed after he ate one.

Of course, I hope I have not offended any Japanese chocolate lovers... or my husband!

The chocolates did come in a super fantastic box!!! It's tucked away in my studio waiting to be stuffed with bits of fabric to send off to a friend, or to store a special hand project for working in front of the tv.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Japan? Chocolate? Now that is an oxymoron. Stevie traveled extensively to Japan during his GE career. One year he made 9 trips, each one lasting 10 days. I have lovely things from Japan, many sent as gifts from the Japanese men he worked with. An Hermes scarf - in fact I have many scarves because the gifts were always wrapped in a scarf! The best gift was a piece of indigo fabric which I have not been able to cut up. It is in the length that you would use to make a kimono. I think I need to get it out and finally make something. Some of the best gifts were the t-shirts that he bought for the kids with really hysterical sayings in English. Thanks for the memories! Love that box. I have one word for Jeff the next time he is in Japan - FABRIC!!

Sonji Hunt said...

I too have a thoughtful,gift bearing husband. I always tell him that he doesn't need to bring me anything back from his trips and I REALLY mean it, but he still does. It is a sweet gesture.