The number one item on my birthday list: STRAWBERRY PAPER TOWELS. My kitchen is decorated with strawberries and I’m obsessive-compulsive enough to want everything TO MATCH! For years Bounty and Mardi Gras made them and I knew that my sister-in-law and niece from Gerald’s side of the family would intrepidly shop store-to-store to find them.
Several years ago on my birthday another niece had given me an exquisite piece of Waterford crystal which I believe I showed proper appreciation for.
When my sister-in-law came to the party, she was carrying a large, black, trash bag with a red bow tied around the top.
I immediately knew what was in it and I let out an exhilarated whoop: “Strawberry paper towels!” The bag contained 26 rolls–a roll a week for half the year–of course I was excited!
The next time I was alone with my Waterford niece she asked if I had really liked the piece of crystal and I said that I adored it. She then said she couldn’t believe the way I’d acted about the strawberry paper towels and that I seemed more excited about those than I did the Waterford!
OH, MY!
I explained that I knew that the Waterford was far more costly than the paper towels but I also knew they had ALSO wanted to give me something I would truly appreciate and it was “our thing!” I continued and told her that the sister-in-law was on a fixed income but she and her daughter had searched for 6 months because they had given me a bag of 26 rolls of paper towels at Christmas and it was a challenge to find 26 more rolls.
Over the years it has become increasingly difficult to find the strawberry paper towels; Gerald has even checked on E-Bay, etc. to no avail.
My sister-in-law called today and said, “I haven’t been able to find any strawberry paper towels; how about if I get you an Olive Garden gift certificate?”
She and I have an ongoing joke: we hate to GIVE gift certificates because people know how much you’ve spent on them!
Sue, Not only do people know how much you spent on the gift certificate, they also know it only took you 5 minutes tops to find and buy the gift certificate, especially now that you can get them at Kroger. Those strawberry paper towels were wonderful gifts not only because you wanted them but because your sis-in-law took the time to find them for you. Time spent finding the gift is much more precious in my eyes than the money spent.
Thank you, Sherry! I agree!
Sue