Perfume Resolution

1990s wedding dress, similar to my own. No fair mocking it.

If you’ve visited here before, you probably know that we’ve had an eventful three weeks in my family.  Just before Easter, my father-in-law had a small stroke and went into the hospital, where it was determined that he had a severe urinary tract infection.  While his doctors were waiting for the reports to come back on the first stroke, he had a second stroke that incapacitated his ability to speak and swallow. 

Then there was Easter.

Bill seemed to be recovering, and was transferred to a rehabilitation center.  We talked about therapy and hospital beds at home, and the excellent rehab available for stroke victims at a center located about 45 minutes’ drive away.  Then the pneumonia that seemed to have been held at bay by antibiotics returned, and the UTI turned into a kidney infection.  Bill’s doctor found that he had an advanced cancer of the blood plasma.  We talked about hospice.  The feeding tube was removed, and the IVs.  The doctor said, “Two to five days.  Five, probably.”

It wasn’t even forty-eight hours before the call came, early Saturday morning.

The next day was Mother’s Day.  And The CEO and I reached our 19-year wedding anniversary on Monday, May 9.   We didn’t feel like celebrating, so we gave each other our cards, and held on to each other some.  I gave him a small bottle of Dior Homme Sport, which was one of the samples he’d liked when testing several.

The CEO gave me this:

Certificate of Perfumery

To All To Whom These Words Come, Greeting:

Whereas, [Mals Woodenshoes] has been a helpful, loyal and devoted  and loving wiff* for __19__ years and

Whereas, [Mals]  has shown patience, kindness, and love on a consistent and regular basis, often going above and beyond the call of wiffly duty and

Whereas, [Mals] has a fondness for and interest in perfumes and perfumery

Therefore, let it be known to all that

[Mals] is entitled to a portion of the Treasury of [The CEO}  

Not to exceed ___$75_____

For the purchase of perfumes, colognes, eau de toilettes, scents, fragrances, lotions, bath oils, and other items with pleasing aromas

Upon the condition that she wears said perfumes, scents, etc. and allows [The CEO] to give analysis and review of said perfumes, scents, etc. and subsequently place priority on choosing from those perfumes, scents, etc. the ones which [The CEO] finds most appealing .

Written by my hand and authorized by my signature this  _9th____ day of ___May_______ in the year of our Lord two-thousand and ___11______.

____________________________

The CEO Woodenshoes

This tells me three things, at least.  One, that The CEO loves me and appreciates me and wants to share in my interests.  Two, that he was too busy to go shopping… not that he doesn’t avoid shopping whenever he can.  And three, he’s been serving on too many boards of nonprofit entities lately.

I’m going to test his reaction to Parfums DelRae Amoureuse.  What else should I let him smell on me?

*”Wiff” is an old joke between us: I’m the “wiff” because he wants me to be “wiff” him.  All together now:  Awwwwwww.

Photo is from risingfeenix.com.  Sadly, none of my wedding photos are digital.  It was back in the Dark Ages, after all.