Gia, of Giazzworld, asked me to bare all. She tagged me in a Twitter Meme Game where I have to share 6 things that no one knows about me.
This isn’t easy, I’m not exactly a woman of mystery. There is very little that isn’t already public knowledge. Okay, there are a few secrets known only to a select few, and I’m keeping it that way. What’s left?
How about a tale of precious jewels, diamonds, and gold?
1. Although I can appreciate the aesthetic beauty of jewelry, I don’t have any interest in acquiring any for myself. Each piece of jewelry that I wear connects me to an important person in my life.
2. I hate to wear rings, but I make an exception for the exquisite diamond engagement and wedding ring that my husband commissioned from a friend’s girlfriend who worked in New York City’s diamond district. He then kept it hidden for weeks until he could stage the most beautifully romantic proposal at a secluded tropical beach on Jost Van Dyke in the BVI.
3. The year before the proposal, for my 26th birthday, he surprised me with a special present in a small jewelry box.
Guys, never give the special woman in your life a jewelry box present if there is any chance she might be hoping for a wedding proposal.
The box contained a set of brilliant diamond earring studs. At the time, they were a disappointment, but now I wear them every day.
4. I always wear a gold medallion with La Virgen de Luján, the patron saint of Argentina. This was the only jewelry that my Argentine great-grandmother ever owned, and she passed it on to her first great-granddaughter. A mother of 8, she helped support the family by taking in laundry. My mom claims that I received the medallion because she was her favorite granddaughter. She could be right. I don’t know.
5. When I dress up, I add the four smoothly rounded 24K bangles that my Argentine grandmother, Meme, gave me at my wedding. I had always admired her collection of jingly, jangly bangles, and I was thrilled to receive some myself. This became a wedding tradition for each of her five granddaughters.
Over the years, Meme had been squirreling away some of her housekeeping allowance and using it to invest in gold bangles that could be kept hidden, and saved for a rainy day. She also bought gold coins, including a Mexican gold coin that was turned into a brooch.
This treasure was given to me to hold for my mother - a notorious loser of jewelry - as an emergency fund. However, my mother decided to continue the tradition of passing a family jewelry heirloom to the eldest great-granddaughter in the generation. Now, this Mexican coin is stored in a safe for my daughter to receive on her 18th birthday.
6. My bangles received a companion from the Middle East. Many years back, my mother-in-law’s childhood friend, a woman who lived in the Czech Republic, but traveled the world, had given her a special memento from her voyages. It was a 24K bangle with intricate facets from Iran.
Precious Memories
Now, when I dress in my finest attire, I carry a tangible reminder of my family’s multicultural heritage. Accompanying the golden mementos are precious memories of my mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, daughter, husband, and mother-in-law.
Play the Meme Game:
If you’ve been tagged with the Twitter Meme Game, you must post 6 things no one knows about you on your BLOG. Then you have to tag 6 more people. (don’t forget to let them know they’ve been tagged.) Leave me a message letting me know that you’ve accepted the tag. Let me know when you’ve posted your list and make sure there’s a link back to my BLOG. http://www.onlivingbylearning.com Have fun!!!
I’m tagging:
- Mademoiselle Robot
- Days Go By
- Travels With Children
- Being a Mom of 3 Boys
- Small Town Mommy
- PKMU Learning Never Stops
More Meme Articles:
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wandermom 10.09.08 at 2:07 am
This is a great idea!
And very good of you to share your golden moments.
Kacey 10.09.08 at 9:38 am
I love how your jewelry all has such great history connected to it!
Pamela Kramer 10.09.08 at 3:27 pm
This is all I could think of…lol
Dani 10.09.08 at 6:14 pm
LOVE your list. I have a medal that my Grandmother brought back from Italy for me when I was about 9 years old. As a kid, I was only allowed to wear it on special occasions. Now, I never take it off. If I *have* to because of an event that requires pearls or a formal neckline, I put the medal on a safety pin and pin it to my bra. I’m never without it.
That being said, I got tagged with this meme THREE times in as many days. I’m working on it tonight after the kids go to bed. Promise!
Anne 10.09.08 at 7:05 pm
Thank you for thinking of me. I have accepted your challenge and posted it here http://smalltownmommyus.blogspot.com/2008/10/about-me.html.
Thanks,
daysgoby 10.09.08 at 8:01 pm
Aha! I’ve been tagged! Hmmm.. this will give me something to think about tomorrow at work!
Gorgeous post. I love family heirlooms.
Dani 10.10.08 at 12:40 am
Meme is all done… Come see!