Originally written in 2023
I don’t wear perfume.
I’m not particularly interested in jewellery.
And I’m really not that much into girly things.
But there is also a limit to how many pots and pans a woman should receive as presents. 
So with my birthday approaching, I decided not to leave anything to chance.
I began dropping a few very subtle hints to Graeme.
For example:
“It’s really difficult to garden when the handle of my shovel is broken.”
And:
“Look at my gardening gloves. They have holes in them.”
Very subtle. 
Fortunately, Graeme understood the assignment.
He came home with an early birthday present: new gardening tools, new gloves and even a new pot to keep everything in.
Perfect.
No perfume that I probably wouldn’t use.
No jewellery that would spend most of its life in a drawer.
And most importantly…
no frying pan.
Some women might want flowers and diamonds.
Give me gardening tools that actually work and gloves without holes and I’m perfectly happy.
Well done, darling!!! 
Stories Along the Way 