A tale for ❤️Valentine’s Day❤️
Came back from the organic open-air market this week, parked the yogurt, the whole rye loaves, the bouquet of Swiss chard and made up the fire. Lit it, and headed to the sideboard for my pistachio treat–a custom now of the late afternoon.
As I scooped the nuts into the little Florentine bowl, I realized something was missing: My wedding ring!
My finger was missing its ring!
There’s a particularly unpleasant punch-in-the-stomach feeling–WHOOSH–when something hugely-valued is not where it’s supposed to be.
And this is not the first time it has happened.
“Grace under pressure, Robin, grace under pressure….”
I retraced my steps.
Scanned the sideboard where the jars of dried fruits and nuts are stored–but no ring.
Tipped out the pistachio jar, nuts all over the countertop–but no ring.
I turned to the fire, which was picking up nicely.
Moments’ pause, then PANIC as I remembered….
Maybe it slipped off my finger when I tossed in a handful of dry kindling, before deciding I deserved a few pistachios.
“How resistant is gold to melting when subjected to intense heat?”
No time to GOOGLE–get dismantling the blaze, without burning my ringless fingers!
The ring is in fact THREE rings in yellow, white and rose gold–a Russian wedding ring. It will have been my close companion for 31 years this August.
I recently “changed hands” from left to right (the traditional hand for Russian rings) because my left had become too thin.
I carefully shovel hot embers aside into a pile, hoping I catch a glinting glimpse of gold.
No ring.
Meredith arrived back from the shops and calmed me down.
Grace under pressure, grace under pressure—yawowwww!
Together we finished the fire “dismantlement”, without finding the ring.
We searched the car, the courtyard, the front hall, the bathroom.
Perhaps the pile of warm ash would yield treasure tomorrow.
Next morning, I still felt a glimmer of hope.
It WILL turn up. Something in my water told me so.
I lost the ring once before but remember never losing hope–somewhere, patiently waiting for me to get my act together, would be my ring.
In my head, the image of a gold prospector.
THERE IT WAS!!—looking up at me innocently, as if to say: “WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG?”
YIPPEE!
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Robin Ellis 
So glad you found it
Sent from my iPhone
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Hooray! So happy for you!! Happy Valentines Day to both of you!
And to you too, Sandy.
Happened to me, about a year ago. Awful gut punch, as you say. Almost certainly in the local supermarket. Ironically, I had just had my telephone number engraved on the inside (in case..). St Anthony of Padua has always found important lost things for me. Not this time. Still waiting for that call.
Hi Constantine and so sorry St Anthony didn’t come through for you this time. Stay safe and warm. R&M
This is the sweetest story for Valentine’s Day. What a testimony to your love for Meredith to have you so feverishly searching for your ring, even through fire!
Congratulations for having a shrinking finger when so many other folks need to shed rings as fingers enlarge with age due to accumulating weight. You are thriving due to your healthy lifestyle.
Thanks, Tara–I think maybe I’m enjoying this Valentine’s Day the most of all of them!
Wow Robin!!! We are so glad you have found your ring!!! This means eternal love for you and Meredith!! Happy Valentine’s day to you two! Lots of love from a very cold Cremona! Giuseppe and Rosaria
Grazie, Guiseppe an Rosaria–stay warm and safe.
What a wonderful feeling to find something that has been lost.
It truly was, Betty!
I was once very upset about temporarily losing a ring that meant a lot to me, and yours is even more precious. If there is a jeweler in one of your nearby towns, they can add small gold “bumps” (gold half-balls) to the inside of the ring, so it won’t slip off. “Bumps” is not a technical term, but they’ll know what to do.
Great tip, Elaine–thanks so much.
So pleased you found your ring Robin. It is curious how when something goes missing we can have a gut feeling as to whether it’s lost forever or will be found again. My wife and I get amazed how things turn up in places that the both of us have looked and didn’t see ‘it’ the first time!! Your calmness and methodology definitely won through coupled with your absolute determination that it simply wasn’t going to be lost forever. I hope you both enjoy the rest of St Valentine’s Day.
Thanks, Christian.
When we were travelling in the Yukon my husband said he wasn’t wearing his ring because he’d hurt his finger the day before… Later that day we went ”prospecting” in a stream near Dawson City. What should appear in my pan – the glint of gold! Guess what it was….. And guess who’d put it there!
That’s priceless in more ways than one.
Amazing! My husband and I had become separated in Borough Market, one day some years ago. As I was pushing through the crowds I heard someone shouting, has anyone lost a gold ring! I shouted back, has it a diamond in it? Yes was the reply, it was my husbands wedding ring. He hadn’t even noticed it was missing! I caught up with him eventually and produced his ring!
How honest was that? Borough Market on a busy day! It restored my faith in human nature.
Lovely affirming story.
Glad you found it; but what a day to lose it! I’ve been gaining weight with the lock in here in Wales. Actually today I’m quite glad; It’s blowing an absolute hooley and the rain is horizontal!
Hooley here too!
Great story. So glad you found it. Thank you for sharing and Happy Valentine’s to you both xx
And to you, Johanne.
I ‘lost’ my original wedding ring – it got mangled in the gym! I can still recall how bereft I felt. Anyway original ring plus some old fashioned gold earrings, melted = a ‘new’ ring. Result!
Hooray!
Bravo, Robin. And happy Valentines Day to you both.
And you and Peggy, Bob.
Aw, bless! I once lost the diamond out of my engagement ring, so started to cry. When I reached for a tissue from my pocket, the diamond flicked out. Phew! More recently, I dropped my wedding ring and trod on it. It was so flat that it really pointed out that I needed to diet! Now restored to a proper shape, they’re both safe. Glad you found yours, Robin
I can empathise – except in my case it was my engagement ring. sadly it didn’t have quite as good a happy ending – but I did manage to find a replacement that looked identical and 15 years later I can almost think it is the original…
What a wonderful joyful story, Robin…so delighted to hear that you found your precious ring.
Happy Valentine’s day to you and Meredith Oriole
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Thanks, Oriole.
Oh Robin , so glad you found it ! I know that feeling you described. A few years ago I realised some of my jewellery was missing from my box. I had everything out of my drawers and cupboards…searched everywhere I could …but to no avail…I was so upset, because it was a set that Bill had bought me from Bali…not very expensive, but hugely sentimental. It wasn’t until I was tidying my son’s room weeks later and found the box we kept our hair clippers in…..I thought, that’s strange, why is that in here? Tom had put it on his shelf and forgotten about it. I thought we’d thrown it out when we’d bought a new set…..then as I picked it up I remembered, my jewellery box had been a bit too full and I’d decided to use the old clipper box to put my Balinese jewellery set in ! After weeks of thinking I’d lost it, there it was, safe and sound !! Hope you and Meredith are keeping well..stay safe …love Heth xx
Thanks, Heather–lovely story. Almost worth losing it–almost!
Reading your post this a.m. I felt a touch of panic in my stomach. I know that feeling when you’ve lost a precious item. I was thinking you might’ve lost it whilst picking over produce. I am much relieved to know you found your ring. Happy Days!
Wow, I love a happy ending. Am so glad you found it, and I presume it was I damaged? Best Valentine’s Day present ever for you. xx
I am so glad you found your ring!! I know the feeling of losing a precious piece of jewelry, especially a ring. I remember my grandmother finding her wedding ring in her vegetable garden, years later! Happy Valentine’s Day to you and Meredith!
As my Jewish friends would say Much good mazel to you AND your ring for ETERNITY
Happy Valentine’s Day. So glad you found your precious, irreplaceable wedding ring. In such cases, I always pray to St. Anthony, who has never failed me yet.
Happy Valentine’s Day. It’s great news that you found your precious, irreplaceable wedding ring. In such cases, I pray to St. Anthony who has never failed me yet.
Lovely, heartwarming story. Sending love.
Dear Robin,
I’m so glad that you found your ring. I stopped wearing mine as I was scared that I’d lose it in the garden. Now with arthritis and bony finger joints, I don’t think I’ll get it on so I’ll have to wear it on a chain.
Hope you are both well. We’ve had a hard winter, lots of snow and recently bitterly cold weather – but we’ve both had our first vaccinations so a step in the right direction.
Love, Vicky
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Good to hear you and Mark are in form. I have my second jab tomorrow. Meredith has to wait. Love to you both.
Maybe you should have the ring re-sized?
Here’s to happy endings! A finger so used to a ring can feel quite naked without it. About two years after my husband died, I decided to take mine off. Although I found it helped me move forward emotionally, it took a very long time to not panic when I felt it’s absence on my finger. So glad you found yours.
So are we, Cyndy!
Thank goodness! Your perseverance was rewarded!
Phew, glad there was a happy ending. Happy Valentine’s Day to you both 🙂🍾🥂
And you, Liz.
Persistence paid off– BIG time! Happy Valentine’s day to you both.
And to you too!
Ah so pleased for you both x
good show you!
How scary, then HOW WONDERFUL! I love happy endings, especially for the people I love. Happy Valentines Day for both of you!
I love a happy ending! I have a similar story. Many years ago, as I stood in my classroom in front of a group of eighth grader students, I realized that the diamond was missing from engagement ring! The students spent the rest of the period crawling around the carpeted floor, nose to the ground, with no results. The search expanded to the entire two stories of the small school with most students and faculty joining in. A fellow teacher called her mother, who was legendary for finding lost objects…including finding her own lost engagement ring on a sidewalk in New York City a day after she lost it. That lady advised me to say a prayer to St. Anthony (patron of lost objects) and trace all my steps backwards. I did just that…the parking lot, the car, the garage at home, my morning routine, the bedroom….then recalled that I had colored my hair the previous evening, so ran and checked the shower. When I saw the huge openings in the drain cover, I gave up, sure that the diamond had been swallowed up, taking to my bed and wailing miserably. My husband encouraged me to keep going, so I got up and resumed the hopeless process, picking up with what I’d done before getting into the shower. I checked the low cabinet where I’d retrieved the box of hair coloring. The diamond was perched serenely in the corner. There was great rejoicing (and a trip to the jewelers to add two more prongs to the setting.) Sorry…but I love to tell that story. Small miracles are just as astounding as large ones.
And still she persisted! Great story.
Great story…happy valentines to you both..my day consisted of my covid vaccination at the royal cornwall showground in a force 10 squall and rain
Happy days, stay safe, both, trudy in a windswept bodmin.
What a wonderful outcome, Robin. That period of time between realizing a treasure is missing and somewhat miraculously retrieving it is a long exercise in hope. It’s a gorgeous ring. And what a Valentine’s Day story!
I am so glad that you found it. But no fair making me tear up on Valentine’s Day, only to realize there was a very happy ending.
So glad you found it.
What a great story Robin ! So glad you finally found it after so much effort. My husband lost his wedding ring in a park about 10 years ago but sadly it was never found. I bought him another (but not quite the same!) On Valentine’s Day we celebrated 30 years of marriage. We were just looking at an album of photos from our Poldark inspired wedding (18th century costumes!) when I saw your post – Happy Valentine’s Day to you & Meredith from Sydney. All the saints seem to be looking after you!
Thanks, Julia. Happy Anniversaire!
Phew, well done I can imagine the panic. So glad your patience was rewarded
So glad you found it! What a relief! Totally understand the panic.
I thought I had lost my late mother’s engagement ring a few years ago.
I was on my way to Birmingham and in a rush. Locking up the car, I dropped my bag. I quickly stuffed everything back into it and set off. Only once I had arrived at my hotel in Birmingham did I realise the box with the ring was missing. Phone calls to railway lost property were in vain. Lots of social media sharing too.
The next morning, back at my local station car park, I hunted all around the car even lying flat on my stomach on the tarmac…….and there it was! The little pink box had hidden itself under the car tucked in next to one of the rear wheels. Phew!
Happy, happy! So great when it turns out like this.
Robin and Meredith,
I am so glad that you found your ring. The addition of the bit of twine to the ring reminded me of elementary school days when girls would use string or yarn (i.e. wool) to keep a ring from falling off their fingers.
Since I knit, I have plenty of yarn around and would be happy to make a donation to the cause.
I hope you are enjoying better weather today than in Chicago. We are expected to get 8 to 12 inches of snow and bitterly cold temperatures.
Yarn is a good tip–thank you.
Dear Robin,
A happy Valentine’s day message!
Iris
Thank you Iris–love from us both.
What a great story. And we can all use a story with such a happy outcome right now!
You look so happy in that picture. What a nice story! Thank you!
Lovely story for Valentine’s Day! Lucky Meredith and lucky you to have each other!
Beautiful Valentine’s tale!
…. “Meredith and I hugged! YIPPEE! …..”
What a cute couple! I wish you all the happiness.
Whew– so glad you found it!!! When we first got married and were doing lots of yard work and fixing stone walls, my ring was getting pretty scratched up, so I wanted to remove it for a few hours. Gene looked at me like I had suggested sacrilege! So it’s been on for nearly 32 years– except once early days when I removed the garden gloves and it stayed inside! I quickly & discretely put it back on & didn’t mention it at the time, though! 😉
Cheers & hugs to you and Meredith!
A wonderful Saint Valentine story! Thank you, I enjoyed that.
All the best
Andrea
Lovely story. Also good to hear from you again!
You might like to stay out of American politics , since you are not an American . I also challenge you to spend one month here on Southern CA and say you think the Democrats and their open borders are going on the right direction
My wife is American and her sister who is a volunteer at the border lives in Southern CA. A few calm facts might help.
In fact, the administration continues to reject or expel border crossers under a public health order known as Title 42. It does permit the entry of unaccompanied minors and some vulnerable families. Migrants who cross the border are immediately required to wear masks. They are not tested at Customs and Border Patrol unless they show symptoms, but all are tested if they move into the system, and those who test positive for coronavirus are quarantined. Those slated for deportation are quarantined before they are deported. While infection rates are climbing, because of both the Delta variant and the crowding at Border Patrol, immigrants test positive at a lower rate than the rate of non-immigrants around them.
And yet, Republicans are using the deadly new coronavirus variant to stoke anti-immigrant fires.
Be well informed is my motto.
Vying to be first as the ugliest American are you? His website, his opinion; you don’t like, then try a polite rejoinder. PS: Hope I didn’t to use words with too many syllables.
Wonderful story. Delighted that your perseverence paid off and that the story of your searching in the ashes had a happy ending.
I see that you are working hard this week, Fawlty Towers on Monday and Elizabeth R on Wednesday.
Hope you are enjoying some nice spring weather and keeping well
Tina
So fortunate you realised it was missing before the fire took proper hold, I have also lost rings, which fortunately seem to turn up in places which have already been thoroughly searched! 😱
Delightful story.