Jumping in (1st post)

[Gardener]

Reading Thinker's thread about ann'y. Good ideas re: flowers, card wording, roadtrip package etc.

I used to always give flowers to my wife
1) Anniversary,
2) For no reason, and
3) Whenever I picked her up at the airport. It always seemed right, like one should be greeted with flowers upon returning from a trip: You're HOME!! Plus, I felt as special and lucky being the only man at arrivals holding a bouquet as she felt being the only woman at the gate getting flowers.

Last time, though, was last month at the airport. I saw her roll her eyes when she saw them. Asked me to hold them on the way to the car and within an hour thereafter (I knew it, I felt it coming based on her reaction to the flowers) dropped the D bomb.
Yep, Gardener's done with flowers for now.

So, our Anniversaries are tomorrow (17th Wedding) and Sunday (18th of when we met). Since we had our longest, most comfortable, time together Thursday in a long time and I wasn't sure what, how, or if I should acknowledge, I opted for a small, simple Thank You card. Blank inside where I wrote,

"Wishing you warm memories this weekend. Always, Gardener"

Then...then...I did either a great DB or a Horrible DB:I slipped a separate sheet of note paper in the card on which I wrote:

W,
While I did not want this path, it has proven to be one
of reflection, hard work, and growth.
I realize I had become more of a boy than a man over time
I am a changing man, now
And I'm...grateful to you for this.

Always,
Gardener

Ouch! Ouch! Wrong thing to do! Wrooong thing to do! Mayday! Mayday! Wince. Wince. Aaack! Obsess. Obsess.

Breathe. Breathe. Just breathe.
The right thing to do.
The truth.

I remember thinking, saying throw me a bone here!, Give me some hope! in my pleading days. Since we rarely spend time together (her choice:"Just leave me alone.") and she probably doesn't see changes, thought I'd throw her a bone (lousy term, actually)...Gardener felt he should offer her a flower of truth and acknowledgement (sappy?)

Truth. Happy Anniversaries, Friend.

So, now as that envelope continues snailmailing to her apartment for delivery today, opening and reading tomorrow (she'll probably wait til the actual date to open it), with these wonderful once life-affirming, love-proclaiming two very special dates approaching, Gardener is going to do what any man would do.

Gonna hide out in the mountains for two days.

See ya Sunday, guys.