Every year on a wedding anniversary, there’s a theme for that year’s gift.

My darling bride and I haven’t really subscribed to that, though I probably was reminded the year it was gold or something else of significance.

It was a beautiful May 16 in 1992 (I’m pretty sure… just kidding. I remember it like I was there!) when I married the most beautiful girl in the world. I’ve whisked her across Wisconsin and back. We’ve raised four wonderful children and were blessed late last year with our first grandbaby.

We’re quasi-empty nesters, in that COVID-19 brought a couple college kids back to the nest, and we’re fortunate to have one home for the next few months because it’s close to her summer job.

I’m gone about 80 hours each week, so I like to make things easy for my wife. I cook Sunday dinner most weeks and I have been known to be quite the housecleaner, but she’s quick to note that I’ve slipped in that role as my work has increased dramatically in the last two years. Thanks to my loyal readers, I no longer have dishpan hands!

On Sunday, we celebrated our 29th wedding anniversary. We don’t buy many gifts for each other, because what do we need? Most of our travels are weekend junkets to see our children or family. My wife decided last month when I bought a grill large enough to feed the neighborhood that that was going to count for our gifts, which encompasses Mother’s Day, our anniversary, our June birthdays and Father’s Day. Worked for me, but she didn’t get much out of that deal.

I schemed a little and thought about possibly surprising her on our anniversary, and let me tell you, that was a huge success.

The day started like the normal Sunday. I got up and went to work early and checked in later in the morning, wished her a happy anniversary and told her she was as beautiful today as the day I married her. I got the better end of the deal, I can tell you that much. I look at our wedding photo and wonder just what the heck happened to that guy?

I went back to work, and she was heading outside to do yard work. An hour later, I received an urgent phone call that she was unable to complete the tasks at hand. Johnny Romance stepped right in and knocked this anniversary out of the park!

I picked up on her hint and headed right to the store. Within minutes I was home unloading her gift.

I don’t know if it’s on any of those anniversary charts, but she sure did look beautiful with it.

She had that new wheelbarrow full in no time!

I think she loves it, though come to think of it, she hans’t mentioned that yet. In fact, she hasn’t said anything to me for hours. She’s obviously stunned at the magnitude of what I gifted her!

How am I going to outdo myself for the 30th?