Pursing my WIPs
Tuesday February 11th 2014, 12:54 am
Filed under: Family,Life

I’ve been debating saying it for awhile. Who likes a show-off? And yet, since saying oh wow I finally finished the 450th stitch on row 49! is kinda boring, here goes.

I got talked into signing up for one of these flash-sale sites because, should I ever actually buy something, the someone who referred me there would get $25 towards her next purchase. And I was actually in the market for a new purse.

I had been for quite some time, long enough for the zipper to break on one old purse and for the next also-old one to show its age badly in ways that were not repairable either. I had not bought a new one in easily a dozen years. The problem was that I knew exactly what I wanted and it did not seem to exist and I did not want to spend money on something that was so personal if it would be a disappointment.

I am spoiled as a fiber artist: I remember when we were car shopping in ’99, looking at the ugly tan minivan we ended up with– “Champagne” in Chrysler-speak–and wishing I could dunk it in a dyebath to get the color up to speed.

I wondered more recently if you could boil leather with some of my fiber dyes and not wreck a Chrysler-color purse. I’m not a many-handbags type (even if I do have a few old ones I’ve never let go to Goodwill. The one I bought with my grandmother Christmas money 30 years ago when I was a new mom? It stays. Forever.) I’m a buy-one-wear-it-out type.

It couldn’t have lots of dividers that take up good yarn-project space. It had to be able to hold the Ipad I don’t actually have yet, although we do have one between us. Wide enough, definitely, for the handicapped placard to slip into after finding that my small Grandmother purse is useless for that. Something soft, sturdy, leather, on the big side for knitting’s sake but not too heavy for when the arthritis is flaring.

So I was looking at that site one day, something I’d avoided doing because who wants to even go near the temptation over perfectly frivolous stuff?

That one! Richard, look! There it was. (One of my kids saw it too on her own computer and went Oh, that is so Mom.)

I gave myself a goodly while to think about it. Nope, still there however many days later, down to three left.

Charlotte Ronson was the brand (not a name I knew) but the price was actually as good as some at the leather-goods store at the outlet mall a long hike from here. And a whole lot prettier. Well huh. And I wouldn’t even have to brave the crowds.

The end result is that I told my husband that it could be birthday and Christmas and Mother’s Day for however long to come he might like, but after years and years I had at last found the one and only purse I actually really thought was ever so perfectly perfect and worth the splurge. And the color!

And he, sweetheart that he is, bought it for me. A week before we found out we were going to be forced to blow $13 grand on the heating system. I was quietly glad as I put the box away for the wait, and he, bless him, was too because it made me so happy. I skipped the birthday and waited till Christmas, and–it still surprises me every day how grateful I am for this thing. It still makes me happy every time I look at it. It is so soft. It is sturdy but it is surprisingly lightweight. The color is exquisite. It is tall, snapping shut at the top, and holds quite a bit of knitting if asked. It not only has an Ipad pocket that also snaps shut, it has knitted cables embossed into the leather on that large pocket. Knitted. While the lining is a light color that makes it easy to find everything.

Charlotte Ronson, whoever you may be out there, (oh look a link!) thank you.

Best of all, it represents far more than any material good has any right to that my husband loves me and looks out for me. It made me happy so it made him happy, and I’ve tried to respond in kind moment by every moment and to live up to his generosity.

It’s such an odd thing in this life to be perfectly satisfied, needing no more. I have all that I might ever want.


6 Comments so far
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Oh how perfect for the knitterly you!!!

Comment by Jody 02.11.14 @ 5:55 am

Not fair! Which one is it?

Comment by Sherry in Idaho 02.11.14 @ 10:27 am

Lovely! He must have looked hard to find one that was right in all the required places!!

One of my artist friends selected the word “Enough” for this year — I’m looking forward to sharing this post with her

Comment by Bev 02.11.14 @ 10:34 am

What lovely and impressive decorative leatherwork! Color on the computer is never accuarte and yet I thought “Cordovan,” so had to wiki it. Cordoba Spain, leather production first practiced by the Visogoths in the 7th century.

I think Ricardo Mantelban saying “Cordoba” and “Fine Corinthian Leather.”

Comment by LynnM 02.11.14 @ 10:50 am

What a lovely post, perfect gift and a wonderful expression(s) of love.

Comment by Channon 02.11.14 @ 5:06 pm

When you find the perfect thing, it is wonderful. When you find the perfect mate, it is perfect!

Comment by twinsetellen 02.12.14 @ 6:10 pm



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