Tiffany Cup No More

Gifts received from others are always appreciated, but gifts received that one actually likes are cherished. Last Christmas I received four Tiffany Company china coffee mugs from Blogger Boy. I have protected these cups -- they were four for $180, (I looked them up). They were beautiful large mugs, they were white with blue flowers on them, they made coffee taste better. They were from Blogger Boy.

Knowing the cleaning ladies were coming, I did what every woman in America does prior to the arrival of the cleaning crew: I cleaned. I carefully washed the two Tiffany mugs that had made our morning coffee taste better then it ever does in other cups. I lovingly placed the two Tiffany mugs in the stainless drying tray in the sink. I adoringly looked at the mugs, remembering the joy of receiving the big blue box. I recalled how careful the cleaning ladies have been, yet I agreed with myself, I should place the two Tiffany mugs back on the shelf, prior to the ladies arrival to clean. Just to be safe.

Working in my office I suddenly saw the long face of my husband as he approached. "I have some very bad news," he said. "Linda broke one of your Tiffany cups." I said nothing. "She will replace it." I said nothing, knowing I would never ask her to do so, and knowing they are sold in lots of four, not one by one. I have a friend with cancer, an aging mother, a few health issues, three successful children and a loving husband. "A Tiffany Company china coffee mug broke into a zillion pieces today when it fell to the floor of a suburban home," the news headline would read. "No one was injured." Four more Tiffany Company china coffee mugs are now on their way to the same grateful suburban home.