25 years later
Friday, June 24, 2011 at 12:01AM 
Vonne and I were married on 21 June 1986, so we celebrated our 25th anniversary on Tuesday. Slow day for us, because it was all get-things-done before we flew out very early the next day to Providenciales in the Turks and Caicos island chain in the Caribbean. Close family friends offered us their condo down here and we were very excited to come. First time for both of us in the Caribbean. The Caicos chain is just due east of Cuba.
I have no idea why that map says "North Atlantic," but here's a wider angle:
And I guess there's just a tight definition of what constitutes the Caribbean.
Anyway, we've already done the snorkeling, and we'll do the sunset cruise tomorrow and a crab fest at a neighboring island all day Saturday. Also working on some jet skiing in local cave waters.
Providenciales has plenty of great restaurants, and so we're working our way through the NYT's highest recommendations.
Last night, after a great meal on the beach, we walked back to the resort along the long and stunningly pristine beach on the north side of the island, and I pulled out my 25th anniversary "wedding ring" to replace the one Vonne had cut off months ago after she fell chasing Abebu and broke a couple of fingers (Abebu, when she first arrived, had a heart-stopping lack of respect for street traffic). The ring(s) were later lost somewhere in the maelstrom that is our house.
In truth, Vonne hated the rings, which fit-into one another to make one larger ring. I had picked them out from a Cambridge Mass jeweler who designed them himself.
So this time, I designed the ring myself. White gold and wider, it splits in the front to hold one square-cut diamond (me) offset on one tip (so, diamond shaped), and then six other stones (three to the left and three to the right) to represent the kids. The are leaf-like and lean outward from the diamond. Three sapphires on the left for Em, Kev and Jerry. Then one citrene for Vonne Mei and two onyx for Metsu and Abebu. It's a one-of-a-kind ring for a one-in-a-kind family (although, oddly enough, I think it would work for Angelina Jolie as well - if you altered the sequence.)
The jeweler tried to talk me into birth stones, but I told him I didn't need any artificial color scheme - I've already got my rainbow coalition.
The ring turned out very nicely and I picked it up on the 21st, about 12 hours before we flew.
Vonne, fortunately, loves this ring, and it looks as great on her hand as the old ones did not. It has a nice Lord of the Rings vibe to it, says Emily, who helped me describe the design and finalize it with the local jeweler.
One ring to rule them all!
I just couldn't take her on a 25th anniversary trip and have her walk around the entire time without any ring.
We all conspired to fool her and it worked. She was convinced I had found her old rings and had them repaired.
Reader Comments (7)
"All that wander are not lost."
Many happy returns and safe journeys.
Congratulations to both of you!
No small accomplishment. Here's to another 25 - as my husband and I say at 30 - the best is yet to come!!!
FYI- The map says "North Atlantic" due to being relative to the Equator, as opposed to being South of the Equator. Otherwise, enjoy your anniversary! Congratulations on 25 years!
Congratulations! By the way they call it the North Atlantic because if you look from the prespective of someone in South America it is the North Atlantic. I did a Midshipman cruise in Brazil and they called it the North Atlantic (and we were SOUTH of the Turks)
Rick Perez USNA 1981 and US Naval War College 2005 (saw one of your last talks there).
Glad you are doing well!
Rick
Wonderful post Tom. Best wishes for continued happiness, health and good fortune to you, Vonne and the entire family.