The Best Gift Giver

Alice Mumford

As my brother-in-law explained in our wedding toast, Alex (my husband) likes to be the best at things.  He proceeded to list those things Alex has claimed: best at cleaning up dog sh-t off the sidewalk, best at persuading me to give him a ride to work, the list goes on.  And to that list I could add: best at leaving socks in every single crevice of our place, best at falling asleep (near narcolepsy) when the dishes need done, etc etc.  But I have and will always give him credit for this title: the best gift giver.  

His competitive nature with himself has worked to my great advantage.  A trip to Spain, an slr camera, totally outlandish things -- a kind of elaborateness that is nowhere else in our lives or relationship.  This year he got me a truly exquisite painting (above) by Alice Mumford, one of my favorite contemporary artists, shipped from the UK.  I would have probably passed out from surprise and delight, had he not left the receipt (an 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper) laying on our ottoman.  Regardless of the delivery, he is the best and I look at this painting every single day.  It is a true beauty.