Is That Bling I See?

Sue darling,

I am proud of you! I think you have two very nice choices there! For real!

Well, I mean, the first one reminds me of a ring I wore in sixth grade. Did I ever mention how I hit my social peak in sixth grade? Seriously. On the last day of school, FIVE different boys gave me jewelry! I got three necklaces, a gold (!!!) bracelet (that one was actually from my boyfriend), and a watch-ring. Which I actually loved. How that trend did not take off I have no idea.

Anyway, as fond as I am of those days, your Official Domestic Partner Partnership Ring should not remind me of them.

But! Do my eyes deceive me or did that second one actually have very wee diamonds (but diamonds nonetheless!) in it? Miracle of miracles! You are into (very wee) bling after all! This takes our friendship to a whole new level.

Although - I know. I won't get ahead of myself. You have probably already decided that you hate it. Or found something tackier - I mean, more in line with your taste.

Sigh. Keep me posted. Tiffany, Harry, Fred and I will be here for you.

With labels and love,

DG

Domestic Goddess Takes on Teenagers

Dearest DP,

Rings!  Fabulous!  I must admit I do hope you see the light - no, not the glorious rays of light emanating from my future Ring of Dreams, the metaphoric light - and decide to show your commitment to The Doctor by wearing a gorge engagement ring - oh no wait - partnership ring on your ring finger.  Did you find any you like?  Moissanite?  Mokume Gane?  Details, woman!

As for me, well, you may not be hearing from me for awhile.  I am preparing my biological clock for an attack of a most gruesome nature: teenagers.  In my house.  For two days.

That's right.  The Lawyer and I offered to host an expat family friend's two teenage daughters for a couple of days.  And they arrive in approximately 90 minutes.

Now, I have known these girls since they were babies.  I lived over here in England with their family for a couple of summers, so I am kind of the big sister they never had.  Or at least I was.  I haven't seen them for a few years so I have no idea what the dynamic will be now that they are adolescents.  Ack!  I mean I was a terrible little witch when I was in middle school, and an insecure mess in high school (well, at least for the first year or so, until I embraced my nerdiness and gained a little fabulous and became quite cool, actually).  I know I will be able to handle anything that comes my way.  But I cannot speak for my biological clock.  For her, I fear the worst.

Which is probably a good thing, since I'll soon be starting grad school and all.  Not exactly the time to get knocked up.  Oh, and before you remind me yet again, I am also neither married nor engaged.  Right-o!

Ok, I'm off to rev up the Dyson before the girls arrive.  Wish me luck!

xoxo

DG

Show Me the Blingy

Sue darling,

It has been an historic day. Well, not actually all that historic, since the BF and I browsed rings in the States at Tiffany before we moved, but how I love typing “an historic” and also, today was no slouch of a day, either!

In true Lady of Leisure style, I sashayed and shanteyed (wow, it’s been a long time since I’ve quoted RuPaul – I am showing my age) up, around, over, and through Hatton Garden, London’s blingtacular diamond district. How fabulously civilized it was! There were no skeevy men trying to woo you into their stores like they do in NYC – and I mean, does that ever work? Ew. And the three salespeople with whom I worked were all totally friendly and helpful. If only their rings were a little nicer… alas, I am still lusting after a Tiffany diamond, as the BF and his bank account will no doubt be thrilled to hear.

[That being said, it’s his own fault. He is the one that suggested we take a spin through Tiffany on that glorious day back in January. I mean what did he expect?]

Even if I did not find the Ring of Dreams today, my delicious journey was educational and eye-opening. I learned a lot about the ring fabrication process, and about diamonds themselves. Or, rather, how effing expensive they are. One moment that was positively surreal witnessed me balancing two diamonds in my finger cleavage (you know, if you straighten your fingers and then smush them together) to compare their size and color. These were not huge stones, mind you – one was 1 carat, the other was about 1.5 carats – but there I was, with $40,000 worth of diamonds sitting in my finger cleave. It was mayjah.

To be perfectly honest, I am just trying to bask in the glory of my truly leisurely and fabulous day and not freak out about how INCREDIBLY FRICKING RIDICULOUSLY OVERPRICED these things are. I have accepted that I am a total sucker for this tradition of ye olde diamond engagement ring, and I must suffer the consequences (guilt, guilt, and more guilt) in the knowledge that it will be worth it to have my Ring of Dreams on my finger as a symbol of our love and a future family heirloom. TG the BF loves me enough to support all this. Well, or at least he does now. I cannot speak for when he learns that my heart does, indeed, belong to Tiffany after all…

How about you? Are you even considering getting some sort of ring at this point? Don’t let me down, sista!

Xoxo

Your DG

P.S. Off to galavant with the BF around Italy! Back soon! Ciao!

P.P.S. And don't think the joy of being able to take vacation whenever I want is lost on your favorite Lady of Leisure...

When Harry Met Jenny

W,

Well thank you for the pick-me-up (post-me-up?), you fabulous Domestic Partner you. As easily as you scandalize me – still! After all these years! – I have to say that creating a menu via Naked Twister is rather genius. I think you need to patent that.

Your kind words are the icing on the wedding cake, as I am feeling waaaaaaay better than I was the other day. And I’m sure it has nothing to do with the candid heart-to-heart convo the BF and I had about money and the wedding and EVERYTHING to do with Lauren “Devil Wears Prada” Weisberger’s fabulous new novel, released just in time for summer: Chasing Harry Winston.

And yes, I had to include both the US and UK covers (I read the UK version) because aren’t they too fabulous for words? How can you not drool over that bling and those stilettos?

Anyway, reading this book at this point in my life was like a shot of Nutella to the heart – invigorating, comforting, satiating. The book oozes fabulosity and girliness, but I think you might even like it! Seriously! Because these girls have issues! Like, realistic ones. And they deal with them, but not without a little pain along the way to the happy but not wholly predictable ending. I don’t want to drop any spoilers, so I won’t say much more except – sigh. Yes, that was the mellowed, happy sigh of someone who’s just delighting in being a girl again, instead of stressing at every twist and turn.

Not to mention that all this talk of jewelry has me hankering for a trip to Hatton Garden, London’s Diamond District – or, as these oft-tending-towards-verbose Brits call it, London’s Jewelry Quarter and UK Diamond Centre. You know, just to browse. And the BF even approves! He says he needs more input (read: decisiveness) regarding my Ring of Dreams, so I will be making a trip ASAP. Stay tuned… I know you’ll have your barf bucket in hand, but just try to appreciate this for the educational value, won’t you?

Ever yours,
DG