53

Ordinarily, we don't buy gifts for each other on our anniversary. It isn't as though there is anything at all that we need. Sometimes, on the big number anniversaries, the love of my life will surprise me with a piece of jewelry.

Anniversary #53, today, qualifies for a dinner out, and we're going to do that at a lovely restaurant not terribly far that has an attractive outdoor dining area.

We pretty much thought that would be enough celebration.

Until I saw this wonderful idea. A company called Sayings Into Things has a service where you can send them specific addresses of significant places; they find the places on maps and turn the maps into art. The buyer can choose not just the specific places but also the number.

I just decided on a whim to buy this for him as an anniversary gift. I thought about all of the places we have been together; there were way, way too many to include on the art. So I pretty much chose seven randomly.

Here's what I have to say about the company: First, and most important, they do what they say they are going to do. Second, their product is of excellent quality. I would do business with them again. I did have some communication issues with them; they stayed in touch frequently and were responsive to my questions/concerns. That being said, I consistently had the feeling that I was dealing with English-as-a-third-or-fourth-language people and was surprised with the package was postmarked "Texas."

He didn't expect a gift and seemed pleased to remember the places I selected:

• Notre-Dame du Haut, Ronchamps, France
• Gamla Stan, Stockholm, Sweden
• Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska
• Tor Tre Teste Church, Rome
• Hotel Gorgione, Venice
• Casablanca, Morocco
• Nebaj, Guatemala