A stitch in time for my valentine

A valentine for Terri

"I was about half in love with her by the time we sat down. That's the thing about girls. Every time they do something pretty... you fall half in love with them, and then you never know where the hell you are."

                                                                                                                                    J. D. Salinger

AUBURN, Maine — I didn’t want to go the traditional route and shower my beloved wife with flowers on Valentine’s Day.

Sure, I purchased a small box of chocolates to go along with a Hallmark card, but my valentine deserved more than a dozen roses and a warm embrace after 22 years of marriage.

Going out to eat and spending a small fortune on food that adds to the waistline was certainly an option.

Been there, done that.

I wanted this token of my love to be unique.

What to do?

Well, it just so happens I was heading to the Waterfront Flea Market located at Fort Andross in Brunswick on Sunday.

Well, we strolled up and down the isles nearly a dozen times, hoping to spot the perfect gift for a woman who has devoted so much of her life to her son and husband.

While my son, Anthony, was busy looking through antique books, I got the notion to check out the dozens of old paintings.

Nothing stood out as I wandered the floor, hoping to find that perfect gift for her. Anthony had settled on the book, “They Were Expendable," a 1942 book about the men who manned the U.S. Navy’s PT boats during World War II.

After another 30 minutes of checking out a treasure-trove of relics from the past, I was about to give up and pay a visit to the florist to purchase roses.

Anthony suggested taking one desperate last look before we shoved off. I peaked inside one room and there it was - Terri’s gift. It was the perfect combination of intricate needle point and cross stitching of an Amish farm scene.

Terri is an Amish fanatic. She reads books about the Amish's way of life and really can't tell you why she has such a fascination with the Amish.

The 12-by-16 needle point was impressive and was done by an 89-year-old women who spent months making each stitch count. I don’t know where this elderly woman got the patience to complete this work of art.

Anthony and I agreed to purchase the needle point with hopes that Terri would appreciate the gift.

When Terri opened the wrap and took a good look at the needle point, she smiled and couldn’t stop thanking me. Anthony said, “Dad, you scored big.”

I knew that 22 years ago when I married Terri.