Frog brooch - An Inadvert addition?

" You have a lot of frogs around!"my brother had pointed it out. I hadn't realized it, but we did. My husband has a fondness for frogs. So yesterday, when this glittering frog made an entry into my life I wasn't surprised. "It is for you", he said. It was a brooch.

 "Perhaps he is trying to give me a late birthday present!", I thought. But, he had promised not to give me any more presents after last year's fiasco. Last year, I think we were home for a change on my birthday and one gift after another showed up at the door.

 A pizza oven followed by a baking pan and a popcorn maker. They had all been ordered on-line. Let alone mustering a fake smile, I was livid, not only did I not want any of this stuff, it was pure clutter. It would lie around in some corner, gathering dust and hogging up precious space. And, I would curse him all the more, the next time we moved. Having moved about 12 - 13 times, moving is always at the back of my mind.

As for the frog brooch, it was very sweet, but I don't wear a brooch. So, I put it aside and got busy making dinner. It was Arepas, Columbian corn cakes - a new recipe. I got busy making Arepas, and serving it like a dutiful hostess with Shalgam saag ( A blend of roasted turnips, onions, tomatoes and garlic). It looked similar to the roasted butternut squash and apple soup that lay in the other sauce pan. My son, was doing his homework while eating, but I could tell he was enjoying the Arepas and the saag.

We normally have dinner around 7:00, today it was a little after 8:00. The master of the house had arrived about two hours later than usual. He usually finishes his work at the hospital and is home around 6:00 PM. Today, was different he said, the patient was dying and the daughter wanted to talk. " I couldn't tell her to hurry up", he said. It is an inherent part of his life, he often gets Thank you notes and cards.

One time a patient gave him a miniature set of wooden trees, that he carves as a hobby. Another time he got a miniature elephant key chain from India. Another patient, who is my friend now, wrote an essay for her class recounting her experience on how she had almost died and was looking at  the pearly gates of heaven, ushered in ( much to her surprise) by a "turbaned St Peter." She believes, he saved her life that day.  It is heart warming for me to hear these stories.

Now, the new addition to our frog family, happens to be a special gift too. The patient's daughter was only too happy to take it off and give it to him, when he had admired it. In fact, she had insisted on him having it, "This is for your wife!" Now, the brooch has a special place in my heart. I can see myself wearing it occasionally. For now it is sitting next to another frog - salt shaker, brightening up my window sill.