We interrupt the crazy cancer story to bring you this cool story about an item that was lost…

I have always admired a signet ring. I think they are very classic and timeless. I always wanted one but could never find a design that I liked…or could afford. But I was determined. So thinking it might be a nice gift for my 50th birthday, I started saving toward the goal. I had searched for years for just the right design but had never found one that appealed to me. And then I saw an add in Cape Cod Life Magazine for a goldsmith in Nantucket who had quite a few designs in her collection.

Her name is Susan Lister Locke. To make a long story shorter, I took the ferry to Nantucket and walked about a mile out of town and met her at her home studio. I had spoken with her and told her my story and she was so welcoming and helpful to me. I chose the ring I wanted and then the engraving style. We chatted for awhile and then I returned back to the mainland and drove home. It was quite a day. About 5 weeks later, the ring arrived and I was thrilled. I loved it and it looked incredible.

For 17 years I have had this ring and have received so many compliments over the years. And then in January, I lost it. I was devastated. I had lost so much weight over this past year that the ring just easily slipped off. I never thought to take it off for safekeeping. Silly me. I truly believed I had lost it outside on the day of a big snowstorm in January. We had close to 2 feet of snow. I had imagined that the plows had taken it along as they plowed the street. It could have been anywhere, tossed up on a lawn or in the bushes or even worse, down a storm drain, never to be seen again. Of course I looked all over the house but keep in mind I was pretty sick by then. Friends and family looked under every piece of furniture…several times. It was nowhere. It was gone.

Then I had the near death experience. When I came home, I decided to reach out to Susan and inquire about the cost of replacing the ring. The price of gold 17 years ago was significantly less than it is today. I was prepared for that. The original ring was big and chunky and beautiful. But my hands are much smaller now. After looking at the various designs, I chose to get a smaller ring with a different shape. It would look much better on my hand. Susan remembered me well and was sorry to hear about what had happened to me. But she was thrilled that she could make a new ring for me that went along with my new life. So the deal was struck and my new ring is being made as we speak.

I went to the basement this morning to do a load of laundry. I have mats on the floor that get dirty and lint gathers around. I decided to pull out the vacuum cleaner and clean the mats and get the lint out from under a set of stairs next to the dryer.

And I saw it…sparkling in the dark! The ring! The vacuum hose was about 5 inches from sucking it up…forever to be lost. But I shut it off and stared…not believing what my eyes were seeing. I never once thought to look here. I was convinced it was outside. I picked it up and stared at it. It was beautiful. It will always be beautiful.

It will be retired for now as it is just too big to wear. I will make sure this one and the new one are properly insured so that if anything should happen…

This seems to be an incredible year for me…I am so lucky to have survived, and lucky to have found this ring. Now I should play the lottery! Cheers to me!!!