More exciting Lady Belling’s news

It may come as no surprise to you that Ava and I are crazy. Not talk-to-ghosts and never-bathe crazy. Still, I’m not going to say that Ava and I don’t have very distinct leanings towards becoming Crazy Cat Ladies in our in golden years though. I suspect if you’re a reader of the blog you’ve already diagnosed that particular peccadillo. I don’t know if there is such a thing as  Crazy Panda Ladies, but Ava and I are willing to be trailblazers.

As part of the Lady Belling’s Secret book release, Ava and I decided that we should give away Francesca’s engagement ring.

That seems easy enough, doesn’t it?

Clearly you’ve never shopped with the two of us. It’s painful. Excruciating. Mind boggling.

At some point during the whole experience I usually lose my temper and yell at Ava that she’s crazy and I’m totally right at the time. She won’t even disagree. My crazy comes in different forms – my issues encompass driving myself too hard and obsessing over details. That doesn’t mean Ava’s still not crazy.

It took us FOREVER to find the right ring. We ordered it. It was done. Then it took forever to be delivered. AND IT WAS WRONG. So Ava took up the banner and made our complaints and we ordered the right one.

And it didn’t come and it didn’t come and it didn’t come. So Ava got back in touch with the vendor and guess what…  The ring is no longer available.

Oh dear God.

This was bad. I didn’t know if I could go through with shopping for this ring with Ava again. The last time gave me a migraine.

We were back on the web, searching and searching and searching. Our conversations went like this, “How about this one?”

“I don’t hate that one,” she’d say.

“OK, let’s get it.” My mouse would hover over the Buy Now link.

“No.” There’d never be a reasonable explanation. It was too pink. It wasn’t round. It was silver not gold. It was ugly. It was too cheap. It cost too much. Her karma didn’t feel right about it. I don’t freaking know.

After a while, I went back to my own office and just started yelling across the hall. Then I’d email her a likely contender with subject lines like Here’s Another One You’ll Hate or Option #17 or Option #83.

Finally I sent her one with the subject line, I’m Giving Up Hope. HOLY SHIT! she liked this one. I put it in the virtual cart that very instant before she had a chance to think.

Here it is. It’s a gorgeous Sterling silver and 14K gold created ruby and diamond ring.

Contest starts on Friday, March 1st.

Stay tuned……