December 13th, 2018

I used to keep my necklaces in a jewlery box. It caused no end of aggravation.  While the name, "jewelry box" implies that it was created specifically for the boxing or keeping of jewelry by and large they are NOT designed with necklaces in mind.
 
First of all, some of them do not fit well.  A few of mine are rather rigid in design.  They are great pieces, unique and lovely but they not fit in an ordinary box.   Then there is the hard to find issue.  If all of my jewelry were placed in one box, I would have to comb through the box, in detail, every single time I tried to find something.  Earrings would forever be wandering to separate corners and hiding within the confines of multi-strand bracelets.  Matching necklace and bracelets sets would be so confused that it would be difficult to tell where the bracelet left off and the necklace began.  And then there is the tangling issue.  Each delicate chain would be, eventually, wound around other necklaces, other bracelets until the entire thing looked like a serpents nest.  OR perhaps Christmas lights.  What a mess!  

No thank you Very Much Please!

The above was Tim's solution for the necklace issue for me.  It's brilliant!  I can see everything.  Each piece is separate from it's fellow piece and it's the simpliest thing in the world to select the one piece I want to wear, lift it off the hook, close the clasp around my neck and go on my merry way.  In fact, the fastening of the necklace 'round my neck is actually the hardest part of the entire process. (uncooperative fingers)  I absolutely love this solution.  In all the many years that I have used necklace hooks instead of a jewelery box (so both Colorado and now Florida so Many years) I have never ever had a single solitary problem.

So will someone please explain to me how the Hell this happened:

,I went to put on this necklace this morning, lifted it off the hook, unfastened the clasp annnnnnd the process stopped there.  What the actual heck!  The last time I wore this piece, I took it off, just like always, reclasped it, just like always and replaced it on the hook, just like always. Nothing different.  

I did not wad it into a ball and throw it in the corner first.  I didn't play loop de loop with it and forty other pieces first.  I didn't shove it into my trouser pocket and then put it through the laundry first.  NO.  Directly from my neck to the hook.  And now THIS?  ARGH!

So Frustrating!

I cannot say that this is my favourite necklace because they are all my favourites.  Within the last year I went through all my jewelry and gave anything I wasn't wearing away.  So logically speaking, everything that I kept, I like.  A lot.  

Most of my jewelry came to me as gifts.  There are VERY few pieces that I purchased for myself.  So each piece is important for several reasons: 1. It was a gift and every gift is important. 2.  It came from someone I love.  3. And they are unique and beautiful pieces.

This particular one was a gift from the late wife of one of my patients.  A dear, sweet man, he was devastated when his wife passed away.  Eventually he got to the point where he was ready to go through her things.  When he got to her jewelry, he sorted through and gave specific important pieces to his daughters, daughter's in law, nieces, granddaughters and then brought the rest in to our office for us.  His wife was as dear to us as he was and that he thought so highly of us was very touching.  We each looked at the jewelry he brought in and selected a few pieces which pleased him to no end.  He loved coming into our office and seeing us wearing pieces of his late wife's jewelry. He always noticed and it always brought a smile to his face.

I chose two pieces.  A tiny jade and pearl pin and this necklace.  It's a very short chain.  The pendant sits right in the hollow of my throat which is unusual. I have such a skinny chicken neck that usually short necklaces or "chokers" are actually too long.  This one fits perfectly.  And the chain is delicate and the pendant is petite, sparkly and lovely.  And now I have a @#$%&^**@$  knot in the chain! ARGH!

Tim spent some time working on it.  I keep trying to be patient and work on it but as we all already know, patience is not one of my virtues.  Neither of us had any success.  So Far.  I. Am. Determined!

But how on earth did this happen?  Did my jewelry had some wild party the night before?  Are there mischievous elves in our house that play tricks on us while we sleep?  Do we have a poltergeist who thought this would be a laugh riot?

I suppose it doesn't matter all that much how it happened, just that it happened. So frustrating.  Has this ever happened to you?  Were you able to solve it?  Do you have an brilliant suggestions to share?

The last time it happened to me was in Colorado and I had returned from a trip.  Two of my necklaces tangled themselves together while packed, apparently not very well, for travel.  (I have since amended my jewelry packing travel protocol).  I was working in an Audiology office at that time and the Audiology technician and my friend, Aaron, who has the patience of a saint (no joke, he worked in an office of all women for how many years?  And lived to tell the tale) was able to use the same tools that he repaired hearing aides with (hearing aids are also very tiny things) and a mounted and lighted monster sized magnifier to untangle them.  Hurrah!

Well I'm not there anymore.  So I'm going to have to figure this out at home with what I have on hand.  Right now I'm thinking, paperclips and straight pins maybe?  And if that doesn't work, dynamite maybe?