Here was my first volley to Portland, Oregon florist Spellbound:
I want an ostentatiously fabulous arrangement delivered to a super dear friend that will leave her colleagues going, “Nobody ever sent me flowers like that in all my life. She must be beloved.” And obviously I want her to feel that way, too. Let’s discuss my options.
Nico from Spellbound replied: “That sounds like FUN, and over-the-top is my specialty.”
The site said, “You should trust me. I’m good at this.” So I did! I said, “Go with a base of sunflowers, and work your magic.”
There’s an Any Last Thing to Tell Us? field when I placed the order. My TMI filter failed and I said:
This arrangement is for my first lover almost 30 years later. We’re still good friends. Blow her mind. She deserves to be treated right.
The Sunflowers That Started It All
The seeds 
The border I painted 
The Wee Garden sprouts in our back yard
Bethesda loved the Wee Garden
And we have sunnies! 
Sunnies in the dark
Above is the fruition of the collaboration in our Lansing, Michigan Wee Garden
Seafarer is my longest-term friend; we met in college. Although we now live on opposite sides of the country, the connection is still there. I have missed 30 years of birthdays (I’m lousy at birthdays) and I decided I was going to make up for it in 2020. Bring it, ostentatious.
Four weeks ago I texted Seafarer that I needed her husband’s cell and no questions. She didn’t have 2/17 clearance!
I began plotting with Secret Agent Husband on where she could be found during the work day to ensure successful delivery (not easy!!!).
He was an excellent sleuthing partner, going so far as to advise on how many people at her office could be expected to observe said ostentation.
Seafarer? Just carry it around to all your meetings if you need to.
The Adventure: Timestamped
SUNDAY, FEB 9
Nico to Snakelady: Because I am big on setting expectations – this will be delivered between 1-2 pm tomorrow.
Snakelady alerts Secret Agent Husband: It’s going down.
MONDAY, FEB 10 – 12:25 ET
Snakelady to Seafarer: Good things happen to people who are easy to locate at their office buildings between 1-2 pm.
Nico to Snakelady: We have had a 1 day delay, the California order that has your sunflowers in it will not be available til tomorrow! I know you said you were coordinating a surprise so I wanted to let you know as soon as I did!
Snakelady to Nico: Thanks for the update! Still between 1-2 PM?
Nico to Snakelady: Yes! Thank you for understanding!
2:52
Seafarer to Snakelady: What?
Snakelady: I’ve been plotting with Secret Agent Husband for weeks. Got delivery confirmation yesterday. 10 minutes ago got word it wouldn’t be ready until tomorrow. So, surprise!
Seafarer: Lol
TUES, FEB 11 – 12:53 ET
Nico to Snakelady: I am having some difficulty with the sunnies, I have a team on it, so I will solve it – but for the moment we are in a holding pattern. The California shipment arrived but the sunflowers were terrible and very small. It is a bad season for them but normally we always have them available. I can order direct from Mexico but it will take a couple days to get them here – what can we arrange for delivery? – I am happy to refund a portion of the cost for this setback.
Snakelady to Nico: On the bright side, I sent her a text before I heard from you yesterday saying “Good things happen to people who are easy to find at the office between 1-2” so now she’s intrigued. By the time we solve this caper, she’ll be crazed with curiosity. And that excitement is a gift, too. Thanks for the partial refund offer. Please donate it to a food bank, that will make that part easier.
Snakelady to Seafarer: We are still delayed but Nico is on the case!
Seafarer to Snakelady: F**k, you are amazing. I’m so excited to learn about this caper!!! This is fun!!
Snakelady to Nico: Lol, hey Nico, now that the cat is out of the bag that a present is coming, it’s go big or go home. I’m going to send you an extra BLANK dollars tonight. Do your finest.
Nico to Snakelady: Hot damn – challenge accepted – I hope you enjoy that I am literally scouring the globe for your flowers… we’ll have to share this adventure with them after the big reveal…
Snakelady to Seafarer: Nico just sent me this: Hot damn – challenge accepted – I hope you enjoy that I am literally scouring the globe for…
Seafarer to Snakelady: You’re such a tease!!!
SUNDAY, FEB 16
Snakelady to Nico: Hey Nico! I know you just got done with your busiest week of the year (Valentine’s Day, all) so I feel bad about bugging you, but can I get a status update on the world’s sunflowers?
Nico to Snakelady: It’s going to be BIG and I want to deliver it myself so nothing goes wrong. That makes for a Wednesday delivery. I just slept 13 hours.
Snakelady to Seafarer: It was going to be big. Now it’s going to be BIG. Owner will be delivering this themselves.
Seafarer to Snakelady: I’m so intrigued… this is fun!
WEDNESDAY, FEB 17
The Spellbound Manifesto 2020
We do not believe that flowers should be orderly and polite.
We believe that much like life,
true magic is found in the bedlam and chaos.
While some prefer tame, we revel in being feral.
Where some opt for natural, we are Supernatural.
We do not make bouquets.
We write one of a kind letters that speak your heart,
and no story is ever written the same.
As intrepid seekers of the new, now, and wow –
nothing is repeated or exact.
We promise nothing other than our work being wonderful.
The best beauty isn’t well-mannered;
it is brazen, disquiet, rebellious-
and we are devoted to the best .
We are unbehaved, unmanageable, uncontrollable,
unrestrained, unequaled, unprecedented and unrivaled.
We are Spellbound-
And we are wild.
https://spellboundflowers.com/welcome-to-spellbound-flowers/
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