This is the ring Clive has been carrying around for months! It is now where it's meant to be.So this is the brief story of how it happened:
In July 2008, Clive and Jo started spending some more time together. This was risky as they would always cross the gray line of what friendship is and stray into dating territory and then have to take evasive action to prevent anything serious from happening. This would normally just mean time apart. However whilst backpacking in Scotland with a mate later that month, Clive had an epiphany that backpacking with a mate that you cannot cuddle and in a cold climate is really sucky and he decided that something had to be done. On returning from Scotland bearing gifts aplenty, Jo and Clive started dating and really just having a lot of fun! (PS Don't worry, Durban is a warm climate)
In the beginning of October Clive decided that it was time to buy a ring. So he started looking around. About that time the Rand-Dollar started heading south so he had to hurry things along and bought the ring that he had had in mind for many years.
However courage was lacking and it was only on December 23rd that Clive went to see Mr Basson so ask him for Jo's hand. (This all unbeknownst to Jo). Clive had told Mr Basson that he would ask Jo to marry him on the 26th December in Cape Town whilst on holiday with his family. (Probably on Blouberg beach during a sunset stroll) However the 26th came and went. The 27th came and went. So did the 28th, 29th, 30th, 31st, 1st and 2nd. Clive and Jo then drove all the way back to Johannesburg on the 3rd looking out of different windows as he suspects Jo was expecting something to happen in Cape Town and was now miffy that nothing did.
But on the 3rd of January Clive asked Jo to go for a stroll with him in his parents garden and found a bench surrounded by trees and birds and flowers. He got down on one knee, pulled out the ring, and asked Jo to marry him. The next 5 seconds seemed like time stood still. Nothing moved, nothing made a sound... not even Jo. Raising the ring a little to bring it into line with Jo's saucepan eyes and gaping mouth, Clive decided to keep talking. The next moment the clock started again. Jo, with tears, accepted his proposal.
