Chris & Patrick's VWL 7/5/13 Floral Update!!! 1/18/13

[sleepydog25]

Giggle, Giggle!

And LOVE the dress, shoes, hair, makeup, everything! You are GORGEOUS!

That's what I've said all along.

 

[sleepydog25]

Episode 3—The Sting: Part 1

We have a most favorite eatery, Noble’s Grill, just over an hour’s drive away, a place we patronize only infrequently to keep it that rare treat. Noble’s features rustic American cuisine and uses very fresh ingredients including many local items—lamb, beef, chops, duck, fish, and vegetables. We’ve never had a disappointing meal there. It is intimate, warm, rustic, yet upscale. . .all at once. My first thought after agonizingly abandoning an attempt to surprise Chris at WDW was to propose at Noble’s. It would be fitting as it reminds us of a cross between Artist Point and California Grill. My second thought revolved around when to make this event happen. Obviously, the date had to be before the 24th of February, but Valentine’s Day was out given that the actual day fell in the middle of the work week. We had plans the week before V Day, so that was out, as well. The weekend after V Day seemed anti-climactic, so that left the weekend of the 4th. That would be our Valentine’s Day celebration, only this year there would be a true emotional heft behind this time of year. Of course, Chris didn’t know that.

What I didn’t foresee was how hard it would be for me to keep a secret. Not that LOML made it easy for me since her daily mantra was, “Only ___ more days until my ring arrives!” I always chuckled knowing it was mere feet away. If she only knew, I often thought. I did so want to tell her that the bit o’ bling was biding its time in the adjoining room. Thankfully, with each comment by Chris, I grew more resolute. In fact, I told no one else—our cats don’t count—and though I almost told my young daughter, she is terrible at keeping secrets, so that was a no-no, too. Besides, we live in a small town, and one careless slip of my tongue would lead to that person telling his cousin Tommy, who would casually mention it to his sister’s husband’s momma, who would tell her best friend’s house cleaner, who’d spill the beans to her daughter-in-law, who’d tell her hubby, who would wind up speaking to the police chief, who would talk with his dispatcher, who would blab to her Sunday school teacher, who’d mention it to her sister, who just so happened to work with Chris. I knew better than to have loose lips—they sink ships, don’t you know?

As the day drew near, we were both ready to let someone else cook for us. Winter, though mild, was grinding on; Chris had a of couple weeks’ worth of long, overtime days; and my students were growing increasingly antsy. We prepare 98% of our meals, mostly because we love to cook and somewhat because there are no good places to eat here, unless you count fried food or BBQ joints. Now, don’t get me wrong. I love me some fried chicken, French fries, and barbeque—all fried and fatty foods really—but they’re just not healthy options to choose very often. Besides, we’re excellent cooks (okay, we think we are), and when we do go out, we want a memorable meal, something beyond the norm. Yes, we were ready for Noble’s. . .but only one of us knew the real story behind the dinner. . .

 

[luvvwl]

Isn't he just an awful tease?! Can you imagine? LAUGHING at me all the time! I mean, it's not like I made a countdown chain or something.

I will say, my first words WERE "You LIAR!!!" followed by, "This is NOT chocolates!" and lastly "YES!!!!"

In other news, we're going to Disney! Well, Magic Kingdom anyway. Next Friday to be exact. We're going to Florida to visit P's older daughter and she only lives an hour away. I mean really, how could we not? We'll spend the day at MK and then have dinner at California Grill just in case those rumors of it closing turn out to be true.

So excited!!!

 

[Backstage_Gal]

Patrick, you are a terrible tease! But a great writer
Don't keep us in suspense much longer

Luvvwl, the Cal Grill will close down eventually for needed repairs, but reopen in some fashion.

We live in Orlando and both work at Disney, so we never go there (glad to get home at night), but this weekend is Yachtsman''s for hubby's 65th birthday. Where did my life go?

 

[tinydancr06]

I haven't posted before but I love everything! WL will be SUCH a gorgeous location. I wish they had bigger venues! I reallyreallyreally like your sprakly shoes, too. Very chic! I'll be following along

 

[sleepydog25]

Patrick, you are a terrible tease! That's why she loves me so much!
Don't keep us in suspense much longer I won't. Second part is already written, just needs to be transferred to the thread.

 

[sleepydog25]

The Sting: Part 2

The day of the dinner arrived and it was a blustery winter’s day, cold and overcast—perfect! You see, the ring had come in a velveted, padded ring box that itself sat inside another golden, glittery gift box (Hey! Have you been noticing my alliteration and consonance during these last two segments? Huh? Did you?) about the size of Rhode Island. It was not a box which would fit easily into my pant’s pocket, much less into the breast pocket of my dress jacket. Ah, but it would fit in the oversized outer pocket of my winter coat which I would need to wear thank to the cold weather. See? Perfect!

While LOML and I chatted excitedly about the upcoming meal on the drive down, inside my head I was secretly thinking, “She has no clue.” After four weeks of hiding the ring and, consequently, four weeks of lying about not having said ring, the moment was nearly upon us. I smiled my sneaky smile (which for me is similar to Sylvester’s look after he has popped Tweety Bird into his mouth) the entire trip down. Apparently, Chris was oblivious or I wasn’t as obvious as I thought.

As soon as we stepped inside, I could tell the hostesses knew who we were. One of them caught my eye, nodded ever so slightly, and gave me that knowing smile, the kind that says, “I know what you’re about to do, and it’s so exciting! Yippee, yippee, yippee!!” Okay, I might have added the yippees for dramatic flair, but I am sure she was thrilled for us. They offered to seat us immediately without bothering to check their reservation book—yet another sign they were expecting us. I exhaled softly since I’d had this lingering fear they’d forget and not be prepared. As we walked to our intimate table for two, the second hostess offered to take my coat to which I quickly, but calmly replied, “No, thank you. It has the ring in the pocket!” Nah, I didn’t say that last bit out loud, though I did scream it in my head. However, as she seated us, my heart sank—she was giving us menus! Oh, no, no, no. . .

Coming up: The Sting – Part 3

 

[luvvwl]

Oh, geez!!! How loooooooooooooong are you going to drag this out!?!?

 

[Backstage_Gal]

Oh, geez!!! How loooooooooooooong are you going to drag this out!?!?

Really! I might have to jump through the DISboard and strangle you and then all will have been for naught!

 

[Floridagram]

Were did you all go? I hope everything is OK. It has been awhile since we heard from you.

 

[DisneyBrideCKB]

I love the two most recent installments. I had to catch up as I was dealing with a little mini crisis.
I'm all caught up now and desperately waiting for the next part.

 

[sleepydog25]

Were did you all go? I hope everything is OK. It has been awhile since we heard from you.

Sorry for the delay, but we took a trip to Florida to visit family for spring break. Yeah, we might have managed a quick day trip to Disney. I will fill in the details of the trip soon as it does have some relation to the final installment of the proposal which I will post tomorrow. For now, I need to rest. . .we did thisall day. . .

 

[sleepydog25]

Episode 3--The Sting: Part 3

Now, you may wonder why I was crestfallen over receiving menus. You see, I haven’t told YOU the full story, either (I said I could keep secrets!). Let’s flip the time travel switch and go back a couple of weeks.

BUHLDUHLOOP. . .BUHLDUHLOOP. . .BUHLDUHLOOP. . . (C’mon, make the sound!)

Once we had decided Noble’s Grill was our dinner destination, and unknown to Chris, I contacted the executive chef there to inquire whether he would be willing to turn some of the menu items into a chef’s prix fixe special that he could pair with wines off their wine list. He responded by going one step further and offering to personally select the items , or allowing me to choose what we were to dine upon. Chef Bobby (no, not Flay) also offered to prepare a meal based on items he had in the kitchen but that weren’t currently on the menu. I profusely thanked him and replied that whatever he did would undoubtedly be wonderful and that I was thrilled he would take the time and effort to make this meal special. I didn’t want to push for details since that might seem tacky, and he gave me his assurances for an excellent meal, so I didn’t pressure him further.

BUHLDUHLOOP. . .BUHLDUHLOOP. . .BUHLDUHLOOP. . .

Back to the present, and now you know why when we sat down and were handed menus, I feared he had forgotten or that the wait staff was unaware of the occasion. No sooner than we nestled into our seats, however, our server, Kate, magically appeared and greeted us warmly. Deftly, she picked up the menus and said, “I believe you don’t require these as the chef has prepared you a special meal off the menu. You are in for a real treat.” She gleefully winked at me, then warmly smiled at Chris who looked at me with mild shock and amusement. The game was afoot! And I had no idea what Chef Bobby had planned, either.

Moments later, Kate arrived with our first course consisting of steak tartar with micro-greens, crostini, capers, and a garlic aioli all served with an Oregon Pinot Noir. Oh, dear lord, this was a stunning beginning! Fresh, light, and bursting with flavor, the tartar was as clean and refreshing as a salad, and it paired exceptionally well with the Pinot Noir, the velvety feel of the tartar enhanced by the lusciousness of the wine. What an amazing start! The second course was equally wonderful, a tasty crab ceviche salad with endive, baby spinach, micro-greens, and ultra-thin slices of Asian pear and grapefruit all topped with an airy citrus dressing. This course was served with Evolution, a white wine blend of 11 different varietals that complemented the citrus, the crab, and the greens. . .somehow. It was a delightful dish and looked gorgeous on the plate (sorry, no pics!). Oh, and the wine pours were not skimpy, either—they were easily six ounces or more which is a very healthy pour especially given the wines accompanied each course.

After the first two courses, it was time for the entrée. The meal was leisurely paced—which we love—and by the time the third course arrived we were already beginning to feel slightly full. Still, we cooed over the arrival of the thick, crusted lamb chop accompanied by a wilted spinach salad and bean cassioulet. The lamb was perfectly cooked (medium rare) and the choice of the beans and wilted salad was not one I’d have thought of with lamb but were spot on sides. This course came paired with a Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blend from California that was lush with dark berry notes and had enough tannins to hold up to the rustic meat. Again, it was another exceptional course and wine selection. Oh, but we weren’t finished, as the entrée was followed by a platter of local, artisanal cheeses and locally made sauces and relishes to smear on the cheeses. We had the option of our own wine choice with this finishing dish, so we went with a Prosecco which wound up being a superb choice, as the hint of sugar and bubbles paired well with the creaminess and bite of the cheeses. Of course, by now, we were nearly stuffed, and I had told Chef Bobby during our conversation that dessert wasn’t needed.

However, as fate would have it, there was a bread pudding on the menu: a) I can’t resist good bread pudding, and b) they do scrumptious bread puddings at Noble’s. So, I ordered the bread pudding. If you’ll notice, so far, I’ve not mentioned the ring. I was waiting for the right moment to spring it on her, and as luck would have it, Chris provided that moment. While waiting for the bread pudding to cook (they don’t make them ahead of time), she excused herself to the ladies’ room. While she was away, I slipped the rather large gift box, all wrapped in a nice bow if you recall, onto the table where she was sitting. Kate came by to clear a few items and noticed the box—she beamed and gave me the “way to go!” smile. Moments later, Chris came back to her seat and saw the box. “What’s this?” she asked, and based on the level of emotion in her voice, I could tell she had no clue what the box contained. I just smiled.

Chris tells me that she thought I had topped off the evening with a nice box of chocolate truffles, so as she unwrapped the bow and opened the first box, she had a lovely smile on her face that said, “what a wonderful way to finish our meal. . .even though I’m full.” But, when she pulled the top of the box off, she could then see there was another, smaller box within. It was at that very time I believe she began to realize this was not just any evening with a special chef’s menu dinner, but something much more spectacular. She glanced up with me, her mouth open, sputtered something like, “wha-a-a-t. . .?” then looked back at the smaller box which she had put on the table in front of her. She looked back up at me, this time with the intent to see what my face was saying, and based on the huge grin I displayed, it dawned on her what was in the smaller case. She swung open the padded, hinged lid on the cream-colored jewelry box and for a moment, time stood still. The restaurant noise all faded, no one seemed to breathe, much less moved, and it was if a giant hand had stopped Father Time from shuffling ahead for just a few brief seconds. We were frozen in time, Chris gazing at me, tears welling in her eyes, and I likewise looking into her eyes of the woman I love seeing the happiness I had always wanted to bring to her life.

“You liar!” I told you, those were her first words.

“Yes,” I replied. “I lied. . .a lot.” I told her everything I had done to that point, and we both started laughing. She rose, came over to my side of the table, bent down and kissed me, then whispered in my ear, “yes.” I didn’t even have to ask. The rest of the restaurant knew what was going on, and we had all manner of eyes and ears following our every move, but we were nearly oblivious. Still, I couldn’t help but notice a lot of knowing smiles and a few misty-eyed women around the room. I could breathe again, content in the knowledge that I had pulled off a shining moment in our relationship, that I had made this a special night and event that we both would recall for the rest of our lives. My Cheshire cat smile reappeared.

That, my friends, is the story behind The Sting. . .a story we hope to be telling to our grandkids for years to come. But, you know what? It’s just one of the beautiful stories LOML and I have shared, and we can’t wait to experience more as we walk through life hand-in-hand.

Stay tuned!

 

[jedijill]

OMG! I shouldn't read about your amazing meal while eating dry cereal for breakfast. What a great proposal story! I love a happy ending!

Jill in CO

 

[Floridagram]

Love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You are both so fortunate to have found each other. I love a good love story, and this is great because it is real life, not some Hollywood scripted story!

 

[luvvwl]

Here is the one and only "engagement" photo we have, lol!

Think we look a smidge happy?

 

[Backstage_Gal]

What a great story, and I love the picture, you certainly do look a bit emotional. Congratulations!

 

[sleepydog25]

Truly, my nose isn't that big (objects in the camera appear larger than they actually may be!).

Ahh, Chris. . .she is so simpatico. . .how could I not love her?

G! I shouldn't read about your amazing meal while eating dry cereal for breakfast. What a great proposal story! I love a happy ending!

Hey, dry cereal has its place! Thanks! (We love happy endings, too. )

Love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You are both so fortunate to have found each other. I love a good love story, and this is great because it is real life, not some Hollywood scripted story!

Thank you! We ARE both fortunate (I more so than she), and actually, we had Aaron Sorkin write the script for us.

What a great story, and I love the picture, you certainly do look a bit emotional. Congratulations!

Again, thank you so much. It was quite the emotional night, and in such a good manner.

 

[DisneyBrideCKB]

OMG! What a beautiful story!!! I was so enthralled in reading that I found myself at the end, jaw dropped, hand on my chest and goose bumps all over! You're a fantastic writer... that was worth the wait!

 

[luvvwl]

Truly, my nose isn't that big (objects in the camera appear larger than they actually may be!).

Ahh, Chris. . .she is so simpatico. . .how could I not love her?

HEY!!!! Are you saying my nose is BIG??????????????????????