Married Life
The Proposal: Part 1
It occurs to me that Den and I have been doing some spouse-bashing on this blog lately, what with our airing of bad habits and petty annoyances! It’s all in good humor of course… that’s just the way we are with each other. We’ve faced reality about our differences and are happy to air them on the interweb for your viewing pleasure. I’m sure what we go through as a couple is the same as what every other couple has to face (whether they talk about it or not) and hopefully can serve as a starting point for discussion between readers about the ins and outs of married life.
So…. Let’s see… hmmm…happy thoughts… happy thoughts….
Let me tell you about the way Den proposed to me, because it’s one of the most romantic and lovely stories I have for you.
Everyone knew he was going to propose before I did. And I mean everyone. Unbeknownst to me, Denis had already gone to see my mother to ask for her blessing to marry me. He turned up one night sans Emma, which was weird enough in itself, and, as I’m told, nervously fumbled his way through the formalities and managed to blurt out the question and divulged to her how he was planning on proposing.My mother immediately went about the business of giving him a good kick up the butt on setting the date to do it… apparently, he’d been “thinking” about it for about 4 months beforehand.
So, in the meantime we have my birthday party at which all my closest friends were let in on the secret while I was blithely downing champagne and being none the wiser… they all did such a good job of hiding it from me. I jetted off to Thailand for business and the preparations began.
Denis booked me in for what I assumed was one of our regular date nights. He was going to pick me up early from my apartment and we were going on a picnic! Lovely! He arrived to pick me up a little earlier than I would have liked for a Saturday (not a morning person) and instantly made the astute assessment that I was in dire need of coffee. He drove us to the Brighton Baths and we had a latte on the deck out the back, overlooking the sea baths and the ocean. It was a gorgeous, mild March day. Suitably caffeinated, I began to warm up and become human.
Once back in the car, Denis handed me a blindfold and told me to put it on. I did, but not without the requisite girly giggling and ducking down in the car so people couldn’t see me… Den tried to assure me that no one was looking, but I was squirmy and uncomfortable anyway! We drove for about 40 minutes before I felt the car pull up.
Denis ran around the car getting a huge picnic blanket out of the boot and whatnot. I was still blindfolded and clueless (yup… still no inkling in the slightest of what was about to happen!)
He led me down a little path and stood me by myself while he fussed around… then told me to take the blindfold off. When I did, I was standing in a small clearing between trees, with no one else in sight. A small creek ran around the clearing and the sunshine was streaming through the trees. Denis was on one knee in front of me looking petrified and holding up to me the biggest, most gaudy plastic toy ring that I’ve ever seen. I still had no idea what was happening!
I barely remember what he said because all I could hear was a rush of blood in my ears and a little voice in my head going: This is it! This is the only time this is going to happen! Is he serious? Is this a joke? This is it! Will you just listen already because you’re missing the most romantic moment of your life! Shut up! Focus… oh! Say something! He’s waiting for you to say something! So I gathered my wits about me and blurted out: “Are you serious?!”
Poor Den looked like he might pass out any second… every time I think of the moment, all I remember is naked fear in his eyes… it was gorgeous, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so vulnerable. He told me that yes, he was in fact serious and my mouth took over before I could think anymore.
Of course I said yes.
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Writer, dating columnist, wife, coffee addict, foodie, fashionista... Melburnian through and through. Muser, dancer, blogger, tweeter. Likes to get her head on telly now and again. Sleeper, dreamer, a sucker for romance. And of course... a cheap date.
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That is so romantic!
My husband and I decided to go ring shopping and that was how we got engaged. I don’t regret it at all, but it was no frills.