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Useless Things Need Love Too

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Tag Archives: Engagement

Anniversary #2 (this year) or: The Decade

31 Saturday Jul 2021

Posted by TGBII in Honeymoon, Life as We Know It, Travel

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Tags

Anniversary, Engagement, Life, The BCPF

Salutations™!!

It was 10 years ago, at the end of a perfect day, on a boat, under fireworks in the “Most Magical Place on Earth,” Walt Disney World, that I asked the woman that I love, my everything, my The BCPF to be my bride. She said yes and we spent the next six days celebrating in Disney style and WDW was very much willing to participate. We got buttons that said we were engaged and everywhere we went, Cast Members (Disney’s name for their employees) came from all directions to congratulate us. We got free desserts, preferential seating, and more. It was like we were royalty. Truth be known, we feel like we’re still celebrating and are royalty.

So, we have now been through two of the four main anniversaries we celebrate each year. The first was the “dating anniversary” on July 21, and now this one. The next one isn’t until September, but like I said, we celebrate every day. I do so love that woman as I have stated ad nauseum but I won’t stop saying it or proving it! Yay, us, Stephanie!!! I want to celebrate this for many, many, many, many years to come!

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“There’s only one thing that could make it more perfect…” – Me

The Second One We Celebrate or: Nine Years Past

01 Saturday Aug 2020

Posted by TGBII in Life as We Know It

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Tags

Brian Attridge, Engagement, Family, Life, Life as It is, Marriage, The BCPF, The Less Desirables

Salutations™!!

As I stated yesterday, I was on the road and didn’t have access to WiFi and wanted to save this one for today so you “Sounds Like Saturday” was yesterday. Yeah, I know, I’m all confusing. 2631c-just2bengaged

But today I’m celebrating yesterday. It was the 10th anniversary of my sister getting married and one of my besties, Brian, who started The Less Desirables with me, also got married on that same day. I was in Brian’s wedding so I couldn’t go to my sister’s wedding. Well, yesterday I was supposed to officiate her vow renewal. So we traveled to Boone, NC, which is where I am. However, life and circumstance got in the way and we will be doing that ceremony this evening.

In my best Arlo Guthrie voice, I say: But that’s not what I’m here to tell you about.

Yesterday was also the ninth anniversary of me asking The BCPF to be my wife. As is now customary, I will not go into the details because you can look up July 31 from any year past and hear/read that story.

I just want to say that I love this woman to no end and I am so happy that I made that fateful trip to the mall on November 22, 2010. I know what you’re thinking. What the heck does November 22 have to do with July 31? Well, that’s when I bought the engagement ring. It was two days after my birthday, where she had orchestrated a gathering of friends to celebrate it. The care and detail she went to were amazing and I knew, even more than I previously had, that I had to have her in my life. I didn’t go to the mall with the intention of buying a ring. I went for whatever arbitrary reason I had to go. But, I was floating high and when I passed by Marks and Morgan, I just stopped in to check things out. I walked out with a beautiful ring. But, the timing wasn’t right to ask her, for many reasons, and I waited until the time was right. 74582-the2bring

Fast forward through all the stuff I’ve written about in the past and we come to now. I haven’t regretted asking her, not once, since then. She is my life. She is the reason I’m alive. She is the reason. Period. Through thick, thin, better, worse, health, (and especially) sickness… all those things, she is with me and I with her.

The last four months have been challenging for many and it has for us, too. But, even though we are around each other for 24 hours a day most days, I haven’t felt like it was hindering our relationship at all. During the day, she is in her own little world working and I am usually under headphones, writing, preparing, editing podcasts, etc. So, whilst we are about 15 feet apart, we aren’t crowded. It does help that I have my new studio setup at home and can disappear up there or go to my actual studio. Yeah, it helps, but not completely necessary as we still get along gloriously.

Stephanie, this is the second of the four anniversaries we celebrate each year. I love you more each day and am so glad you are my better 3/4, my betterment, my life. Here’s to about 40 more.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Are you serious?” – The BCPF

Seven Years In or: The Engagement Story

31 Tuesday Jul 2018

Posted by TGBII in Life as We Know It

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Anniversary, Engagement, Orlando, The BCPF, Walt Disney World

Salutations™!!

As is requisite for me and the anniversaries that The BCPF and I have, I’m giving you ample warning that this will probably be mushy, with loads of PDA and other romantic mumbo-jumbo. If you are susceptible to nausea, you may want to look away now. I think that covers it.

Now, I’ll admit that I’m a trifle lazy here but I looked back on the post I wrote in 2015 and last year and I liked what I wrote about our “Engagement Story.” It’s not just lazy, but it’s hard to capture it better than I’ve already said it. So, I’m reusing the 2015 version where I may change some things for this, our seventh. So, brace yourself. Here it is…

Dear Reader, if you’re not into the sappy, then I’d recommend just skipping to my closing, signature, and quote and I’ll see you tomorrow. There will be a three-second pause… Okay. Let’s back up even further. We “started” dating on July 21, 2010. My 74582-the2bringbirthday is in November; the 20th. That was my FORTIETH birthday and she arranged for friends of ours to meet and just organized a wonderful time. I had known for a while that this was absolutely the best thing for me and I loved her immensely. That was a Saturday. So, on Monday, I legitimately just so happened to be at the mall. I was doing something for Ma Mère, I think. I just so happened to stop by Marks & Morgan Jewelers (before they closed that store; they’re owned by Kay). I fell in love with a specific ring and couldn’t pass it up. That was in November 2010, remember. Fast forward to July 31, 2011.

I was finishing up my stint as a college student (yes, very late) and knew that my gift to myself was a trip to Walt Disney World. It’s my favorite place in the world and I hadn’t been in almost 5 years at that point (way too long for me). Also, growing up, I had always been somewhat jealous of the folks that I saw in the boats on World Showcase Lagoon during Illuminations: Reflections of Earth, the fireworks extravaganza at Epcot. By golly! I’m doing that, too. It just so happened that it was a great place to get engaged.

I’ll admit, outright, that when I’m on vacation, I don’t care about looks, etc. because I’m not going to see any of these people again and I’m not entering myself into the fair. So, at least at Disney World, I wear a fanny pack. I need all my stuff with me and I don’t need it coming out of my pockets on rides and such. I wear big shirts so usually, you can’t see it. If you don’t like it, well stuff it! ANYWHAT! I had the ring in the fanny pack at the airport and was afraid they’d rat me out going through security, but the worst I got was a wink from the female machine attendant. I don’t know if that was because she liked my fanny pack or because she could see what was in it.

We got to MCO (that’s Orlando) and get on the DME (Disney’s Magical Express) and The BCPF had to wipe tears from my eyes because, yes, I really was crying. I feel that strongly about that place. They take us to Disney’s Wilderness Lodge where they quickly showed us to our room. We had our passes and made our way to Magic Kingdom first because I always like to start my visit with a hot dog from Casey’s on Main Street USA. We sat and talked about the Ibis (birds with thin, straw-like beaks) that were wandering about the eating area.

We then went to the Swiss Family Treehouse inspired by the film Swiss Family Robinson. No line, just walk through and look. We then went to Jungle Cruise, no real line, maybe a five-minute wait. That was great, too! Pirates of the Caribbean was next and we were on the front row of the boat. Hall of Presidents, no wait. Haunted Mansion, minimum wait. It’s a Small World, front row of the boat (so we didn’t have to deal with the idiots that take flash pics on the ride), Peter Pan’s Flight, minimum wait. Got on the Tomorrowland Transit Authority’s People Mover and relaxed. Stitch, minimum wait.

It was time to head over to Epcot, where we had dinner reservations at 5:40, or so I thought. We get to Epcot via the monorail and of course, we stop at Spaceship Earth and again, minimum wait. We then wandered about Future World and onto World Showcase (my personal favorite spot in “the World”) and to Mexico Pavilion to ride Grand Fiesta Tour with the Three Caballeros (I still like the old name “El Rio del Tiempo” better) and again, in the front row of the boat. On to Maelstrom (RIP Maelstrom, (sad face)) where, yep, you guessed it, another front row seating. What’s going on here!? To China to watch the Circle-Vision 360 film “Reflections of China.” I looked at our watch and saw that it was about 5:10. We didn’t have time to stop for much more so we needed to get to the Italy Pavilion to eat at Tutto Italia and we made it at 5:20. Turns out our reservations were at 5:25 and not 5:40, so we just made it. I’ll honestly say that that meal was the only less-than-stellar part of the day. It was just “okay” and we’ve not been back since. I miss Alfredo’s that used to be there. Afterwards, we had just a bit of time before our 8:00 dock time for the boats for Illuminations. So, we made a run to Canada Pavilion because the Circle-Vision 360 film, “O Canada” had recently been changed and I have a place in my heart for the old one, so I had to critique it. I cried, but it was of joy. They did a great job of it.

So, then it was time to get to Disney’s Yacht Club where we were meeting the boat. You get there from where we were via the International Gateway located between the France and UK Pavilions. We make it over there and… there’s no one there. WHAT!? I get my phone out to call the 800 number on the signage. Literally, and I mean literally as I was about to hit the send button, a door on the back of the Yacht Club opens up and a line of five boat captains and one clerk come marching out onto the dock, each pulling a rolling cooler. A boat captain by the name of “Captain Ron,” who looks and sounds like Uncle Fester from Addams Family, asks, “Who’s from North Carolina!?” I raised my hand and said that we were. He directed me to go over and pay the clerk in the kiosk. As I did, she winked at me and said have a good sailing. Caveat: they all knew what was going on because I called ahead to plan it.

After waiting a bit for the weather to decide what it was going to do, we got the all-clear and boarded our boats. Captain Ron steered us around Bay Lake giving us a history of how it came about and how long it took to fill (it was man-made). He stopped in front of Disney’s Hollywood Studios and told us some facts about that (I knew most of them… hey! I’m a Disney specialist). He would pause intermittently at some “picturesque” locations. I would just hold my girl tight and do nothing. We eventually made it around to the World Showcase Lagoon and we tethered to the four other boats in preparation for the fireworks spectacular. I sat regularly in the boat bench seat and The BCPF sat with her feet in the seat leaning up against me, my right arm around her. We sat and talked about stuff, what I really can’t remember and I don’t think she could either, now. The show starts and I unzip my fanny pack (see you’d already forgotten about the fanny pack) and took the ring and box out, set it on the bench cushion, opened the box and straightened it up to look just right.

Part way through the showcase, The BCPF asked if I’d like to move to the other side. We stood up and I passed the ring box behind my back to the other hand and placed it beside me as we resumed the position on that opposite side. After about three minutes, Captain Ron came over and said, “You know… the view is really better from the other side.” Thanks a lot, Captain Ron. So, we repeated the process and I again maneuvered the ring behind my back and once more, resumed into position. The BCPF turned her head to me and said, “You know, this day has been perfect,” and my reply was, “it certainly has.” Just as the fireworks show was ending and the announcer came on and said, “On behalf of Walt Disney World…” I told her, “Today has been perfect. There’s only one thing I can think of to make it more perfect,” and proceeded to stand up. I got on one knee and asked, “will you marry me?” She stared at me, and yes I could still see her eyes in the dark from the flames of the cauldrons lining the lake, and she reluctantly asked, more than answered, “yeah?” Maybe five seconds of silence before she asked if I was serious. I looked down at the ring and back at her and I said, sheepishly, “I got a ring.” To which she replied, “yes!!”  Captain Ron announced that I had proposed. One of the boats was full of two older women and three daughters so the women all had to know what happened. I stood up and at the top of my voice yelled, to anyone within earshot: “SHE SAID YES!!!” Applaud. Applaud. Captain Ron offered to take us not back to the dock but to Hollywood Studios because it was right where the bus station was to take us back to our resort – it was shorter.

On the trip back I told her about the few people that knew about it, how long I’d had the ring (remember November 22 until July 31) without her knowing. How I’d called her brother and asked him permission, how I’d had to chase her mother down and ask her on the phone; both of which said they couldn’t guarantee she’d say yes and how I’d gone to the grave of her father and older brother and promised them that I’d take care of her. A few other people knew and it somewhat threw her for a loop. Mind you, she still hadn’t seen the ring; it was dark. We stopped under a light but she couldn’t really tell. It wasn’t until we got on the bus and under those bright lights could she see it.

We got “Just Engaged” buttons from the hotel gift shop and wore them the whole week. People gave us free stuff like a dessert in one location, and other things and would call to2631c-just2bengaged us from across the promenade just to congratulate us. It was a great week and it has been a great life the whole time. Life has given us ups and downs but she and I have never had a problem. We’ve really only had one or two real arguments. Life’s short don’t waste it “being right.” Okay, this went on a lot longer than I had expected and I apologize, but it’s very important to me. I believe she even considers the engagement ring the “greatest gift she’s ever gotten.” If I’m misquoting, I’m sorry. But, happy engagement anniversary, baby!

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“My mother says I didn’t open my eyes for eight days after I was born, but when I did, the first thing I saw was an engagement ring. I was hooked.” – Elizabeth Taylor

 

The Proposal or: Magical Moments

31 Monday Jul 2017

Posted by TGBII in Honeymoon, Life as We Know It, Travel

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Engagement, Life, Love, The BCPF, Walt Disney World

Salutations™!!

Yeah, I tell this almost every year and yeah, it gets mushy and yeah, probably to you, Dear Reader, it gets old. The truth is, however, I never tire of telling it and if you don’t like my mushy stuff, this would be a good time to check out. If you don’t mind or are reading it for the first time, then read on! A bit of warning, though, it will be long.

The BCPF and I got up on July 31, 2011, and were driven to Charlotte to get on a plane. It was our first plane trip together and it was the first time that we were going to go to my favorite destination in the world, Walt Disney World. It was to be the first time that I had been there in six years and we were going to celebrate the fact that I, after many years since my last collegiate foray, had finished my degree. My gift to myself was this trip and I was taking my best girl with me.

Whilst I know it is a fashion faux-pas, when I travel to WDW, I wear a fanny pack. I like having my stuff with me and I don’t want it falling out while I’m being jostled about on rides. This day was a bit different, though. Yes, I had the fanny pack but it was the contents of the pack that was different. I put it on the x-ray belt and hoped that the scanning officer didn’t alert anyone to the pack’s contents. It passed inspection, we moved on, got on the plane, and headed to the “most Magical place on earth.”

We got on the shuttle and were whisked away to Wilderness Lodge, our “home away from home.” After getting in the room, the first thing I like to do when I get to WDW is to go to Magic Kingdom and have lunch in the form of a hot dog at Casey’s Corner on Main Street USA. Being as Wilderness Lodge is on Bay Lake, the same body of water that surrounds Magic Kingdom, we took a boat over and made it through security with no alerts to my fanny pack’s contents. We had to wait as it was before 11 am and Casey’s Corner wasn’t yet open. We had our dog and conversed about the Ibis that populate the courtyard.

We then moved to Swiss Family Robinson’s Treehouse and had no wait. We walked through that with no resistance, no people rushing or pushing past us. We moved on the Jungle Cruise and unless you’re the first person, first thing in the morning, there’s no way to miss a crowded line here. But, it was minimal. We got on the ride and were given prime seats (toward the front of the boat in the middle so you see everything with little craning of the neck). I held her hand and we enjoyed the boat ride through Asia and Africa and under Switzer Falls (named after someone named “Falls”). From there it was Pirates of the Carribean. The line was minimal and we were seated at the front of the boat. 216852_10150326463895490_8196672_n

One thing to note is that it was July 31 and we were in Central Florida. But, it was only in the mid-80s. Not too hot at all, which was surprising, but definitely welcome. We walked our way around to Haunted Mansion and had virtually no line. Since The BCPF and I are history folks, we had to do the Hall of Presidents, especially since we’re both fans of Obama and his presentation had just been added to the script. All of this, you have to realize, was seventh heaven to me. I was getting to be a tour guide of the place I love with the woman I love.

It’s a rite of passage for anyone going to Magic Kingdom, or WDW at all, to have to ride It’s a Small World. Yes, that song is annoying as all get out, but you have to ride it. Again, short line (which never happens) and we were put in the front row. By this time it was almost 3 pm and it was time to make our move to Epcot, as we had rezzies for dinner at Tutto Italia Ristorante at 5:40 pm and sometimes that trip can be time-consuming. But, getting to the Monorail was no problem, getting on the Monorail was no problem and the trip to Epcot was easy-peasy-George-and-Weezy!

We wandered through the gates and since The BCPF had no bag, no purse, no anything, I sent her through the “No Bags” line as I got my fanny pack checked (plus I didn’t need her to know its contents and didn’t want to take a chance). The first ride you encounter from the Monorail is Spaceship Earth. No wait and no halting in the middle of the ride, which anyone who’s ridden that ride can attest, that is rare. We moved on to the World Showcase since that’s where the Italy Pavilion is and you choose the left path or right path. Italy is in the left middle but certainly in the middle so we took the left path. That brought us to Mexico Pavilion first and we rode the boat ride, Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros and were given the front row of the ride, with no other riders on the boat with us.

Next was Norway and the Maelstrom boat ride (RIP, it’s now Frozen Ever After – BOO!!!!!!!) and yes, minimal line and, again, front row. Next, China and their Circle-Vision 360 film, Reflections of China. That took a little bit of time and it was about 5:15 pm. I knew we had no time to do anything else, so we decided we’d be early for our rezzie. We traveled two countries in about five minutes (we were booking it) and got to the restaurant to find that our reservation was 5:25, not 5:40. We were five whole minutes early, whew! The meal was pretty good. We finished and it was about 6:30.

What I’ve failed to mention up to this point is that my entire adult life I’ve gone to WDW and have seen people on boats on the World Showcase Lagoon watching Illuminations: Reflections of Earth fireworks show. Again, this was my celebratory trip and I wanted to do that, so I booked it. But, that happens at 8 pm each night. We had time to kill and I wanted to see “O Canada!” a Circle-Vision 360 film that had recently been upgraded and since it was one of my favorite attractions, I had to see how it had changed. It was good and I was pleased. We had timed it right and had no wait to get in, other than hearing the spiel from the cast member that should be heard. After the film and some wandering about, we went to the Yacht Club, just outside of Epcot to get on our boat!

We get there and the boat house is closed!! What the heck!? It was 7:45 and it was closed. I had many plans that needed to happen and this is not what I needed to happen. The BCPF tried to calm me down. “We can do it another day,” she said. No. No, we couldn’t. There was a number to call for questions and literally as I was about to hit send on my cell, a door pops open from the back of the Yacht Club and (yes this could be in my mind and not what really happened) a line of five boat captains came marching out in single file, each pulling a rolling cooler and singing or chanting something Disney-like. It was surreal.

A fellow that looked and sounded a lot like Uncle Fester from Addams Family came over to us and the other groups that had gathered for their own boat rides and asked: “who’s from North Carolina?” I raised my hand and acknowledged it was us. He introduced himself as “Captain Ron” which I thought was funny. We were having to watch the weather as a storm was rolling around the area. We couldn’t take the boat ride if the storm came through. Luckily, it didn’t and we could get on the boats.

Cap’n Ron drove the boat around Crescent Lake telling us its history and the history of the resorts around it, and then the theme parks that are located on its shores. He paused in a few spots to let us “take it in,” although I knew what he was doing. We worked our way back to the Yacht Club, Beach Club and Boardwalk Inn area and moved our way through the channel into the World Showcase Lagoon. Checking with Control Central we were able to move farther into the lagoon to view the awesome fireworks display.

I sat on the pontoon boat’s seat normally and The BCPF leaned in on me, her feet up in the seat. The fireworks started. I sneakily took the item I’d been hiding from my fanny pack and adjusted it to prepare for the coup de grace that was about to happen. The BCPF said she’d like to sit on the opposite bench. Okay. I had to maneuver the item for her to not see it. After about 2 minutes, Cap’n Ron said that we’d see better from the side we started from. Okay. Maneuver number two. We assumed the positions again. The BCPF leaned back and said, “you know, today has been perfect.” I nodded with a “yep.”

And it had been perfect. A nearly flawless flight. A quick and easy shuttle ride followed by a quick and easy check-in at the resort. The boat ride to Magic Kingdom. The hot dog lunch with the Ibis. The short lines. Every ride with the option gave us front row. The dinner. This boat ride and the fireworks to end all fireworks. As the glittery display came to an end and the announcements started, I said, “you know, today has been perfect. There’s only one thing I can think of that would make it more perfect.” I rose took the item in my hand, dropped to one knee, and exposed the contents of the item I had been hiding for nine months. I asked her, “Will you marry me?” She stared at me blankly and asked, “yeah? Are you serious?”

2011-08-01_22-42-30_75I looked down at the box and the faintly sparkling stones sitting within it and said, “I got a ring…?” She finally said, “yes!” Whew, I thought I was going to fall over. I thought I had all this figured out. I thought there was no way she’d say no. I thought I was going to have a heart attack. She said yes. Yes. YES! Cap’n Ron announced what had happened. We were

Cap’n Ron announced what had happened. We had been tethered to four other boats in the lagoon and the one right next to us was full of seven women and they wanted to know what she said. I stood and at the top of my lungs yelled, “SHE SAID YES!!!!” People were looking over the rails of that same bridge where I had stood several times and watched the people in these boats observe the fireworks. We were congratulated a lot. We were taken back to Hollywood Studios because it was easier to get to the buses to get back to our resort. Along the way, I told her the few people that actually knew this was coming and the people who didn’t. Some really surprised her. She didn’t get to see the ring, which she calls her “precious” in a very un-Gollem-like voice, until we got on the bus.

Once back at the resort we went to the mercantile to grab some beverages and asked about something to commemorate the engagement. We got badges and wore them around the park the entire week we were there. People congratulated us constantly and cast members of WDW would yell congrats to us from across the promenade if that’s where they saw the badge. I don’t think we paid for any desserts during that week (we realized we needed to keep those badges on the entire time). It was the perfect trip.

It was the perfect trip. The entire week, with the exception of one day, the weather was near perfect. We had fun. We ate well. We loved each other and we loved, and still love, our time together, no matter where we are. We have many anniversaries that we celebrate, which is probably overkilling it, but we’re disgustingly cute and don’t care to show it. This, to me, is the second most important after the wedding anniversary.

To The BCPF, Stephanie, I still love you as I did that day, but the magnitude has grown infinitely exponentially. I fall in love more and more every day. Good. Bad. Indifferent. We always have each other and have a love that I defy anyone else to match. This is our fairy tale and I am not ashamed, afraid, or reluctant to scream it from the mountain tops, roof tops and this danged blog. Happy sixth engagement anniversary my baby. I love you.

Sorry, Dear Reader for the 2200+ word explosion. I did warn you.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Yes!” – The BCPF

Four Years On or: Anything but JUST Engaged

31 Friday Jul 2015

Posted by TGBII in Life as We Know It, Travel

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Anniversary, Engagement, Orlando, Walt Disney World

Salutations™!!

Today is a special day for The BCPF and me. It was four years ago today that I asked her to marry me. That was the best decision I have ever made. Ever. EVER!

Dear Reader, if you’re not into the sappy, then I’d recommend just skipping to my closing, signature and quote and I’ll see you tomorrow. There will be a three second pause… Okay. Let’s back up even further. We “started” dating on July 21, 2010. My 74582-the2bringbirthday is in November; the 20th. That was my FORTIETH birthday and she arranged for friends of ours to meet and just organized a wonderful time. I had known for a while that this was absolutely the best thing for me and I loved her immensely. That was a Saturday. So, on Monday, I legitimately just so happened to be at the mall. I was doing something for Ma Mère, I think. I just so happened to stop by Marks & Morgan Jewelers (before they closed that store; they’re owned by Kay). I fell in love with a specific ring and couldn’t pass it up. That was in November, 2010, remember. Fast forward to July 31, 2011.

I was finishing up my stint as a college student (yes, very late) and knew that my gift to myself was a trip to Walt Disney World. It’s my favorite place in the world and I hadn’t been in almost 5 years at that point (way too long for me). Also, growing up, I had always been somewhat jealous of the folks that I saw in the boats on World Showcase Lagoon during Illuminations: Reflections of Earth, the fireworks extravaganza at Epcot. By golly! I’m doing that, too. It just so happened that it was a great place to get engaged.

I’ll admit, outright, that when I’m on vacation, I don’t care about looks, etc. because I’m not going to see any of these people again and I’m not entering myself into the fair. So, at least at Disney World, I wear a fanny pack. I need all my stuff with me and I don’t need it coming out of my pockets on rides and such. I wear big shirts so usually, you can’t see it. If you don’t like it, well stuff it! ANYWHAT! I had the ring in the fanny pack at the airport and was afraid they’d rat me out going through security, but the worst I got was a wink from the female machine attendant. I don’t know if that was because she liked my fanny pack or because she could see what was in it.

We got to MCO (that’s Orlando) and get on the DME (Disney’s Magical Express) and The BCPF had to wipe tears from my eyes because, yes, I really was crying. I feel that strongly about that place. They take us to Disney’s Wilderness Lodge where they quickly showed us to our room. We had our passes and made our way to Magic Kingdom first, because I always like to start my visit with a hot dog from Casey’s on Main Street USA. We sat and talked about the Ibis (birds with thin, straw-like beaks) that were wandering about the eating area.

We then went to Swiss Family Treehouse inspired by the film Swiss Family Robinson. No line, just walk through and look. We then went to Jungle Cruise, no real line, maybe a five minute wait. That was great, too! Pirates of the Caribbean was next and front row of the boat. Hall of Presidents, no wait. Haunted Mansion, minimum wait. It’s a Small World, front row of the boat (so we didn’t have to deal with the idiots that take flash pics on the ride), Peter Pan’s Flight, minimum wait. Got on the Tomorrowland Transit Authority’s People Mover and relaxed. Stitch, minimum wait.

It was time to head over to Epcot, where we had dinner reservations at 5:40, or so I thought. We get to Epcot via the monorail and of course, we stop at Spaceship Earth and again, minimum wait. We then wandered about Future World and onto World Showcase (my personal favorite spot in “the World”) and to Mexico Pavilion to ride Grand Fiesta Tour with the Three Caballeros (I still like the old name “El Rio del Tiempo” better) and again, in the front row of the boat. On to Maelstrom (RIP Maelstrom, (sad face)) where, yep, you guessed it, another front row seating. What’s going on here!? To China to watch the Circle-Vision 360 film “Reflections of China.” I looked at our watch and saw that it was about 5:10. We didn’t have time to stop for much more so we needed to get to the Italy Pavilion to eat at Tutto Italia and we made it at 5:20. Turns out our reservations were at 5:25 and not 5:40, so we just made it. I’ll honestly say that that meal was the only less-than-stellar part of the day. It was just “okay” and we’ve not been back since. I miss Alfredo’s that used to be there. Afterwards we had just a bit of time before our 8:00 dock time for the boats for Illuminations. So, we made a run to Canada Pavilion because the Circle-Vision 360 film, “O Canada” had recently been changed and I have a place in my heart for the old one, so I had to critique it. I cried, but it was of joy. They did a great job of it.

So, then it was time to get to Disney’s Yacht Club where we were meeting the boat. You get there from where we were via the International Gateway located between the France and UK Pavilions. We make it over there and… there’s no one there. WHAT!? I get my phone out to call the 800 number on the signage. Literally, and I mean literally as I was about to hit the send button, a door on the back of the Yacht Club opens up and a line of five boat captains and one clerk come marching out onto the dock, each pulling a rolling cooler. A boat captain by the name of “Captain Ron,” who looks and sounds like Uncle Fester from Addams Family, asks, “Who’s from North Carolina!?” I raised my hand and said that we were. He directed me to go over and pay the clerk in the kiosk. As I did, she winked at me and said have a good sailing. Caveat: they all knew what was going on, because I called ahead to plan it.

After waiting a bit for the weather to decide what it was going to do, we got the all-clear and boarded our boats. Captain Ron steered us around Bay Lake giving us a history of how it came about and how long it took to fill (it was man made). He stopped in front of Disney’s Hollywood Studios and told us some facts about that (I knew most of them… hey! I’m a Disney specialist). He would pause intermittently at some “picturesque” locations. I would just hold my girl tight and do nothing. We eventually made it around to the World Showcase Lagoon and we tethered to the four other boats in preparation for the fireworks spectacular. I sat regularly in the boat bench seat and The BCPF sat with her feet in the seat leaning up against me, my right arm around her. We sat and talked about stuff, what I really can’t remember and I don’t think she could either, now. The show starts and I unzip my fanny pack (see you’d already forgotten about the fanny pack) and took the ring and box out, set it on the bench cushion, opened the box and straightened it up to look just right.

Part way through the showcase, The BCPF asked if I’d like to move to the other side. We stood up and I passed the ring box behind my back to the other hand and placed it beside me as we resumed the position on that opposite side. After about three minutes, Captain Ron came over and said, “You know… the view is really better from the other side.” Thanks a lot Captain Ron. So, we repeated the process and I again, maneuvered the ring behind my back and once more, resumed into position. The BCPF turned her head to me and said, “You know, this day has been perfect,” and my reply was, “it certainly has.” Just the show was ending and the announcer came on and said, “On behalf of Walt Disney World…” I told her, “Today has been perfect. There’s only one thing I can think of to make it more perfect,” and proceeded to stand up. I got on one knee and asked, “will you marry me?” She stared at me, and yes I could still see her eyes in the dark from the flames of the cauldrons lining the lake, and she reluctantly asked, more than answered, “yeah?” Maybe five seconds of silence before she asked if I was serious. I looked down at the ring and back at her and I said, sheepishly, “I got a ring.” To which she replied, “yes!!”  Captain Ron announced that I had proposed. One of the boats was full of two older women and three daughters so the women all had to know what happened. I stood up and at the top of my voice yelled, to anyone within earshot: “SHE SAID YES!!!” Applaud. Applaud. Captain Ron offered to take us not back to the dock but to Hollywood Studios because it was right where the bus station was to take us back to our resort – it was shorter.

On the trip back I told her about the few people that knew about it, how long I’d had the ring (remember November 22 until July 31) without her knowing. How I’d called her brother and asked him permission, how I’d had to chase her mother down and ask her on the phone; both of which said they couldn’t guarantee she’d say yes and how I’d gone to the grave of her father and older brother and promised them that I’d take care of her. A few other people knew and it somewhat threw her for a loop. Mind you, she still hadn’t seen the ring; it was dark. We stopped under a light but she couldn’t really tell. It wasn’t until we got on the bus and those bright lights could she see it.

We got “Just Engaged” buttons from the hotel gift shop and wore them the whole week. People gave us free stuff like a dessert in one location, and other things and would call to2631c-just2bengaged us from across the promenade just to congratulate us. It was a great week and it has been a great life the whole time. Life has given us ups and downs but she and I have never had a problem. We’ve really only had one or two real arguments. Life’s short don’t waste it “being right.” Okay, this went on a lot longer than I had expected and I apologize, but it’s very important to me. I believe she even considers the engagement ring the “greatest gift she’s ever gotten.” If I’m misquoting, I’m sorry. But, happy engagement anniversary, baby!

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“My mother says I didn’t open my eyes for eight days after I was born, but when I did, the first thing I saw was an engagement ring. I was hooked.” – Elizabeth Taylor

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