wow

Yesterday was our 15th anniversary. I was on the phone with my mother in the morning, as it is also her birthday, and as I said it out loud, "15 years...", I was amazed at how long of time that sounded, "Not that it seems that long," I told her. She said "Yeah, no. More like 10 minutes." Pause.


"underwater."

Not really...it has been good, and I suppose the bumps and bruises are what makes a marriage stronger. if so, our marriage is about ready to bench-press 4,000 pounds. I had not been looking very forward to an anniversary, because along with memories of a wedding, and music, and smiling at 2,342 people all day, you remember your husband spilling punch on your wedding gown while he goofed around with his friends. I remember being shocked that the words "I now pronounce you..." did not magically turn a teenage boy into a mature adult. I thought they would trigger something in his brain. He never has spilled punch on me again, so I am thankful for that progress!

SO...Last night we had DINNER - OUT, no kids, no cell phone calls, and at the most memorable place...set into a little hill - it was called Five Alls...you enter into an olde world castle setting..dark wooden beams lining the walls and ceiling, large black chains hanging from the ceiling to support hand carved shelves, tables, and a gas log fireplace. Along the walls were swords and coats of arms, each inscribed with the "Five Alls" - Plead for all, Fight for all...then I got lost in the moment and never did read the rest. We were seated at a table by the window - overlooking the valley with city lights as far as the eye could see - very memorable as we had eaten in a similar setting on our honeymoon. THAT is what I chose to remember from the honeymoon. Ben remembers our first night, getting to a hotel after an exhausting wedding and ordering pizza. He thought it might be fun to relive that on our anniversary. We have 5 children - do you think that ordering pizza is not a common, everyday thing now? Back to the dinner...

Our meal began with an appetizer of poppyseed bread fingers to dip in a sour cream clam spread, a spicy swedish meatball, and an itty-bitty parfait cup of some banana pineapple smoothie concoction with a lime wedge at the side. That was course #1. I would have been content with that. Then came broccoli cream soup and shrimp cocktail...who knew someone could do THAT to broccoli soup?!?!? What followed was the most amazing dark bread I have EVER tasted with some seasoned butter, and then the MAIN COURSE...I had fish and rice. standard for me - it is my favorite. It was good, but BEN had a filet mignon oscar, with a red wine bernaise sauce containg asparagus and king crab meat. It could have been dessert! I have never tasted anything like it in my life. For an actual dessert, they offered a variety of ice cream parfaits...ben had raspberry and I had sherry - yumMY. I never thought to put sherry on my icecream, but I will now! Very full, we drove to target for some household things, and braved the freezing air once more to go to a movie. It was all very nice, and I guess I am okay now with anniversaries. If you ever come visit us, we should go to Five Alls together!