So I was able to keep this 20th Anniversary Trip a surprise, and we had a great weekend, even tho it was a simple trip to Florence, AL. I had to keep telling Magan not to get to excited. We had a very little budget for anything this year given the upcoming West trip for which we had been saving. But I had some ideas of what we could do, and with evidence of a little planning and surprise, I think it was a really fun get away.
After leaving the kids in Cullman, we headed North, and I then revealed my surprise, so Magan wouldn't be thinking Nashville the whole time. Really, with her sense of direction, time, money and distance, there is no telling where her imagination may have gone. Yall don't have to tell her I wrote that, and I am pretty sure she won't read it, nor even remember we went on this trip by the time she does anyway. :) Just kidding Magan, assuming we are now retired, and you have found time to catch up on these blogs.
We checked into the hotel and were upgraded to a HUGE suite (I mean midnight distance to the bathroom for old man pee time was way too far in the dark, leading me to run into way to many walls), and they were able to get us reservations to the restaurant the next evening. For the first night, we decided to go to downtown Florence and enjoy an arts and crafts area they had while the main street was blocked off. It was really nice, but it was also really prideful and rainboyant, with let's just call it like it was..."weirdos"...roaming the streets. Magan and I settled on the Italian place that we had tried before with Colby and Melissa. I say we settled on it...I had settled on it probably 3 weeks prior in planning this trip, and since revealing the first night activity gave hints on what might be available to push us in this direction. As we waited for our seat, it was nice to be serenaded by a Black Lives Matter protest across the street from the restaurant (just weird times right now, I assume it has only gotten crazier at the time of this reading, but who knows, maybe our country has found some peace). Great meal, even tho our waitress was a little overly helpful to me in particular...I just want to tell them sometimes "OK, stare if you must, take it all in, then leave me be, so I can get back to the pretty lady across the table from me".
The next day we began with a wonderful cook to order breakfast, where Magan somehow befriended the cook and learned her whole story, and when she would retire, and all of her kids names. We then drove our to the FAME music studio for a tour. It was really fun, and our tour guide was the owners grandson, so we had a little connection to the Netflix movie, and to all the stars that had come to this building to sing. He told us he was there when Steven Tyler showed up. We listened to Aretha Franklin while standing next to the piano that was played on one of her hit records. Just a cool experience all around.
Back at the hotel, we ventured out to the pool area, which is not my favorite place, but I wanted to be with Magan, so we laid there for a while, until Magan recognizing my uncomfortableness, told me to just sit at the table near by, and that worked much better, where I could go and read my book. So much better, and I was even able to finish the book I was reading. Later that evening we went for our anniversary dinner and had a really amazing meal. Split a wedge salad. The "amuse bouche" (yes, I did just use that word, and learned it...of all places...in Vidalia, GA) was a blend of seafood in a Mediterranean sauce, that was soo good. My comment to the waitress was something along the line of "I really don't know what I am putting in my mouth here in this little spoon, but it is amazing". Magan had an excellent steak, and I had the crabcake. Then the dessert...I wish I could just capture the words that described the dessert we had...I think I heard cheesecake...maybe ganache...maybe pudding (but not in the funny way Bill Cosby would say it, but a way that would make you pay $10 for it)...but all these words came together in a way that made us say, Yes, we want that. And then we ate that, and savored each little spoonful.
So they upgraded us to the suite, but I was unable to get a late checkout (no afternoon nap). We surprised Colby and Melissa by visiting with them for worship (We really have another group we wanted to be with, but figured they would be upset if we didn't at least see them). After worship, we went back in town for some BBQ before ending our 20 year anniversary trip. It was not the Arizona resort that I had envisioned before COVID removed that work conference from the calendar...but a fun getway, typical of 20 years with the lady that made my 80s movie dream life a reality...just a series of short fun days completely filled with special moments...if you stop and think about them for a minute.
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