I was "sharing" living arrangements with a "friend" for some time... ehm, he wasn't fond of my precious doggie Tooney (golden) coming in to "my" bedroom. He was a bit of a clean freak and didn't want dog hair in there! How dare he! Things weren't going good to begin with so I decided it was time to buy a place of my own!When I went to the bank to apply for a loan I sat with one of the loan officers. She asked why I was interested in the condo. development that I was hoping to buy into. I told her that it was because they accept dogs (after written approval from the board) and that I wanted nothing more than to be able to sleep with my dog again. There is NOTHING better than a dog to snuggle with - right?! Well, except kids, sometimes!
Bought the place and loved it! Obviously, I had to walk my little guy Tooney for "business" and exercise. After living in my new pad (friend no longer in the picture) for a couple months, Toon and I started to encounter a not-so-friendly girl also on her walks around the community. Her name was Henrietta (if you're smart you know where this is going). Henrietta and her Daddy would always be out when we were. Not so good! You see, Henry was a bit fiesty when it came to other animals. Like, if we'd pass each other she'd try to rip Tooneys head off (no kidding). It became very clear early on that I would need to scan the area before picking the direction of our walk.... I WOULD NOT go through the fear of that nasty dog anymore!!! The lips up, the growing, the drooling... it was ugly with a capital U!
One quiet Sunday afternoon I went out to give Tooney a quick walk before watching my favorite NE Patriots on the tube. I looked like crap (sweats/tee) and just wanted to do a very speedy poop! While I was outside guess who approached me (dog-less)? Henrietta's Dad! I was freaking out because I didn't feel like chatting and just a week before when I had driven by him walking his dog my knees began knocking together uncontrollably! Oh dear, please, swerve and unlock your car door, don't be coming towards ME!
He say's "hey", "how are you"? (I'm not going to get into the two minute mundane back and forth). He ended our encounter (which I now know he planned) with an invitation to "a glass of wine sometime"... I was annoyed and a little disappointed when I saw him up close (what a jerk I was). But I was intrigued and excited about sharing a glass of vino at some point. Back then, if someone says "we should sometime" I would leave it up to them to actually propose a specific invite... what's "sometime" to someone who hates a drop in visitor - evil!!! I'm not going to just go knock on his door for goodness sake - "oh Hi, are you up for that glass of wine now"... I don't think that's me!!!
NOTE: we lived next door to each other and (learned later) that our beds were actually back to back with only a wall between our headboards!
So, we had a few more encounters with the dogs over the course of a week or so and fate decided to step in since I sure wasn't going to make a move!
UPS had come to deliver my movie posters of Al Pacino (I know - gay). They left my delivery notice on HIS door instead of mine. I got a knock on the door by MP (you guessed it) with the notice. I was very flustered, took it and said thanks. He was on his way, phew! I got to thinking that if he really wanted that glass of wine, he should have my number! Right away (so as not to catch him busy) I went over to his condo and knocked on the door. He answered and I felt sooooo stupid! I said, "you had mentioned a week or so ago that you'd like to have a glass of wine sometime and I thought you might want my number so you could call me when you want to do that".... Egads! And with that I left. I had walked over with my business card and my personal number already written down!
Fast forward; he called probably a day later and I was literally up to my elbows making meatballs (for me and my dog)... I answered and it was him, he wanted wine, I told him what I was doing and invited him to come over to my place (next door) since I was elbow deep in meatballs! He said "yes". After an hour (I later learned that he was freaking out and showered etc. before coming when all the while I thought he was coming right over) he finally showed up! We spent the entire evening talking til 2:00am. Nothing romantic, just talking.... This is exactly how the following week was. Every night we hung out and talked from different pieces of furniture in the living room until 1, 2, 3:00 am! All week!
At the end of that first week he said, "let go out Sat. night for dinner"... I said, "like out of the complex"? "Yeah, downtown Newburyport, let's go" he said. I won't get into the following details as it's a book.
Three weeks later when we exchanged "I love you's" he told me that the second that he met me (in my sweats) face to face he saw his entire future flash before him of us together! Me, it took three weeks and I was IN LOVE!
So here is a VERY brief breakdown of the events over the past nine years!
NOTE: both of our doggies passed last year within six months of each other - they became soul mates to each other (after a dog behaviorist got involved).
This is us shortly after we met on our first trip to Cali... Wine country!!! Me, blonde!
Our engagement party! Robes were a gift from my old co-worker friends!
Last but not least, baby Nicholas! I already posted wedding pics. so thought it not needed!Another note; 10 months after we met we bought our first home (new englander/victorian) together... after signing the paperwork on it we drove to the house, MP carried me over the threshold and placed me in front of the fireplace and proposed! And the journey began, we had our dream wedding just five months later!
