
Thirty-one years is worthy of a celebration, right?
Funny though, what counts as a celebration when you’re young isn’t quite as enticing when you’re… not so young.
We decided – five days after the event, because we were gosh-darn busy on the actual day – to go to Black Angus. Husband had a coupon for a free steak dinner, on account of his birthday being just a few days ago. Even better, the restaurant was by a mall, which meant we could gain some extra steps for the ol’ Fitbit.
Yep. We’re just a couple of wild ones.
Here’s something we found out: on a weekend, a lot of people go shopping.
Honestly, we had no idea. As Husband said, “It’s not like it’s Christmas.” (We’re not big shoppers, he and I.)
We did a few laps, upstairs and down, dodged some over-zealous kiosk clerks, and toured a kitchen gourmet shop. They had eight different styles of apple slicers. Eight!
Why anyone needs more than one, I don’t know.
After a legitimate gain in Fitbit steps, we head to the restaurant. Husband gives his coupon to our perky waitress, Laura.
“Happy Birthday,” she squeals. “Just so you know, you get a free dessert with your meal!”
There was an older couple at the table across from us. A woman my age walked by with her mother. Over the speakers we heard the Doobie Brothers, followed by Creedence Clearwater Revival, then the Steve Miller Band:
I went from Phoenix, Arizona
All the way to Tacoma
Philadelphia, Atlanta, L.A.
Northern California where the girls are warm
So I could be with my sweet baby, yeah
“I feel like I’m back in high school,” comments Husband.
“Yeah. But somehow not far from the nursing home,” I add, spotting an elderly couple with matching walkers.
Dinner was good. Husband had the sirloin, medium rare. I had salmon.
Toward the end of the meal, perky Laura breezed by saying, “Hope you’re saving room for dessert!”
A few tables over, five servers have gathered. All clapping and singing, “HAPPYHAPPYBIRTHDAYHAPPYBIRTHDAYHAPPYHAPPY!” and on it goes.
Husband looks at me, fear in his eyes.
“You can duck out,” I suggest. “They’ll come here clapping and singing, but you’ll be gone. I’ll take care of the bill.”
I say this because I love him.
Laura returns. “Ready for dessert?”
Husband politely declines. “I’m not really a dessert person,” he says.
She insists, adding, “I won’t sing, I promise!”
Finally we agree to take it home in a box. This pleases Laura immensely and she walks away. Husband says, “She just earned herself a really big tip.”
As we head out, Bob Seger sings us a farewell:
Someday lady you’ll accomp’ny me
Out where the rivers meet the sounding sea
I feel it in my soul, it’s meant to be
Oh someday lady you’ll accomp’ny me
Someday lady you’ll accomp’ny me
Happy Anniversary, Husband. Here’s to many, many more. ❤
Congratulations on 31. And I get the celebration thing. My wife and I consider it a wild night when we have herb tea and cookies. No holding us back.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha! Yeah, you have to watch out for us quiet ones. We’re the ones tooling around in mini vans, singing along with the radio, “Wild thing! You make my heart sing!” 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sounds perfect and exactly like something we would do! I kind of like it when I know all the words to the songs 😉 Congratulations and here’s to 31 more!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks Diane! The quiet celebrations are the most satisfying ones, I think.
Hope all is well with you. ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hanging in, thanks!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well, that’s the cutest wedding picture ever.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Kathy. Kind of hard not to smile, when we see how young we were 🙂
LikeLike
Congratulations and Celebrations (can’t remember the rest of the song). May there be many more moments of sublime bliss. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Claudette – sublime bliss sounds nice. I’ll gladly aim for that! 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Total Congrats — 31 is nothing to sneeze at — well done.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks! 😀
LikeLike
What a wonderful post, Christi. I didn’t know you were writing a blog, but it looks awesome. Congratulations on 31 years!
LikeLike
Well, hi Donna! Fancy meeting you here! Thanks for the kind words, as well as the congrats. Hope all is well with you!
LikeLike
Happy Anniversary! Hope you enjoyed your cake at home!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks! Actually it was a really big chocolate chip cookie, still warm from the oven. We scarfed it down as soon as we got home! 😀
LikeLike