Golden night

I was going to blog last night but I was kidnapped. Okay--not kidnapped exactly. Hijacked. Well...not hijacked--more like waylaid. By my husband.

Remember back in early December, when I told you about our adventure in Golden, Colo.? (The entry is from Dec. and is called "Golden day.") We loved the food at the Golden Hotel's Bridgewater Grill so much, we made a vow to go back for dinner sometime and last night was the night. I was excited to go, but tired from my day--I had been out all day, had been up north at a 3-hour networking luncheon, then did a little shopping, and drove the 40 minutes home in heavy traffic. To top it off, I was wearing decidedly uncomfortable street clothes (including the restrictive and misery-making undergarments that women wear out in public). That may not seem like a big deal to you, but with a home office, and dealing primarily with people not in the same geographical area, I'm used to working in sweats, without a "harness"! So, while I was ready to go out and have a lovely meal, I was almost more excited to get home to my comfy clothes and my snuggly pups, whom I had not had time with all day.

Our meal was fabulous--we split a calamari salad with arugula and lemon oil vinaigrette (yum!), and I had seared ahi with chunks of lobster in a perfectly seasoned buerre blanc sauce--Oh. My. Goodness. I told Rick that that alone was worth being in a human body for! Rick had buffalo flank steak. We had an amazing bottle of shiraz from Australia called "Stump Jump," and even broke the "no sugar" rule and had crème brulee with a custard so light, it was almost ethereal. It featured a touch each of coffee liqueur and Irish cream--looked like they drizzled it on before they applied the sugar and torched it. It was served with chocolate covered coffee beans--three of them. We asked the waiter for another bean so we wouldn't come to blows over who got two! He brought 3 more and we ate them all, of course. Total decadence! Even worth the sugar withdrawal over the next few days.

I asked Rick to bring the car around while I visited the ladies' room, and uncharacteristically, he said, "No--I'll just meet you in the lobby and we'll go together." When I met him in the lobby, I was SO very, very ready to get home, get out of my uncomfortable garb, and snuggle in with those poor dogs who had been alone all day. When he guided me to the elevator, I noticed that instead of pushing "P" for parking, he pushed "4." Then he whipped out a card key. I thought, "while I was in the ladies,' he borrowed a card key so we can check out what the rooms look like." They were advertising a Valentine's weekend special which we had discussed, so it made sense. But something about the look on his face told me that was not it. Then, the light dawned. "He is planning for us to stay here NOW." I said, "You're joking." He said, "Nope!" I said, "PLEASE tell me you're joking!" "No. Not a joke." The stricken look on my face was not exactly the reaction he had been hoping for! "Please tell me that someone is taking care of the dogs." "Yes, it's all arranged."

He had plotted this with our wonderful, and now, a little bit envious, neighbor, Suzette, who is the dogs' godmother of sorts. She encouraged him to go for it and said she wished her husband would do something like that. Rick brought what he thought I would need to be comfortable--clean undies, a nightshirt, and a toothbrush. Very much a guy's idea of the basics! (Hey--where's my age-reversing DNA repairing night serum, my half-dozen evening supplements, my daytime clothes to wear home tomorrow so I won't look like a hooker in my slinky black sweater with the woven string design at the décolleté, my cosmetics, my...?!). Fortunately, I had my purse/tote bag in the car which has a lot of stuff in it (some essential oils, lip balm, lotion, etc.), and he had brought his shaving kit with toothpaste, floss, etc. And, of course, the hotel provided fancy soaps, lotions, a hairdryer, etc. Once I saw the handwriting on the wall and knew this WAS a happening thing, I was able to adjust. That it was an immaculately clean, beautifully appointed room helped. I finally relaxed and had fun. I was still VERY happy to get home this morning--I didn't sleep well (all that food didn't help!), so it was great to take a nap with the pups. I think I'm almost recovered.

My romantic husband. What a sweet idea. He was very proud of himself for pulling it off, too! He said next time we went on a mini-vacation, we'd plan it together. But there's something to be said for minimal planning--if I had known about this little adventure, I'd've had to spend time figuring out what to take, I'd've taken too much, and so on. As it was, it worked out just fine.

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A quick update--the date for the Louisiana workshop weekend may need to be pushed back a week to the 8^th-10^th, depending on what we figure out about accommodations. It's Audubon weekend in St. Francisville, so things are pretty booked up. Ellen is on the case, though, so hopefully, we'll know soon.