Reminiscing
It was 4 years ago yesterday that I asked Tracie to marry me. What a smart move that was. What was not smart was me missing a chance to tell her "Happy Anniversary" yesterday. It slipped both of our minds. Let's chalk it up to sleep deprivation. Tracie doesn't mind it if I forget our engagement date but I better not forget the real important date, which is the date when we got married.
Some people asked me why I haven't tried very hard to find another home for my cat since I am trying to keep her away from the baby. For one thing, the cat is my own "baby", and I love her. I can't just give her away so easily. More importantly, Buffy represents something more symbolic. Buffy was the first "ring bearer." When I had made up my mind that I was going to ask Tracie to marry me, I wanted to try to be a little creative. I was living alone in a small apartment at the time with just my cat. Tracie was coming over to cook dinner that night, and I decided that asking her during dinner would be the perfect time. I had the engagement ring in my pocket all day, mulling over what I would say or do. Would I get on one knee before dinner and ask her the traditional way? Should I just drop the ring in her glass to let her find it like I've seen on TV? Nahhhh....too cheesy. It occurred to me that I should include Buffy in the act somehow.
A few minutes before Tracie came over, I found a ribbon in my apartment as I was looking around for inspiration. I knew just what to do. I slipped it through the ring and tied it loosely around Buffy's neck as if it was a collar. When Tracie comes over, I'll find a way for Buffy to come to her. Hopefully, she will look down and see the ring dangling from Buffy's neck. At that time, I'll propose. Brilliant! I put Buffy in the bedroom for now and closed the door.
All went according to plan...almost. While Tracie was cooking, I went to check on Buffy and the ring. I found her batting it around on the carpet in the bedroom. The knot had come undone, and the ring was fair game as a new toy. Gasp! I picked up the ring and the ribbon. This time, I tied it tighter with a double knot. Brilliant!
At the appointed time, just before Tracie was done cooking I let Buffy out of the bedroom. I casually meandered into the kitchen to "see if I can help." Buffy came into the kitchen to look for me as expected. Tracie never looked down.
"What have you got there, Buffy?" I asked loudly.
Tracie looked down at Buffy and never even saw the glittering diamond ring in all the white fur (Buffy is a long-haired cat). She went back to cutting up veggies.
"Ahem, Tracie, can you help me figure out what it is that Buffy has around her neck?" I inquired.
Tracie looked again and finally noticed the hot pink ribbon around Buffy's neck.
"How did she get that ribbon around her neck?" Tracie asked.
"I don't know. Maybe something is stuck to it." I suggested. (Sheesh, she's making it difficult)
That's when she gasped. She FINALLY noticed the darn ring. She let out a shriek and reached for the ring. Buffy, having been thoroughly freaked out by the shriek, took off into the living room. Mayhem ensued as if it were something out of a TV show. Tracie was chasing after Buffy, who darted behind the couch. Tracie pounced on the couch; Buffy took off from behind the couch to run behind the vertical blinds. Tracie jumped down to cut Buffy off; Buffy screeched to a halt, glared at Tracie with that "What the ..." look and darted behind the couch again to escape to the other end. Tracie pounced again to cut her off while screaming at me to come and help. I was practically frozen in the kitchen wondering how my perfect plan could have gone so wrong. Dinner was about to be burnt on the stove; my cat is about to be strangled; my ring might not make it around Tracie's finger if Buffy had decided to swallow the ring instead of batting it around earlier. All of this is happening, even after the incident where the ring almost did not make it to me from the jeweler in Chicago. But that's another story. I finally came to my senses and rushed into the living room just in time to grab Buffy with both hands and calm her down. Everyone is gasping for air at this point.
Tracie was both laughing and crying at the same time. She was fondling the ring and trying to get it off the ribbon, which is firmly tied to Buffy. I would have to cut the ribbon off later but not before I proposed. I held on to Buffy and got on my knee.
"Will you marry me?" I asked.
"Yes," she said and hugged me, almost crushing the poor squirming cat between us.
A scissor snip and 15 months later, Tracie and I were married. I still talk to Buffy about her role as my original ring bearer. I can't just give her away. Buffy and the engagement ring on Tracie's finger are intricately linked.
Some people asked me why I haven't tried very hard to find another home for my cat since I am trying to keep her away from the baby. For one thing, the cat is my own "baby", and I love her. I can't just give her away so easily. More importantly, Buffy represents something more symbolic. Buffy was the first "ring bearer." When I had made up my mind that I was going to ask Tracie to marry me, I wanted to try to be a little creative. I was living alone in a small apartment at the time with just my cat. Tracie was coming over to cook dinner that night, and I decided that asking her during dinner would be the perfect time. I had the engagement ring in my pocket all day, mulling over what I would say or do. Would I get on one knee before dinner and ask her the traditional way? Should I just drop the ring in her glass to let her find it like I've seen on TV? Nahhhh....too cheesy. It occurred to me that I should include Buffy in the act somehow.
A few minutes before Tracie came over, I found a ribbon in my apartment as I was looking around for inspiration. I knew just what to do. I slipped it through the ring and tied it loosely around Buffy's neck as if it was a collar. When Tracie comes over, I'll find a way for Buffy to come to her. Hopefully, she will look down and see the ring dangling from Buffy's neck. At that time, I'll propose. Brilliant! I put Buffy in the bedroom for now and closed the door.
All went according to plan...almost. While Tracie was cooking, I went to check on Buffy and the ring. I found her batting it around on the carpet in the bedroom. The knot had come undone, and the ring was fair game as a new toy. Gasp! I picked up the ring and the ribbon. This time, I tied it tighter with a double knot. Brilliant!
At the appointed time, just before Tracie was done cooking I let Buffy out of the bedroom. I casually meandered into the kitchen to "see if I can help." Buffy came into the kitchen to look for me as expected. Tracie never looked down.
"What have you got there, Buffy?" I asked loudly.
Tracie looked down at Buffy and never even saw the glittering diamond ring in all the white fur (Buffy is a long-haired cat). She went back to cutting up veggies.
"Ahem, Tracie, can you help me figure out what it is that Buffy has around her neck?" I inquired.
Tracie looked again and finally noticed the hot pink ribbon around Buffy's neck.
"How did she get that ribbon around her neck?" Tracie asked.
"I don't know. Maybe something is stuck to it." I suggested. (Sheesh, she's making it difficult)
That's when she gasped. She FINALLY noticed the darn ring. She let out a shriek and reached for the ring. Buffy, having been thoroughly freaked out by the shriek, took off into the living room. Mayhem ensued as if it were something out of a TV show. Tracie was chasing after Buffy, who darted behind the couch. Tracie pounced on the couch; Buffy took off from behind the couch to run behind the vertical blinds. Tracie jumped down to cut Buffy off; Buffy screeched to a halt, glared at Tracie with that "What the ..." look and darted behind the couch again to escape to the other end. Tracie pounced again to cut her off while screaming at me to come and help. I was practically frozen in the kitchen wondering how my perfect plan could have gone so wrong. Dinner was about to be burnt on the stove; my cat is about to be strangled; my ring might not make it around Tracie's finger if Buffy had decided to swallow the ring instead of batting it around earlier. All of this is happening, even after the incident where the ring almost did not make it to me from the jeweler in Chicago. But that's another story. I finally came to my senses and rushed into the living room just in time to grab Buffy with both hands and calm her down. Everyone is gasping for air at this point.
Tracie was both laughing and crying at the same time. She was fondling the ring and trying to get it off the ribbon, which is firmly tied to Buffy. I would have to cut the ribbon off later but not before I proposed. I held on to Buffy and got on my knee.
"Will you marry me?" I asked.
"Yes," she said and hugged me, almost crushing the poor squirming cat between us.
A scissor snip and 15 months later, Tracie and I were married. I still talk to Buffy about her role as my original ring bearer. I can't just give her away. Buffy and the engagement ring on Tracie's finger are intricately linked.
posted by DaddyEyeduck at 8:36 AM
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