The Day I Started Going LoCo
Originally written as a Facebook note on 8/4/2009:
Saturday August 1st was a perfect day. Even though it had been raining most of the summer, Dave and I woke up in our B&B in Newport to find the sun shining and barely a cloud in the sky. After breakfast, we set out for Cliff Walk. For those who are unfamiliar with Cliff Walk, it is a 4 mile long walking/hiking trail that runs along the perimeter of Newport. The views are gorgeous – you are walking along a cliff with the Atlantic Ocean on one side of you, and the backs of many of Newport’s famous mansions on the other side of you. There are flowers all along the pathway, and it smells and looks phenomenal.
Although Cliff Walk is about 4 miles long and parts of it are very rocky, neither of us got too winded by the walk. Which is why I was surprised when, starting about two-thirds of the way through, Dave kept asking how much longer it would be until we got to the end. Once we did finally reach the end, Dave said he would like to sit down for a few minutes, “to stretch”. There were some steps there, and he sat down on them. I stood on the steps, leaning against a column, since I didn’t want my muscles to tighten (good thing too – I’m not sure what he would have done if I sat next to him!).
For a couple minutes we chatted about what we would do next. I was getting antsy to leave, so I asked him if he was ready to get going. He said he needed another minute. It turns out this is because there were people walking by, and he wanted to wait until we were alone. At one point he asked me a question (don’t remember what it was). Then, he said “I have another question for you”. All of a sudden he pulled something out of his pocket – a box from Anastasia’s, my favorite jewelry store in Hoboken. As I am shakily opening the box, he explains that he is giving me this as a placeholder ring, until he can get me a diamond ring, but that he is ready to (something to the effect of) “make it official”. I think I was confused or overwhelmed, but it took me a minute or two to fully understand what was going on… I said to him “is this what I think it is”? Finally I came to my senses and gave him a giant hug. All I could say was “okay”.
As a female, I have often daydreamed about the proposal moment, and what it would be like. But you never can imagine what it is like until you’re there. For example, in my proposal daydreams, I wasn’t wearing gym clothes, dripping in sweat, with my hair roughly the shape of a bowling bowl from the humidity. Plus, I didn’t expect that my IQ would drop to about 20 when the moment finally came – and stay there for several minutes afterwards. But it was perfect, and a moment that I will never ever forget.
We decided to wait until the next day before calling anyone so that we could have that day to ourselves. I am glad we did this, because it turned out to be one of the best days of my life. We finally left the “scene of the crime” (as I would later refer to it) in search of the trolley that was to take us back toward our hotel, since there was not a chance that we were going to walk the four miles back. I saw a trolley sitting on a corner idling and asked the driver if he was going to the wharf. It turns out that he was doing a private tour – but offered to drop us off on the way back. So, we ended up getting a free tour (minus a nice tip for the driver, of course)! Not that I remember anything that the driver said at that point (see IQ comment above).
We went down to the wharf area and had a nice lunch at a restaurant on the water. Then we took a 90 minute sailboat cruise around the harbor. After that it was back to the hotel to wash up and change before heading back out for a nice dinner. A couple weeks earlier I had made reservations at a highly rated restaurant on the harbor. Although the hostess had no idea that we got engaged that day, we were given what I would consider to be the best table in the 50+ table restaurant. It was up on a high deck overlooking the water, but in the corner for privacy. We watched a beautiful sunset and enjoyed delicious food and wine. Perfect!
The “moment” was fantastic, and I don’t think I have stopped smiling since. But, I have to say that the best part of all this is now – sharing the news with our friends and family and celebrating with them. Our families were overjoyed, and at least one family member (who shall remain nameless) cried when they heard the news. Our friends have been so excited for us (of course, knowing our friends, that’s probably because they know we will have an open bar at the reception). The support and love we have seen over the last few days has been overwhelming. I am choking up just writing about it.
