Here’s Bow Tie o’ Christmas Eve, when Suzanne and I took ourselves out for a double-celebration. Since our anniversary is December 23rd, and X-mas is the 25th, we threw the occasions together on Christmas Eve at one splendid dinner at Log Haven, up Millcreek Canyon. Plenty of glittery snow and trees and mountains. Gorgeous, even in the dark evening.
Since the traditional gift for the 5th wedding anniversary is supposed to be something made of wood, I just had to make dinner reservations at LOG Haven. How could I not keep with the “wood” theme? Log Haven is basically a log cabin. Okay, it’s a log mansion which a guy built for his wife as an anniversary gift in the 1920’s. See, I put thought into these things. It matters how their meanings reflect what we celebrate if at all possible. I don’t just throw a dart at a map of eatin’ places.
We had never been to Log Haven before. It was incredible, complete with snowy trees and mountain views and a sunset down the canyon. It was worth saving up for. And save your pennies for a couple of months– you must.
My wintry cape gave us a surprising highlight of the evening. As we emerged from the car and Suzanne handed the keys to the valet, a man in a tux happened to be walking toward us. Upon seeing the cape, he stopped in his tracks. I was so afraid he was going to say: NO CAPES ALLOWED IN THIS FROU-FROU ESTABLISHMENT! I was sore afraid. But he said, “Oh my, we don’t normally get things that classy here.” A few minutes later, we noticed he was the restaurant’s piano player. Play on, kind sir! I figure what he said is further proof of the wintry cape’s coolness, cuz the piano player sees all, and he should know.
Suzanne and I shared a butternut squash soup, which was beyond yummy. And we ate grilled calamari, which was a first. The only calamari we’d ever seen on a menu in our world-wide restaurant-hopping has been breaded. I had the prime rib, whiskey potatoes, and charred Brussels sprouts. I am not normally a Brussels sprouts gal, but I have been known to eat outside my comfort zone. I was pleased I did. Suzanne ate huge sea scallops. She also ordered a mid-priced bottle of fancy wine, which meant I would be driving home. The wine was an intriguing water-white. It was like no wine we had ever seen. Suzanne let me smell the wine, and then I vehemently kicked myself mightily for being an alcoholic and, therefore, unable to drink wine.
We did what’s becoming our new dessert routine, which means we each have dessert, and then we order a third dessert to take home with us. I chose the pineapple upside down cake, while Suzanne had something I can’t remember– and she’s still asleep so I can’t ask her. We chose a bread pudding to bring home to eat for breakfast the next day. All so good.
As for wood anniversary gifts… Suzanne gave me a circular wood lamp with inlaid lighting, which turns on when its two magnets almost meet. It now sits in the loft, where I write. I’m sure I will compose exquisite poems ‘neath its glow. She also gave me shelves made of teak wood. She will assemble the piece and hang it when I make up my mind where I want it, which I’m sure will also be in the loft.
I gave Suzanne a necklace with a Bolivian rosewood pendant, with 5 silver in-lays– one for each year. And I was proud of myself for thinking of hand-turned wood crochet hooks as a gift for her. She seemed surprised and infatuated with them. She has three, in three different woods: Rosewood, Quilt Maple, and Cocobolo wood. When she decides on exactly what style and wood she wants the hooks to be, she can get a set.
Suzanne and I have been together for decades, but it only counts legally as five years. I guess it’s kinda like dog years: Your dog might be 5, but it’s really closer to 35. Same with us. By my math, that means dog years equal lesbian years. That’s the only way it makes sense to me. (Har, har, har.)
We’ve had a fantabulous ride, even with the break from each other we took for a few years. That was part of the ride too. When I begin to think our life can’t possibly get any better, it always does. Even the rough patches seem to have an essential core of goodness.
Gratitude has to be a way of life if the good is going to surround you. I’m infinitely grateful Suzanne stopped to talk to me for the first time, in the Weber State College library in 1984. Every day of my life, I’m grateful for that.
Merry 5th Anniversary, Suzanne. My love for you deepens with every passing moment we are here.
HOLIDAY TIE TALLY: 103 Bow ties. 210 Neckties.
