2004-11-30 - 1:19 p.m.

Well I hope all the loyal libbyfish readers had a fantastic long weekend filled with good times and good food. I myself had a lovely time at Thanksgiving this year. But the days after Thanksgiving were better!
P had a hang over on Friday and wanted to go out for a walk to clear his head and get some fresh air. We headed out to Central Park and P turned into Magellan, he was all about exploring these little footpaths and roads less traveled. I thought it was a bit bizarre, but when he is hung over he doesn’t always think straight. For about an hour and a half we wandered around; the beauty of Central Park for me has always been that no matter how many times I wander through, I always find something new.
But I digress, we stopped for a late lunch and when we got out of the restaurant, it was already dark. The quickest way home was to head back through the park, I was walking really fast because dark park = sketchy. P, bless him, is still navigating through the park by these odd little paths, clearly he has no idea where he is going because he keeps turning us around heading back to the west side. Finally, after wandering around in a circle I say, “Hey, why don’t we try the main roads, you know, the ones that are LIGHTED?” Then he grabs my hand and spins me around and says; “Take off your gloves for a minute.” Heart starts beating really fast. “Unzip my pocket and take out what is in there.” Mouth suddenly gets very dry. He drops to one knee and asks me to marry him. Tears start to come. Holy cats! P has asked libbyfish to marry him!
He was so nervous and I was just a giggling fool all the way back home. Apparently he had all these plans for how and where he was going to do it. He had planned to ask me on Saturday and had made a reservation at Chanterelle for that night, but his friend J got him all wound up with the idea that I may say no, or worse, “Can I think about it?” that he had to do it on Friday.
P had also made arrangements with the local wine shop for them to keep a bottle of champagne there that he could pick up on the way home. Such a planner that one. We went home, toasted each other and rang my parents. Now, you have to understand, in my family it’s all about the comedy. So I thought it would be hilarious to just drop this nugget of news into polite conversation. I am chatting away to my mom about her shopping expedition with my sister that morning and what she bought and what my sister bought. Then when she asked what I had done that day I was very casual, “Oh, well, P and I slept in and just puttered around for a bit then went for a walk in the park, got engaged and had some lunch at this really cute little restaurant, we should definitely go when you come into town.” Silence on the other end, in fact, I may have heard a cricket or two.
She just kept repeating, “REALLY???” to which I reply, “Yes!” It reminded me of Sixteen Candles, “MARRIED?” “Yes, Mareed! Jeesh!” The whole time I am making small talk P is pacing the living room like a mental patient. He was not amused by my little stunt; it just made him more nervous. My parents get on speakerphone with him and he tells them the whole story and has developed a weird nervous laugh now.
Telling my sister had to be handled very carefully. My sister is one of those people that had her wedding planned from about the age of 20. She had been buying Bride magazine since she was 15 and has seen all those crappy A Wedding Story programs. She had her wedding about a year and a half ago and is itching to do another one. Too bad polygamy isn’t legal in Michigan; she would have at least four and five more weddings. But as I said, this had to be handled carefully, I decided the funniest, and most dramatic way to tell her would be to text her husband.
I couldn’t believe it actually took her more than thirty seconds to phone me back. But since I texted her husband, they didn’t know who had sent the text until they hit call and my name came up. I think that added to her hysteria! When my mobile phone finally rings and I answer my sister is speaking in a language only dogs can hear. I can only describe it as a high pitched screaming, a squeal if you will, and she was crying so hard that she actually washed a contact out of her eye. Holy cats! She was more emotional than my parents were. I seriously expected her to tell her husband to turn the car around and take her to the airport she has shit to plan! I have no doubt that when I land in Michigan for Christmas she will have compiled piles stuff to look over.
You can all consider yourselves very lucky that you heard from libbyfish herself. I am not really the person to go and thrust my hand in front of people to announce, especially to people I haven’t spoken to in a while, I am sure it is slowly making it’s way through the grape vine. I know my sister and mother have phoned everyone they know. It’s all very exciting but I have been having panic attacks about every hour or so because P and I have no idea what we are doing. I am also going to make this solid promise… I libbyfish, being of sound mind and body promise NOT to become one of those irritating people that can talk about nothing other than their wedding. Do not fear there will be stories of crazies, poop, and everyday shenanigans. I Swear!
Just one parting thought. i would like to get some feedback from you guys, what do you think of The Garden of Love?

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