Life Changes begin with...

This chapter of my life began unexpectedly. It started on July 4th, the usual BBQ etc., at least that is what I thought.

I arrived at Tom's place with load full of bags to carry up to his understruction apartment complex. This included my usual run with the overnight bag, the groceries, my laptop. Of course, since this is the long weekend, I hauled my scrapbook project, coupled magazines and a book. In the mean time, I totally forgotten to bring a hat and sunscreen, figure that!!!

Brunch started with some leftover ingredient I had from making crepes. I sauted some onions, crab claw meat, mixed in with chopped spinach and shredded cheese, stuffed this into 4 home made crepes, baked in 350 oven for about 15 minutes. It is good. I was too busy trying to figure out how to dish it out from the baking pan and ate it anxiously, I totally forgot to capture the food until it's all in our stomachs! So disappointly no photos at all.

Afterward, we sat around trying to decide if we should keep the newly acquired rug in his living room. I am afraid it is a no go there, too monochromatic. The room needs some colors.

Then I started him on a different project, a scrapbook project indeed. Well, we went to Las Vegas twice since we have been together, it is high time I scrapbook those photos. He graceously accepted my request of his help. Nothing too difficult on his first experience here, just some straight cutting of the photos I printed out earlier. He followed instruction very well!!! And I did the rest of the project. So here is the final result.

This is a class I took with Vanessa a while back. The basic backbone was assembled then. I chose the pictures, did a little touch up and resized them since the project is only 4X4. It was fun trying to put on the embellishments. Ok, one off the list and only a gazillion more to do! Click here for more pictures.

We went to watch "Wanted" in the high heat of the day. I chose this one because I like action movie and I like Angelina Jolie. I think she is sexy, has her own style and altitude.

We went home, I put the ribs in the oven at 315F for about 2.5 to 3 hours. I marinated them the night before with a dry rub of brown sugar BBQ seasoning I bought when I was in St. Louise on business last fall. We left the oven to do its magic while we went for a walk on the beach. It was packed with people. I haven't seen so many people on this beach since I started to stay at Tom's place on the weekends. All the lifeguards were on duty at full force. Along the Esplanade, there were house parties here and there, and I doubt you need to truly kown someone to get into one of those.

I started to bast the ribs with a mixture of bottled BBQ sauce and organic honey (Jenn, the honey you got for me from MI). I tossed a salad with fresh figs and a balsamic vinagrette. Wow, such little work, such good food, hardly much sweating at all. Love it! I did remember to take pictures this time. We took half of it to the neighbors, had a glass of champagne with them while waiting for the sun to set and the firework to start. More pictures here.

The firework finally started. Tom's place is right in front of the water. The firework is set up to shoot from a barge on the water. So we have perfect views from his living room. We turned off all the house lights, left a few tea candles burning. I was comfortably sit in my jammies, a glass of Chardonney in my hand, ready for the show. And it was a spetacular show. I recorded part of the show here.

Sometimes after the firework ended, as we were talking away, he removed his chair, got on the floor. And clueless as ever, thought he just want to talk with me at same height (you know he is a tall guy). Then he said he is very happy and I made him happy and something about wanting to be like that forever. I was still clueless, thinking it is the festive atmosphere and the romantic talks. Then he proposed. Yes he did. My dumbfound response is "really?" Yes totally surprised. I finally realized it is real, he was on his knee. I think I am more shock than just jumping up and down. I know eventually it may happen but since my track record hasn't been good at all, it never crossed my mind that this is it. Of course I said yes. And he put this tiny plastic toy ring on my finger.

Then he told me the story about the toy ring. He said he wanted to surprise me, but he doesn't know my ring size nor my taste on the ring style. He thought about asking for my sibling's phone number to forewarn them first and perhaps get some assistant, but couldn't come up with a decent excute without I become suspicious. I asked him where did he get this plastic ring, he said he had to go to a toy store. Imagine a big man walking into a toy store, asking a store clerk to find a toy ring that may fit me.....yes, he gets brownie points for that one!!!