So, are you ready for this? Are you ready for the story of true love and love conquers all and the "I want to spend the rest of my life with you story".
Here's how it happened...
I took Michael away on a fabulous mini break (as Bridget Jones would say). We went to Crystal Creek Rainforest Retreat, just over the border near Murwillumbah. It was a commitment to drive interstate but the retreat had been recommended by my boss and his wife who had both raved about the place. My favourite part of the journey was driving across the border, which was a cattle grid with two traffic cameras aimed in each direction (on a dirt back road), which were obviously there to catch bad cows escaping from QLD.
When we arrived at the retreat we found ourselves ensconced, deep in the rainforest (leech territory). I had a deadline to meet - at 4pm I was supposed to take Michael on a diversionary walk somewhere whilst the staff made over our room for the '100 candle surprise'. I had pre-warned Michael before we left to take 'the little box in your bottom drawer'. It was supposed to be his perfect opportunity to whip it out. We diversionary walk took us to the creek, to the wedding site, to the hammocks that are set out over the creek, we also checked out all the DVDs and I read almost every comment in the guest book in a space of 45 minutes. What's a girl to do, I had to dawdle deliberately to spin it out.
Eventually I got the nod from the lady in reception that my surprise was all in place and we made our way back to our cabin. The rose petals on the entranceway gave it away, and he was very surprised and delighted, but still no ring.
I should take the opportunity to explain here that I am not a groom sucking fiend, we have an engagement party booked next weekend with 25 of our nearest & dearest and it was important that things be official by that time - hence my magnificent surprise.
So we had a lovely evening, even though the little box did not make its way out.
The next day dawned so blue and bright through the glass of the curtainless cabin. The mountain perched above the rainforest canopy appeared to be placed there for our enjoyment and adoration. We enjoyed a lovely 45 minute trek up a 90 degree muddy hillside and the even better trek down again with an itchy leech in my left shoe. We picnic-ed in the orchard, which was perched hillside a little way from our cabin, unspoilt views of aforementioned looming mountain, with turkey sangas and a box of Roses chocolates and ye old two bottles of pear cider - we were a picture of advertising genius for the romantic moment.
After a long frustrating discussion about wedding speeches, we headed back to the room to lounge around some more in the deck chairs. It was about 3pm and that mountain was screaming out at me "ask him when he is planning on getting around to it, there's not many hours left of this mini break holiday". I was just about to open my mouth when he went to fetch another glass of wine and said "here you go, its about time you had this, dont you think?" and gave me the little box from the bottom drawer.
"Ask me" I said
"Okay, will you marry me?"
I made him say it again.
Then I forgot to say yes.
It was a smashing moment. So unromantic, so like Michael that I cant believe that I ever pictured anything else. However the romance shone through when he begged me to hold off the phone calls to friends and family to announce our happy moment. He wanted to contain it to us, just us, for an afternoon. We compromised on a text message and talked about returning to the retreat for the first 3 days of our honeymoon, leeches and all.
We tried to make up a romantic story about this, but we couldn't think of anything believable. Its really just a leechy story with some bling bits.
Here's how it happened...
When we arrived at the retreat we found ourselves ensconced, deep in the rainforest (leech territory). I had a deadline to meet - at 4pm I was supposed to take Michael on a diversionary walk somewhere whilst the staff made over our room for the '100 candle surprise'. I had pre-warned Michael before we left to take 'the little box in your bottom drawer'. It was supposed to be his perfect opportunity to whip it out. We diversionary walk took us to the creek, to the wedding site, to the hammocks that are set out over the creek, we also checked out all the DVDs and I read almost every comment in the guest book in a space of 45 minutes. What's a girl to do, I had to dawdle deliberately to spin it out.
Eventually I got the nod from the lady in reception that my surprise was all in place and we made our way back to our cabin. The rose petals on the entranceway gave it away, and he was very surprised and delighted, but still no ring.
I should take the opportunity to explain here that I am not a groom sucking fiend, we have an engagement party booked next weekend with 25 of our nearest & dearest and it was important that things be official by that time - hence my magnificent surprise.
So we had a lovely evening, even though the little box did not make its way out.
The next day dawned so blue and bright through the glass of the curtainless cabin. The mountain perched above the rainforest canopy appeared to be placed there for our enjoyment and adoration. We enjoyed a lovely 45 minute trek up a 90 degree muddy hillside and the even better trek down again with an itchy leech in my left shoe. We picnic-ed in the orchard, which was perched hillside a little way from our cabin, unspoilt views of aforementioned looming mountain, with turkey sangas and a box of Roses chocolates and ye old two bottles of pear cider - we were a picture of advertising genius for the romantic moment.
After a long frustrating discussion about wedding speeches, we headed back to the room to lounge around some more in the deck chairs. It was about 3pm and that mountain was screaming out at me "ask him when he is planning on getting around to it, there's not many hours left of this mini break holiday". I was just about to open my mouth when he went to fetch another glass of wine and said "here you go, its about time you had this, dont you think?" and gave me the little box from the bottom drawer.
"Ask me" I said
"Okay, will you marry me?"
I made him say it again.
Then I forgot to say yes.
It was a smashing moment. So unromantic, so like Michael that I cant believe that I ever pictured anything else. However the romance shone through when he begged me to hold off the phone calls to friends and family to announce our happy moment. He wanted to contain it to us, just us, for an afternoon. We compromised on a text message and talked about returning to the retreat for the first 3 days of our honeymoon, leeches and all.
We tried to make up a romantic story about this, but we couldn't think of anything believable. Its really just a leechy story with some bling bits.
