Sunday, November 25, 2007

Just Throw Away That Leftover Turkey Already! And How I Met The Wife


I’m definitely not eating turkey for a while after eating leftovers for the last three days (I’m not sure, but is that even safe?)

Thanksgiving was enjoyable and pretty relaxed this year (no Ohio Football!) We had two Thanksgiving dinners - one with good friends (their house for lunch) and one later with my Grandfather and his lady-friend (can’t say girlfriend since she’s not even close to being a girl.) She is a very nice lady though.
We let her say a little Thanksgiving prayer since her son is a pastor up in Oregon (I’m not sure what religion it is, but while praying she spoke in a deep echoing voice…. in Latin, I think...)
Both meals were superb and my daughter was thrilled at the idea of the holiday. She was especially excited to have helped my wife make grandma's famous cranberry relish. She kept telling everybody during dinner “mommy helped me cook ” and then she would ask me for money.

Apparently we were in the minority this weekend as we managed to stay away from any malls or “Black Friday” shopping riots. The wife was tempted, but refrained.
Most of our Christmas shopping is going to be gift cards...or KFC chicken checks!
(Great, now I've made myself hungry...)

Overall it was a good weekend of sleeping, spending time with my family, and watching movies. Oh, I did get to play this game for about 24 hours straight, and Rock Band (which is freakin’ HARD - even on easy mode - that should be illegal!!!) I sure won’t be buying that game. I foresee lots of disappointed kids (and Dads) playing that on Christmas morning.

10 Years Ago...
A special thing about this weekend that I should mention – it was 10 years ago that I walked into a little shop in Paris, France and saw this stunning girl working behind the counter with a smile and laugh that lit up the room. I stood there like an idiot trying to figure out what jumbled up words in French I was going to use to talk with her. Until she started speaking English -- like a regular person!
My opening line (excitedly) “You speak normal!”
I guess it worked – because 1 ½ years later we were married, and then we had a beautiful little girl (with a smile and laugh that lights up the room…)

32 comments:

Whit said...

Sounds like a good time- Thursday and 10 years ago.

carrie said...

I was going to say something about the midnight shopping madness that I endured (not for the sales, just for some silly girl time with my friend!) - but then I read about your day in Paris . . . *gulp* simply stated and simply beautiful! What a nice love story to have to share with your daughter one day.

Lisa said...

Great! You had to go and tell me about those games, didn't you? You know about my addiction and now you're feeding it! You're such the enabler. Sheesh!

Anonymous said...

I love hearing about how people met. OO, la LA! And I stayed away from the stores as well. I'm an online shopper!

Whirlwind said...

Aw what a great story. I was cracking up at "you speak normal"!

I just wrote piece about leftover turkey. We've been eating ours since last Tuesday and I think it's time to toss the rest!

Husband, the brave soul, ventured out on black Friday after coming off a 12 hour work night to get me a gift :)

Anonymous said...

That's one of the best "meets" and pick up lines I've ever heard. You speak normal! Instant classic.

The Real Mother Hen said...

How you met your wife part was totally splendid!
And you still remember the magic a decade later, that's really something.
Best wishes for the two of you :)

Jenster said...

Wow!! I had all these other comments to make about this post until you said you met your wife in a Parisian shop. Now I don't remember any of them.

Your "meeting" story reads like the perfect movie! A romantic comedy. Is there any better kind?

Sizzle said...

"you speak normal" ha ha- great opening line!

Coal Miner's Granddaughter said...

Aw, sweet story on meeting the wife. I love it!

And don't worry, no Black Friday shopping here, either. I would rather sit at home, in my jammies, and hit the "Purchase" button on a Web site than stand in line at a store. Ish.

Jenifer said...

awwww... what a sweet story about you and your wife.....

I just knew you were really just a big mush bucket underneath it all!

The City Gal said...

awwwww! What a nice story :) happy anniversary.

In other words, to find a husband, I need to go all the way to Paris? Boy, that's a long way to go! Maybe I can go to Montreal instead, since it is only 5 hours away!

Diana said...

'you speak normal!???
classic. great story for the grandkids

painted maypole said...

only complete morons shop on black friday. glad to hear you are not a complete moron, and that you speak normal to boot!

kittenpie said...

Happy anniversary, of sorts! What a lovely little story. Who would have known you were a closet romantic?

Amber said...

Wow you met your wife in Paris...oooo la la!!!

wayabetty said...

Uh, no wonder why you're so sleepy...you've been eating turkey for THREE days dude!!

And bon anniversaire mon ami et mangez beaucoup des KFC, go ask the wife what it means Mr. "you talk normal!"

Maureen said...

Awwww. You met your wife in Paris? I met hubby while over there too; well, we were school kids on a tour, but we were from different schools... geez, that was 30 years ago!

And that's one thing I enjoy about Canadian Thanksgiving - plenty of time between ours in October and another turkey come Christmas Day.

Oh, and giftcards??? They sound better and better each year....

Anonymous said...

We stayed away from the malls also.

Paris, huh? I guess that beats the gym during a junior high school dance.

I ended up dancing with her friend, not her.

Darren said...

Very romantic story. The Paris thing isn't bad either. I met my wife in school and proposed in a bar.

Pageant Mom said...

You aren't alone in not going out! While everyone was out trying to GET more stuff... I was in trying to get RID of stuff LOL (got three whole bags for Goodwill!!)

Happy Anniversary, very romantic!

We have to make something up, my husband and I met in a bar...

Merry Everything!

:o)

Anonymous said...

What a classic first line! Way better than mine - I just shouted "Boo!" to my husband. And we most definitely were not in Paris.

Unknown said...

You have 3 days for leftovers dude. You made it in just under the wire.

WILLIAM said...

You met your wife in Paris? Wow. I love the way your posts always seem to read like a "guess if I'm telling the truth". Awesome.

Anonymous said...

That's a romantic story!! Sounds like in a movie! My husband's opening line was "come here and make out with me!"

Creative-Type Dad said...

mrsmogul -- WoW! And it worked?

andi -- "boo"?? Now, I'm curious...

Pageant Mom -- You mean to tell me he wasn't a "judge" or announcer like Mario Lopez or Alan Thicke?!?
I'm disappointed..

Above Average Joe -- that's harsh! Did she dump the friend?

waya/betty -- Je mangerai seaux plein!

The City Gal -- That's what the wife's says. Except without the Canada part.

Dad Stuff said...

Congratulations!
I just played Guitar Hero for the first time. Now I have to learn another game?
I didn't help cook Thanksgiving, but can I have money too.

dennis said...

at least your opening line did not sound contrived.

I actually broke the ice (wife.imp was the manager at a food outlet at a the notorious Ameriflora festival in Columbus, Ohio) with the following:

'Everytime I see you, you're always doing paperwork'

Yep, that's me...ever the romantic....

Kat said...

What a great story. I loved it and so romantic and yeah to her talking "normal" (:

Creative-Type Dad said...

dennis -- Yeah, I would have added a growl or maybe "hey sexy" in there.

Dad Stuff -- That's a great game! I'm hoping to get GH3.
And No to the money.

Radioactive Tori said...

I love the sweet story of how you met!

My anniversary with my husband was yesterday...we have been married 12 years!

Ruth Dynamite said...

Awww. And the moral is: when you find someone who "speaks normal," marry her!