Our Anniversary Celebration!

It's too much to type all of the little plannings that Mr. GP put into pulling off our evening, so I'll just focus on the important things. We arrived at our destination, Roseville B&B www.rosevillebedandbreakfast.com, at about 7 p.m. Mr. GP introduced me to husband/wife owners of the B&B that he knows pretty well. We ended up chatting with them both of and on throughout the night, and they are the neatest people. I'm looking forward to spending more time with them and stealing a few gardening ideas. So, we settle into our room, The Jacob room (if the link works you can see the tub! OMG.) We made our way to a secluded dining porch where a candelit table was waiting with a beautiful little bouquet of pale pink roses that a friend had made and delivered ahead of time. This little indoor porch was so nice with a little fireplace burning by our table. Oh, it was beautiful. We started dinner with a fresh strawberry and tomato salad on a fresh bed of greens. You can not imagine how wonderful this salad was. I can't begin to do it justice by describing it, but it was so simple and fresh and amazing. We also had a soft puff roll with our salad that was topped some type of seasoning. TO DIE FOR. So then our meal comes. Mr. GP had selected our menu ahead of time. I was served grilled tilapia on a bed of steamed tomatoes and asparagus, tomato pie, sweet skillet cremed corn, a potato casserole, seasoned green bean bundle wrapped in bacon and a lime drink with French rasberry syrup in it. I can honestly tell you that I have never had a better meal in my life. It was absolutely the best food I've ever eaten. The fish was seasoned to perfection and the asparagus-tomato combo under the fish just did something for the flavor. And the tomato pie, well, I just can't begin to tell you. It was beyond description. So awesome. At some point over dinner when we weren't rolling our eyes into the back of our head in ecstasy, we exchanged gifts. I gave Mr. Pinkie a heirloom pocket watch that he can pass down to one of our boys down the road. Mr. Pinkie, God bless him, took some loose stones that his mother had picked up in Russia last year, and had my long-awaited Mother's ring made. There are 3 stones, the kid's birthstones, and 8 diamonds set in white gold. Apparently the Russians know how to cut stones because the jeweler who made the ring said that you could never find stones cut like these in the US. He appraised the value of the ring at about $3,000 because of the stones...1 red tourmaline, 1 blue topaz, and 1 alexandrite. It's gorgeous. I can't seem to stop looking at it! Aww, it's beautiful. Ok, so then dessert came. Chocolate layer cake with praline icing and the best coffee that Mr. Pinkie has ever tasted. Turns out the coffee is from Tyler, Texas and is the commissioned coffee of the White House and has been for years and years. The B&B owner gave us directions, so I'm sure we'll make a trip! We sat and talked and laughed and just enjoyed being able to talk and relax while we had the best meal on the planet. The owner stopped in to visit with us and told us he would be right back. He came back with a lemon ice-box parfait that he had whipped up for an event the coming day and wanted us to try it. Who were we to deny him such a thing? So, we ate. Omg. Is there nothing this man can't cook? I'm not exaggerating y'all. It was the best food that has ever been in my mouth. And there has been a lot of food in my mouth. Once the visiting was over, we headed to our room. Mr. GP had a friend of ours make me a GIANT bouquet to match the small one that was on our table for our room. The color of the roses is so special because it's the color of roses that my grandmother always loved.

So, Mr. GP has this friend make these 2 arrangements for me. Waiting for us there in the room was our wedding album and our toasting flutes from our wedding reception, strawberries and chocolate, and a bottle of something sweet and bubbly and red. Not sure what it was, but it was really tastey. We lounged on the beds, soaked in the tub, ate our strawberries, giggled about wedding album and how people have changed (namely us), watched a little tv, read a book, and laughed and talked about funny things (or not funny things) that have happened to us over the last 10 years. It was just a really sweet time. This morning, we had a coffee/tea trolley right outside the door, so Mister got a cup (a sweet, red toile cup), and we headed out to the garden and grounds to walk around. I made friends with a little striped kitty, and we located the crowing rooster that had made his presence known at about 6:00 a.m. When we got back inside, our places were set in the big dining room. Again, a candle lit table with a rose bouquet for me again. We ate quiche of some variety that made my toes curl up in happiness. If you had been served this cold out of the fridge, it would've been no less amazing. ((Note: the owners are VERY skilled in the kitchen)) Along with the quiche we ate fresh strawberries with pineapple, ham, bacon, spiced bread, fruit bread, and hot tea/orange juice. We relaxed for just a while longer and then headed home. It was the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me. It was so nice, in fact, that I told Mister that #15 was mine to plan for. :-)