Friday, January 4, 2008

Boy, did we ever need a date night!



Our dear friends, the Cress family, asked if they could have our girls for the evening, and since we are loving parents, we decided to take them up on their offer...because we want to share our children with those who love them! I had visions of a night at home, cleaning as usual, or maybe even my favorite treat, "book/bath/bubbles/bedtime." To my delight, Scott called me yesterday afternoon and said, "Hey, since the girls will be gone, ya wanna go out to eat?" (And let me preface this by stating that since we live in the middle of nowhere, "going out to eat" at someplace that isn't McDonald's involves a minimum drive of 30 minutes.) I jumped at the chance for a date night--our first of the new year! Yippee!


After delivering the girls to Bill & Kim's place, I came home and proceeded to go through my beauty routine...I mean, after all...it's date night in full force so I had to get gussied up! Just as I was slipping into my too-cute boots, Scott walks in with a very dour expresssion...and I knew my date night was over before it began. He'd had a mishap with his truck...the right side mirror is now dangling...and I won't go into more info because I love him enough to preserve his integrity/pride! Never fear, though...he said a good steak would help him get over the truck trauma, so we were still on for our date. We're not ones to let damage to our truck spoil our good time...no sir! Especially when we have babysitters keeping our children overnight! Hooray!


We'd been in our car less than 2 minutes when I started hearing a weird thumping noise. When I inquired about the source of the noise, my husband blew me off. (To be fair, he was on the phone with his father--so waving his hand and shaking his head was his way of telling me to chill.) Another 2 minutes later and the noise hasn't subsided. Scott begins giving me what we refer to in our family as "a lesson," (which I get from him at least once a day!) whereby he informs me that we've had temperatures in the single digits for many days now, and the car hasn't been driven...so the tires are cold and they just have to warm up. Blah-blah-blah and all that. Well...OK...what do I know from cold tires?


Fast-forward about 5 minutes later, as we are speeding down a mountain...the car starts pulling, the noise gets much louder, and my husband heaves an enormous sigh and admits, "I think we have a flat." OK y'all...score one for me, because I didn't utter a word...not a single syllable, which was killing me, as those of you who know me personally will attest. We pull off onto the gravel--did I mention we were traveling down a big ol' mountain--and determine that yes, indeed, we do have a flat tire. Well...I'm not one to say "I told you so." Actually, I am, but in this instance I refrained. Seriously! Still, I was thinking it, of course.


Thirty minutes later, after summoning my in-laws with a pitiful, "We're stuck on the side of the mountain, please help--and bring a jack!" and with the spare tire almost installed, I see my sweet hubby of almost 8 years take a tumble. Thankfully he didn't roll down the mountain...but he did slip on some black ice (it's been way too cold here!) and after he assured us that he was quite fine, thank you very much, my mother-in-law and I laughed. Out loud. At him. Because it was funny. So glad he wasn't hurt, though. I mean, we still had the promise of a fabulous meal at our favorite restaurant, AND we had a giftcard to use to defray the bill. And by this point in the evening, we needed a good laugh because I couldn't get Murphy's Law from running through my head on a loop..."This would only happen to us....this would only happen to us..."


About an hour and a half after leaving our house (and returning back to said house to fetch our minivan), we finally arrived at our destination, "The Chop House," in Kingsport, TN. Yes, we live in Virginia...and yes, we eat and shop in Tennessee. It can't be helped. We had our delicious meal (Shrimp Bisque soup, Filet, a skewer of grilled shrimp, and cheese grits...divine!) and even went to Target (oh Target, my beloved!) to take care of some shopping. Then we came home and continued our date 'til bedtime...
It took a slightly-wrecked truck, a flat tire, and a fall on some ice to make it happen...but we got our date. And that's what matters!

Oh...and tonight, my in-laws want our girls to stay with them...and that's fine, but Scott and I are staying HOME! We don't need anymore mishaps this weekend, please God.

3 comments:

Sarah P. said...

Leigh Anne this was such a great story...although I tried not to laugh until I read that things were okay...but then I busted out laughing. I could just hear you telling it...AND...you go girl!!! Not saying "I told you so"...because I could hear that, too! You rock...and I love this blog stuff!

Infarrantly Creative said...

I am assuming you left out the nookie nookie part for blog decency purposes? I mean it is date night right? And he did treat you to a good meal...that translates into some good loving in my neck of the woods. I don't know about you back woods people
and if it translates the same way. ;-)

Unknown said...

that was way funny. and you're a better woman than i, because i couldn't have held my tongue. i might not have said 'i told you so.' but i would at LEAST had to have said 'i-ay old-tay u-yay o-say.' joey doesn't translate pig latin, i don't think :)