Romantic Rendezvous

Tonight was amazing. Part of Keith’s Christmas present to me was to take me on a Romantic Rendezvous (have had to use spell check every time) in downtown Greensboro. We went to this Italian restaurant called Riva’s which was so so so good. Also, we were the only people in there for a good while and it felt like we were really in an isolated restaurant in Italy. Wait before I talk about all the good stuff, let me get the bad stuff out of the way. I was so excited to be downtown and wanted to talk tons of pictures and this was the first one I took at approximately 5:55. Our reservations for dinner were at 6. If you don’t know Keith, he’s a very punctual person to say the least. So this look he’s giving in this picture is “Come on Nicole, I know you’re excited but number 1 I don’t like pictures to be taken of me unless you’re in it and 2 we’re running late.” So my sass started to bubble beneath my skin but I held it in…for a little while. It started to come out when it felt like we were walking to Egypt in 2 degree weather. And then it finally erupted when Keith said he didn’t exactly know how to get to where we were going. “WHAT? My feet are killing me and I’m freezing to death. Get me to this restaurant or I’m going to push you in those bushes.” I literally threatened to push him in the bushes. The sass had taken full control and I couldn’t help it. I was like Cady and it was word-vomit all over the place. But instead of getting mad (as anyone should have) Keith just looked at me and started laughing. “What in the world are you laughing at?!” To this he replied “You’re clever when you’re angry or frustrated, it’s funny.” And like a Comedian those sassy, yet clever, remarks just rolled out of my mouth like nothing and Keith’s laughter is what got me to through that mess. I just love that. Even when I’m pissed at him or a situation he can make me laugh and have a good time. So after dinner (he even let me get a soda…a luxury in our relationship these days because he’s cheap and will only let me get water) we went ice skating. Before you let out the much anticipated “aww” hold your horses. I haven’t been ice skating since I was 9. And I was never even good at it. And Keith (6’4″ size 15 shoe and unnaturally clumsy) has never been ice skating before. In his life. This would be an adventure. When Keith told the lady his shoe size she laughed and asked again “No really, what size do you need?” They only had up to 14 and he squeezed his flipper looking feet into those skates. We’re pretty sure he had the right one on his left and vice versa because he didn’t think that it mattered which went on which and ended up with blisters. We get on the ice. I was so nervous, not only that I might fall but more that Keith would fall and bring me down with him. Limbs everywhere. I can’t remember the last time I laughed so hard for such a long period of time. It really was just constant laughter at how absolutely stupid we looked and even the 3 year old girl in front of us was skating better than either of us. If you want more of a visual, Keith essentially hobbled along the ice and I would attempt to get the glide going, which was rudely interrupted by my incredible inability to balance, resulting in an almost fall each time. BUT we never fell! We were so proud of ourselves. Afterwards we got dessert from Pastabilities because Cheesecakes by Alex was closed, but I tell you the turtle cheesecake was nearly the best thing I’ve ever eaten. And Keith pounded his chocolate pound cake. (Get it? He pounded it, because it was pound cake). And then we came back to his house and watched old episodes of the office. The good ol’ days of Jim and Pam’s beginnings. It was really an amazing night. A Romantic Rendezvous for the books. And even though everything didn’t go exactly how we expected it to, it was better than I could have imagined