Stories I Have Seen

This morning I was gently awoken by Gregory, "Michael honey, breakfast is almost ready. I decided I would make Oatmeal for us today."

I rubbed my eyes, smiled, and got out of bed to get dressed. By the time I got to the kitchen, I could smell the warm nutty oatmeal finishing up in the microwave and sat down at my place with the waiting bacon, orange juice, and coffee.

After breakfast Gregory cleaned up while I spent an hour writing. He finished reading his New York Times while I worked on my children's story. By now it was late morning and we decided, at Gregory's suggestion, that we go to the Botanic Garden to see the Autumn leaves.

In the car from the passenger's seat, I enjoyed seeing the highway's tribute to Autumn fly by as we discussed  last night's theater. We saw "Wicked," which for both of us was amazing since we have read all of McGuire's books on which the musical is based.  It was fun to pick out the details from the original Wizard of Oz that McGuire was able to make bigger and give a new interpretation without "ruining" the story we loved so as children.

As we walked around the Botanic Garden, Gregory reminisced about similar trips we had taken while we were courting and getting to know each other some 37 years earlier. He took at least as many photos as I did and it will be fun to combine our joint efforts.

In the Garden Cafe we had trouble deciding what we wanted for lunch. Neither of us were really hungry so we chose to share a large salad. I let him pick out which one to get while I got the waters, plastic wear, and napkins. He paid for lunch and found me at the table by the far window overlooking the pond and beautifully colored Willows.

During lunch we began planning for our annual fall get-away. Should we go to New England again or go to Charleston to visit Liz and LS? Maybe we should just lie low and stay home in Evanston as we look forward to visiting the Michigan Maires during Thanksgiving.

And while we were talking about November, how could we not dream about December and our upcoming Viking River Boat cruse to experience Christmas along the great rivers of Europe. We were so looking forward to that trip.

Gregory went off to find the bathroom while I got a head start at the gift shop. By the time he found me there, I had an arm full of books on gardening to add to our collection most of which we often refer to as we create and maintain new beds of flowers, vegetation, bushes, and trees at home. We so love gardening and have decided to add as many bulbs as we can this Fall in anticipation of the coming Spring.

The trip home was a little slow as Gregory patiently got us through rush hour traffic. We stopped at the grocery store and Gregory double parked so I could run in to pick up a steak for dinner.

I was a little tired so lied down for a nap while Gregory began dinner. It was so nice that it was a "cook free" day for me. I always love when it is my turn to plan, shop, and prepare dinner but I also love having nothing to do with feeding us except assuming the role of cleaning up after dinner.

While I cleaned the pots and pans and put the dishes into the dishwasher, Gregory played piano. I went into the living room and even though he wanted to watch a little TV, I encouraged him to continue his practicing.  He was in the middle of learning a new piece and it was coming along nicely. I have always said that my ideal image of "home" is lying on the couch while my love plays the piano.

Instead of watching any TV, we ended up going to bed early, enjoyed a little bit of the "nasty," and read for a while before going to sleep snuggled in each other's arms. Another ending to another wonderful day.

I am so content, my life is so ideal, and I am so in love with my man.