Our romantic get-away began in Mendocino when Marc had unilaterally planned this excursion without so much as consulting me! Imagine my surprise when Marc told me we were going away for the weekend. Of course it's the only weekend Bobbie (my youngest sister) would be in town!
After a long talk Marc convinced me to go...so I asked "what's the plan for the weekend"? Marc got up and in a casual voice said oh I don't know, what do you want to do? Then to top it off Marc said oh but by the way I would like to get out the door Saturday morning by 8:00 am (yeah right)! It would have been one thing to have something organized, a reason to be out the door but there wasn't! I didn't see any reason to be in a hurry (so I thought)! We arrived in Gualala and checked into this really cute place called the SeaCliff Inn...
What? Are you lost? Haven't you heard of Gualala? Gualala is pronounced "Wa'la'la" it's a Spanish version of the Pomo Indian word, "Walali" which means, "where the waters meet". You can find Gualala, where Sonoma Country and Mendocino Country come together, its such a vibrant, lively little town! The town sits at a dramatic convergence of coastal hills, the Pacific Ocean and the Gualala River and is the southern coastal gateway to Mendocino Country (how's that for some info!). I think the town used to be an old lumber center but now the town has an active arts community and many painters, sculptors, musicians and performers. Anyway now that you know where we are on this romantic get-away...I'm on to the good stuff...
We are now on the beach, eating oysters (yep...this is the good stuff)...
and I'm on my last one, Marc looked at the oyster and a strange look came over his face, "let me take a look at that he said". What's wrong with it, I ask? He placed his finger under it, around it, and then he squeezed the oyster!! While the oyster was oozing out of Marc's hand all of the sudden this object falls out onto the plate. I thought to myself "Yuck!" I almost ate that!
There was this long pause...1001...1002...1003 and Marc asked "what is it?" (as it's laying on my plate) I said I don't know, as I was thinking double YUCK! seconds go by 1001...1002...1003 he picked up the object and started cleaning it off. Marc was really shaking as he was cleaning this "thing" off. He turned around to face me droped down into the sand on both knees (He's 6'4" and yes I'm still 5'2"!), my mouth opened wide and very slowly I said "Oh...my...God...your...going...to...propose". I was in shock at this point and I didn't remember saying that to him but anyway, back to the story...Marc looked into my eyes and said...
