Project Valentine 2012, Day 11: Recreated Our First Date

Courtney and I went on our first date on February 11, 2000.  We'd already met, and that's a story for another time, but this was our first time out.  She came walking out of the elevator of her dorm, all long legs and red hair, and that was pretty much it for me.  I was in.

We went to Gardski's Restaurant, one of Lubbock's oldest restaurants.  It's nice enough to impress a date, but reasonable enough that it's not intimidating (and you're not out too much money if the date doesn't go well).  I wanted her to think I had good taste in places, so I made sure not to choose a chain place.  While we ate, we talked about what to do with the rest of the evening, and she told me that she wanted to see The Sixth Sense, since she hadn't seen it yet.  Now, in the years since then, she's given me a hard time for taking her to a horror movie on our first date, but it was totally her idea.

I asked her about a week ago if she would go out on a date with me to celebrate a special occasion on the eleventh, and she said that she would, and asked what the occasion was.  This was the moment when I realized that I am the girl in our relationship, for knowing when our date-a-versary is, and for using words like date-a-versary.

We went back to Gardski's, where I embarrassed her by telling the hostess what was special about the day.  Dinner conversation is much different three children later, but all the better, because now we know how hard to come by that time together is, and we have real things to talk about.

Courtney really is not that big on horror movies at all, but she decided (again, HER CHOICE) that we should honor the spirit of the occasion by going to see something scary, so we went to see The Woman in Black.  You guys, that movie is creepy as hell!

As I drove the babysitter home at the end of the evening, I took a moment to think of the things that are different now from on that first date.  First, there's now a babysitter to drive home.  Second, I have no question in my mind about whether or not I'm going to get to spend the night with my date.  Third, I have a far deeper appreciation for what an interesting and unique person my date is.

Two things that made us both laugh:

1. After seeing The Woman in Black, Courtney said that it was like we'd combined Project Valentine and Project Horror.  Aw, she does read my blog!
2. At the restaurant, I told her that blonde twins would be out in a moment to sing "Let's Get Together," and then caught myself and corrected by saying how that had actually happened on the parents' first date in The Parent Trap, not on our first date.  That may have been funnier if you were there.

Project Valentine 2012, Day 10: Made Her a Mix CD

"Now, the making of a good compilation tape is a very subtle art. Many do's and don'ts. First of all you're using someone else's poetry to express how you feel. This is a delicate thing."

"The making of a great compilation tape, like breaking up, is hard to do and takes ages longer than it might seem. You gotta kick off with a killer, to grab attention. Then you got to take it up a notch, but you don't wanna blow your wad, so then you got to cool it off a notch. There are a lot of rules."

From "High Fidelity"

I used to make mix CDs for Courtney pretty regularly when we were dating.  Is this a thing that people still do anymore?  In college, we made mix tapes, and then it was possible to burn your own CDs.  Do kids still do this, or do they just share iTunes playlists?

Anyway, the appeal of making a mix for somebody you're dating is severalfold.  First, it has an automatic appearance of thoughtfulness.  Second, it's a chance to make them think that you have good taste, or are at least kind of deep.  Third, they'll think of you every time they listen to it, or maybe even when they hear songs from it in a different context.

When we were dating, I'd try to make sure there were some good romantic tunes on there, but we also had some running jokes that I'd add fuel to with some of the selections, like how I'd always put at least one song by Queen, a group I like and she doesn't.  I would always end the CD with a version of "Dream a Little Dream of Me," which is kind of our song.

The last time I made her a CD, though, was probably before we were married.  I decided just to make this one focused and sweet.  Here's the playlist, which I'm sure at least one of my friends will find something in to poke fun at me about.

1. "I Only Want to Be With You" by Dusty Springfield
2. "I Only Have Eyes for You" by The Flamingos
3. "Sometime Around Midnight" by The Airborne Toxic Event
4. "The Origin of Love" by Rufus Wainwright
5. "When It's Love" by Van Halen
6. "Strong Enough (Live)" by Sheryl Crow, with The Dixie Chicks
7. "Wonderful Tonight" by Eric Clapton
8. "I Can't Explain" by The Who
9. "Don't Let Go" by Weezer
10. "Je T'Aime... Moi Non Plus" by Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin (I understand that this one isn't exactly a love song, but it is sexy as hell.)
11. "Just Really Wanna See You" by Shudder to Think
12. "Make You Feel My Love" by Adele
13. "I'm Still in Love with You" by Al Green
14. "Femme d'Argent" by Air
15. "Girl Like You" by The Wolfgang Press
16. "She is Staggering" by Polaris
17. "I've Got You Under My Skin" by Michael Buble
18. "(Just Like) Starting Over" by John Lennon

I was thiiis close to ending the CD with "Dream a Little Dream of Me" again, but then I felt like the Lennon song had some special significance to our station in life right now.  It's about making time to reconnect and renew your relationship.

Here's the stupid thing I did, though - I didn't make sure we actually had blank CDs, so she didn't get the CD until today.  She was excited to get it, though!

Project Valentine 2012, Day 9: Got Her a Treat to Have at Work

Yesterday was Courtney's first night back at work in several days, since she'd been on the road for her trip.  I phoned her as I was leaving my office and asked if she would like me to pick up anything on the way home for her to have last night while she was on duty.

Here's what was great about it - she was really surprised and delighted.  She didn't know what to ask for at first, but I could hear the smile in her voice.  Finally she asked if I'd stop by the cold case and get her one of the fruit and yogurt parfaits that she likes.

It wasn't a big thing today, but I was still really pleased with the result, just because the sound of her voice on the phone was so pleasantly (and cutely) taken by surprise.

Project Valentine 2012, Day 8: Massage

Right around New Years, Courtney and I got a new mattress.  It is AWESOME.  How awesome?  So awesome that I just used every text enhancement that Blogger offers when I typed the word awesome, and also made it pink.  So awesome.  The mattress we'd been sleeping on was one that we got along with our bedroom set, just before we were married, so it had been slept on for nearly 10 years.  You know in cartoons how somebody will sit down on an old mattress, and a spring will poke out and go "sproing!"?  Our bed was making that sound.  Now we're sleeping on a Tempurpedic, and it's like having friendly sleep angels lulling you into unconsciousness every night.

The bad part about being so quickly spoiled by our new mattress is that it becomes very hard to go to sleep anyplace else, as Courtney and I have both discovered while traveling in the past month.  When she got home yesterday, four nights in a hotel bed and a crowded return flight had all added up to one really sore back for her.  I think she probably could have put her head down on the pillow and instantly been out, but I wanted to make sure she got a really good night's sleep and relaxation, so I gave her a backrub until she was ready to sleep.

I'm pleased to report that she fell asleep smiling.

Project Valentine 2012, Day 7: Made a Welcome Home Banner

Courtney came home today!  That sound you hear is me heaving a deep sigh of relief.  I wanted her to have something sweet to come home to, but I was also a little tight on time last night because I had to go to a meeting after work.

My mom came over to be with the kids, and I got out some butcher paper, crayons, markers, and stickers for them to work with while I was gone.  When I got back, here's what they'd made with Grammy's help.

I'm pleased to report that she really liked it.

Project Valentine 2012, Day 6: Sent Roses to Her Hotel Room

One time when I was a junior in high school, this girl I liked went on a choir trip to Nashville.  While she was there, I sent some roses to be delivered to her hotel room.  Later, she totally went to the prom with me.  I tell this story so that you can see that even twenty years ago, I was kind of a baller.

(Later, she and I were also in each other's weddings, and our families went to Disneyland together!  So, yeah, the roses worked.)

But this isn't about her, it's about Courtney.  I wanted to send some flowers to her room, but I've had mixed experiences with services like FTD.  Sometimes they get it right, but sometimes the florists they work with do kind of a sloppy job.  Instead, I called the hotel that she's staying in for her conference, and asked for the concierge.  I figured that if there was somebody who would know a good, local place to work with, it would be them.

The concierge's name was Britney, and she was really helpful.  After I told her what I'd like, gave her my billing info, and what I'd like on my card, she assured me that the rest would be taken care of.  Yesterday evening, when Courtney finished with the conference for the day, and went back to her room, I got a message from her thanking me for the gorgeous flowers, along with a picture.

It sounds like it's been a good conference, but I'm awfully ready for her to be home on Wednesday evening.

Project Valentine 2012, Day 5: Cleaned the House

It's probably silly, but the time when I'm absolutely the most motivated to clean is right before I leave on a trip, because I love coming back to a clean house.  I thought that Courtney would enjoy that, too, so I decided that today's thing would be to clean as much of the house as I could.  It's not spotless, but she'll be coming home to something much nicer than what she left.

We skipped church yesterday, because the kids were all really sniffly, and Blake was coughing.  Since we had all of that time at home, I enlisted their help.  After they'd picked up all of their toys and books from the living room and put them away, I Tom Sawyered them into wanting to Swiffer the kitchen floor by telling them how boring it was, and how they wouldn't like having to do it.  Worked like a charm.

With a little more time before she comes home on Wednesday night, I think we can a few more things looking good, too.