Metal and Candy

For the past year and a half, we have been diligently going on a date once a month.  We decided that we would take turns planning the evening.  The catch - the person planning the evening does what he or she wants.  No stress worrying about what the other person would consider fun.  I am loving it because, before this agreement, I would have planned things I know Jason would find fun and relaxing.  Now I drive him crazy with the things I have planned.  And we might discover something about the other person we didn't know.  I have discovered that we really are opposites...

He usually plans a great dinner at a wonderful restaurant where I get to dress up.  Me?  Some crazy activity.  The first date I planned involved tennis and a casual dinner all sweaty.  I think this made my husband (who would have preferred to go home and shower first) uncomfortable, but he went along with it (and hopefully enjoyed it).

This past Saturday it was my turn to plan and it happened to be our 6th anniversary.  According to my Google search, the tradition gift was metal and the non tradition was candy.  Hmmmm.  A metal bowl full of candy?  Too boring for me.  I planted the seed in my brain and let it festered.

A couple days later I started searching for jewelry classes.  Right?  We could make some metal bracelets or necklaces.  Not many classes are held in the evening.  I found this strange website that listed teachers/tutors of all things.  Each person listed what they could teach.  It was crazy.  Most had 30 or 40 things that ranged from science and math to croqueting.  And you went to their house.  Scary. Not quite there yet...

I called Beads by Design.  They are located by the Big Chicken.  I told her it was our anniversary, that it was a metal anniversary, and was looking for a jewelry class.  She said that she did at 11 am. This is proving difficult.  

I hung up the phone and started searching for more establishments and the phone rang.  It was Gerry from Beads by Design calling to say that she has a class where she teaches how to make a sterling silver ring.  What?!?  It was perfect.

We showed up at 4 and got to work.  We pounded, soldered, hammered in letters, and got an education on the whole process.  Gerry was awesome, very informative, and patient.  I couldn't operate the solder tool at first.  And if you know anything about them, you have to turn it off if it doesn't light correctly because gas is being poured into the room.  So I turned it on and off about 5 times before I got it to light the right way.  I pounded something in the inside of my ring.  Jason pounded July 19, 2008 in roman numerals on the outside.  

Then we were off to Abattoir.  I googled Paleo restaurants and it came up.  I don't believe they claim to be a Paleo restaurant, but their menu was pretty close.  It is very industrial looking.  More metal!  We had an awesome dinner and sat next to a couple celebrating their 13th year of marriage.  We toasted with them with champagne and enjoyed a delicious meal!

To end the evening, we walked down to the West Egg Cafe.  For all you readers out there, this restaurant was mentioned in the Great Gatsby.  We asked the guy behind the counter the history, but he was clueless and probably mad we showed up 30 minutes before they closed.  We ordered dessert and enjoyed our "candy". 

This may have been the first date that we hadn't mentioned cancer or the effects of cancer or how long my hair was getting or doctor's appointments.  It was a great date with my boyfriend/fiance/husband.  Just like it was before cancer.  I hope there are many more just like this one - free of cancer talk, full of fun, good food, and feeling normal again.