21 years ago... 21 years later

We spent a fabulous anniversary weekend in Midway, UT just this past week. We had been married 21 years on November 1st. Rod was in charge of planning the weekend, and I was not told any details about it except to take heavy winter boots and a swimming suit with me. "What could it be?", I wondered the whole week leading up to Thursday night. When we drove along the Provo Canyon, I started guessing that we would be going to Homestead, like last year. But when we passed it, Rod said that Homestead was so last year. We passed Zermatt resort, so that was off the list, as well. The next possible hotel was Blue Boar Inn, and that's where we ended up. What a wonderful little 12-room inn. We stayed at the "Robert Frost" room with a running toilet and a squeaky bed!

Later that night we were talking about the plans for the next day, and I asked if we are going on a sleigh ride. Of course there is no snow yet in Midway, and Rod quickly pointed that out, but said that it was close to that idea. Immediately I thought, oh crap, it is horseback riding. If you don't know this about me, but I'm deathly afraid of horses. Would Rod do this to me? I don't know, I'm sure he would. His favorite saying is whenever I'm faced with fear is:"just think how happy you will be when it is all done". So, yes, he would make me face my biggest fear in life.

We had to wake up at 6:30am on Friday but instead woke up at 7:05am and according to Rod we had to meet somebody at 7:25am. So, we rushed and put our clothes on and headed out with heavy coats, hats, gloves and boots. We drove to the other side of Heber to a hotel parking lot. Rod said that we are looking for a guy with a truck and a white trailer. That's when I knew, horses were in my future. When the guy showed up, the trailer was a closed trailer and too small for horses (maybe miniature ponies???), I looked at Rod and said:"There are NO horses in that trailer!" I was so relieved. But I couldn't figure out what was in the trailer. We followed the guy to the Heber airport, and that's when my light came on, and I started screaming:"IT'S A HOT AIR BALLOON RIDE!!!" Then....I was immediately scared. I didn't know that hot air ballooning would be my second biggest fear in life. That ride was the most amazing thing ever. There was no wind, the sun was rising while we were floating there, and fog was filling the canyon towards the Timp. What a wonderful new experience. Our flight was about 1/2 hour and 3 miles later we landed safely.

We went back to the Inn, and had a marvelous breakfast. I had the Norwegian Salmon. You might say:"For BREAKFAST??" Yes, I would eat fish for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and if you offer me candy or fish, I would go for fish any day. The waitress said that we have a 3-course breakfast, and Rod took that literally, meaning he had 3 entrees total. If you ever stay at Blue Boar Inn, and you are a fan of oatmeal, you have to try the Irish Oatmeal. It is like candy.

Then Rod surprised me with more plans for the day. We would be going to a spa at the Zermatt Resort. We had a 90-minute couples massage, then a hot tub, steam room and a sauna. And I mean...a real sauna where you can throw water. It got so hot that I actually had to get out which hasn't happened since I was 10 years old at my nanny's cabin. That is definitely on my "must-do-again" list.

21 amazing years with the most wonderful man. I couldn't be more in love.

Robert Frost wrote in his poem, which seems so fitting..

"I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference"