Anniversary

St. Patrick's Day, the perfect day to finally celebrate our fifth year wedding anniversary. The city is already in a celebratory mood. We love Ireland and being part-Irish. Our baby's name is Patrick.
We started our day at Patty Coyne's in Tacoma for breakfast. Kevin had fish and chips, I had shepherd's pie. Then off to Seattle for shopping.

I made Kevin take my picture outside of Tiffany & Co. He always feels slightly dorky taking tourist pictures, but I make him anyway. We walked inside. "I already know what I want, but I have to look at everything first," I told the helpful sales-people. The diamonds are all huge and sparkly. Everything is gorgeous.

I finally make my way to the sterling silver jewelry. It's the least expensive stuff in the store, and the limits of my comfort zone for jewelry shopping. I tried on my bracelet, I love it, I wore it out of the store.

"Do I still get the box?" I ask.
"Of course you get the box," the saleswoman smiles.

I spent the rest of the day making Kevin look at my bracelet. He says it's good I never bugged him about wanting an expensive watch. Because, I say, I knew the cost of the bracelet.

Then off to Old Navy and The Gap. I bought maternity clothes: green pants, jeans, tee-shirts, and tank tops. Kevin bought my fantasy yuppy outfit....

Tangent: I've always loved the clean-cut, All-American look on men. Short hair. Khaki pants. ironed shirts. Kevin-the-fashionista is a great dresser (now, not necessarily in college), but more edgy. He'd always shunned certain clothes, like Khaki pants and polo shirts.

Until...Casino Royale. Daniel Craig. Fab wardrobe as 007. After thwarting plans to blow up a prototype airplane, Bond returns to the islands to meet with M. He gets off the helicopter wearing luscious khaki pants and a dark polo shirt.

Guess what my husband bought? He looks like perfection on a plate in his khaki pants with a light black pinstripe and dark navy blue polo shirt (no pocket, no logo).

Then it was time for the Anniversary Meal. Tom Douglas's Serious Pie. We had wine-soaked figs with endive and prosciutto for starters. Two pizzas--roasted mushrooms with truffle cheese, and penn cove clams with pancetta and lemon thyme. I told everybody we were celebrating our anniversary. I'd bet that not too many people celebrate their anniversary at a pizza joint. For dessert I had the cannoli (Take the guns, leave the cannoli), Kevin had rhubarb crostata with Meyer lemon cream. We finally opened The Bottle of Wine.

The Bottle of Wine was purchased about seven years ago on a wine tasting trip to Yakima with college friends. Kevin had fallen in love with the 1995 Columbia Crest Merlot. He knew he was saving it, but the opening date was unknown. Two years ago, he decided that our fifth wedding anniversary was The Day of Opening.

What if it's no good by then? I asked.
It will be, said Kevin of greater faith.

So we brought the bottle. Our charming waiter opened it up and poured Kevin a taste.

It was outstanding.

I enjoyed one glass, savoring it slowly throughout the entire meal.

We made our way home and relaxed with the dogs before hitting the town for St. Patrick's Day parties. Kevin wore his Irish plaid kilt and looked very festive. I looked rather pregnant. We started at C.I. Shenanigans. They'd advertised live music and step dancers. The dancers were adorable. The live music was great except when he played obscure rock music from 5-10 years ago. We snagged seats at the bar and watched the party crowd act like drunken idiots. We laughed about the days when we were the drunken idiots.

Then we drove past Patty Coyan's. Big line.

So we tried Doyle's. Another line.

How about we just head home, Kevin suggested.
Sounds great, I said.

So the original party animals put on pajamas, played Scene It for two rounds, and went to bed.

The perfect anniversary.