Two Saturday's ago, July 25th, Justin prepared me for his absence by claiming he had to once again work over time. With a heavy sigh I consented to his need to be a responsible adult. While he was gone I planned an excursion to Jump Creek for later that evening. I excitedly reasoned that the time had finally come to gift a couple of beach towels to my hard working man because Jump Creek has a waterfall with a pool of sorts at the base and we anticipated swimming. I had a fleeting thought that I had completely caught Justin off guard with this amazingly awesome gift. I was happy.
We arrived at Jump Creek and parked by where we assumed the entrance to the hiking trail to the pool was. We climbed, and climbed then climbed some more. Sweat beads erupted on my forehead as I began to heave my thunder thighs up the mountain side. Thirty minutes later our path suddenly truncated to a cliff which only an expert rock climber could manage descending.
Dishearteningly we turned round and climbed all the way back to the beginning of the trail.
With my legs like Jell-o (mostly from fear of careening down the side of the mountain and constantly flexing as we trekked the path) we decided to go ahead and follow the proper path to the waterfall. This was so very easy compared to the one we just completed. There was one bit which crossed a creek. Stones were dispersed throughout the water to allow for safe stepping across the creek. I had to get down on all fours to cross because the perilous two inches of water that lurked beneath the rocks was too much for me to wrap my brain around.
We made it at last across the creek and to the waterfall.
We watched for ten minutes or so as the hoodlums littering the area drank beer and smoked cigarettes. We decided to call it good and head home. We reached the creek once more on the return journey and I once again placed my sunglasses on my face as I knelt down on all fours and started crossing the creek under the cave like structure it resides in. It very dark with my sunglasses on but I noticed Justin squat down. He was holding what I thought was a stick or a rock in his hand and he asked me to marry him.
Totally and utterly caught off guard I immediately began repeating non-stop, "are you kidding, are you serious?" It was all I could come out with since tired Jell-o legged me assumed Justin was just trying to make me hurry my fat ass up. But dear readers I was wrong, and Justin was serious. And I said yes.
So forever more I shall always remember Saturday last as the day the one ring was passed from a man to a woman in a cave deep within the misty mountains thus forging an impenetrable bond for the rest of all eternity.
