I'd Ruther go to Druther's

After twenty-plus years of Father's days, it becomes difficult to do something new.  This dad, in particular, doesn't wear a tie.  The key to my hubby's heart is food so we normally will cook him some type of feast.  The past couple of years, having a chef-to-be in the house, Noah has cooked his Father's Day meal.

This year though, we wanted to surprise him with a road trip.  And we were successful.

A heat wave rolled in just in time for the weekend but it actually helped our surprise.  Our church has three services and we normally attend the latest because we Sunday is about our only day of the week to linger and sleep in a bit.  But that weekend, I mentioned to Tim that it might be best to go to the first before the church got hot.  Ever the flexible fella, he agreed.

Little did he know, it made our plans easier to kidnap and escape after service!

He figured something was up because Noah rode to church with us when he usually drives himself.  (Guess it isn't cool to ride up with the parental units!)   All joking aside, he often picks up a friend or two.  But this day, he drove us.  We just mentioned that we might grab a bite to eat after when he questioned it.

Once church was over, Noah entered an address on his GPS and we set out for our adventure.  As we turned an out-of-the-ordinary way on the parkway, Tim was confused.

"Where are ya'll taking me?"  he laughed.  And then he realized why I asked if he needed to pee before we left church.

We giggled and told him to settle in for a long drive.  About thirty minutes in, Tim acted like he knew where we were going but I knew there wasn't any way he would.

Just as he was about to burst -from anticipation and the need to relieve himself, we entered the parking lot.

"Hey, it's a Druthers!" he said, surprised because there's only one left in the world.  And then it dawned on him we weren't just making a pit stop, this was our destination.


Just a fast food dive to most people, Druthers had a cult following back in the day.  It began as a Burger Queen and was a popular place in the 70s and early 80s.  And it was where my hubby got his first job.

Still in High School, he'd walk the block or two after classes and work until close.  In our area, we haven't one open in over thirty years.  We knew this one still existed just a couple hours away and had been on our bucket list but hadn't got around to visiting.  Father's Day seemed like the perfect time to check it off.

Thanks to the cheap prices they still offer, we were able to offer a buffet-style sampling for Tim to take a culinary trip down memory lane.  Noah matched him bite for bite and they were both belly-busting full by the time we left.  Tim happily snored half the way home so I'd count it as a successful surprise.

   

 

I was just grateful for another year to celebrate.  Last Father's Day was a scary one, Tim just recently released from the hospital.  He's had a rough couple years health-wise with no real answers.  And to a momma who lost her son to an "unknown virus" to say anxiety and fears have been high, would be an understatement.  Watching them in the car on the way up, I was reminded of last year's attempt of an outing.  We made it to the restaurant before Tim had a breathing attack and became too ill to enjoy the day.

2017

So much changes year to year...and I'm thankful for the blessings we've been given.  

Life is short and precious, no matter how many days you have with loved ones.

2018

Day 6: Blind Date

My schedule changes daily.  Being the planning, organized gal that I am, one might think this career would drive me crazy.  But I like the surprise and flexibility of every day.  Most of the time.

Sure, sometimes a cancellation, especially last minute, can throw things off a bit but usually everything works out.  I try to face each day with the "when one door closes, a window opens" philosophy.

I do normally have a general idea of my day's agenda each morning and when my estimated end time will be.  Today, an opening saw me traveling to Henderson, not a normal area for me.  When I realized how close I'd be to where hubby is working, I decided to surprise him with a quick visit.

I found myself filled with joy all day at the thought of sneaking off to see him.

Arriving at close to the time he should be waking, I hoped to make it up to his room while he was still was groggy.  Surprising him in a sleepy stupor was part of the fun!

I knocked and waited.  No response.

I knocked again and contemplated saying, "Housekeeping" but being that he kept a privacy tag on his door, I feared that might make him cover his head with a pillow and continue sleeping.

Just as I was about to text him, the door cracked open.

Though still half asleep, his face lit up and in a mumbled, broken but excited voice, he said,

"What are you doing here?  Did you drive all this way to see me?"

My stay was short but sweet, getting there just in time to join him for dinner.  The longer drive home for me meant I had to watch my clock to ensure I made it home to pick up our boy from work.  This rainy night was not one I wanted him to walking home alone!

But it was well worth the extra miles just to spend a couple hours together.

Third shift transition the past six months has been difficult in and of itself, having slept together more than half my life.  Adding distance and several nights away is also something this couple isn't used to.  We've been blessed to not have to be apart too often in our 23 years of marriage.

Small surprises help keep the spark alive.  This was one date that brought us both joy and one we'll remember for some time.  I can still picture him smiling and shaking his head in happy disbelief as I drove away.

Mystery Date

Tim and I have planned a few surprise dates for each other through the years.  For awhile, we'd take turns each month and would be in charge of planning the date beginning to end.  The best ones were always those which were a complete surprise.

One of my favorite dates I planned was our trip to French Lick a couple of years ago.  Tim had not a clue where we were going or anything we would do the entire weekend.  To add to the surprise, neither of us had ever been to the area.  Nothing was familiar, he didn't know what would be around the next corner, and each experience was new and exciting.

One of the sweetest dates he planned was a surprise picnic.  I knew he had the date month but we never set the actual day it would be.  He called me one afternoon, told me to get in the truck, stay on the phone and drive.  He'd give me instructions on where to turn and where the next stop would be, guiding me to our date destination.  After a point, he hung up with final instructions, which led me to a tree by the river.  When I got out of my truck, a blanket filled with a feast and my hubby awaited.  It was simple and one of the most perfect dates.

Tomorrow night, we are again going on a mystery date, but this time, neither of us planned it.  Several days ago, a large envelope appeared in our mailbox addressed to both of us.  The envelope was hand-written but did not include a return address.  The writing seemed happy and upon first glance, we thought it was an invitation or belated birthday card of some sort.  It's always nice to get mail that isn't a bill so we tore into it with anticipation.  Inside was a printed note, wishing us a "Happy Valentine's" from "a special friend" and included two concert tickets to see a Christian artist.  We have no idea who sent them to us but are excited and grateful for a secret night out.

I don't know who this "special secret friend" is but I'm sending out a virtual hug for their generosity.  It was an unexpected sweet dose of joy this week...and we haven't even had the date yet!  I'll be sure to recap the night sometime this weekend, as I'm sure it will be spirit-filled and full of love!