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September 2008 
SEVEN YEAR SCRATCH
ROD
About a month ago my wife and I went on a 32 and a half hour trip to the Santa Barbara wine country of the Santa Ynez Valley. Why? Because we had not spent a night alone together in 7 years…yes, 7 years!
One set of grandparents lives halfway across the country and the other all the way and due to life circumstances to boring to enumerate, we hadn’t made time for us in all those years. Our kids have benefited immensely but the strain was taking its toll on my wife and me.
So I told my Beloved it’s time. She organized tag team baby-sitters and I took care of the rest…
We both love nature and photography and the Santa Ynez Valley in October light is splendid. I had a loose plan but fortunately, like me, my Love likes to see where reality wants to take us and we followed the pull from our chests… (which mostly pulled us together) and it lead us to wonderful sites and experiences in the shortest time imaginable.
We were like Honeymooners and everywhere we went the sparks of Amore bounced off of us like tracers of pleasure and people would engage us in conversation and servers would pour us an additional tasting just because they liked chatting with us. Some locals told us of their favorite non-tourista cafe and we had an incredible lunch.
It wasn't long before the wine was going to have detrimental effects on our ability to get around. So we headed for the hotel. I planned a sunset drive so we could take pictures in the golden light. We missed the good light by about thirty minutes because, well.... Let's just say that's all he wrote. Suffice to say an itch needed scratching.
Scratch before a nap. Scratch after a nap and before dinner. Scratch on a fully belly after dinner. Scratch upon waking. We didn't realize how itchy we were. We all know how good it feels to scratch an itch.
After a little more wine tasting we headed back to LA and the kids. They survived without us all 32 and a half hours. Imagine that ! Ray had a bit of a rough time at night because he still nurses and Molly got sad, we were told, for only ten minutes. Jeez, just ten minutes.
Needless to say we've seen the light and how obvious it is that we as the heads of our little family must take care of our needs and interests as a couple if we are to be our most loving selves.
Lordy, I'm itchy already!!!
Love One Another (especially those you are married to...)
p.s. My apologies to other occupants of the Buellton Marriot. I hope our scratching was more inspiring than disturbing.
Access: Public
OH! That's fantastic that you both took the time to do this for each other (itches and all!;) –speaking of which… where did the rest of your blog entry go… I can't see it all??? (okay, reloaded page and it's all there now. weird.)
Anywho… Definitely take time to Love One Another … in say, “date nights” more frequently. Your children will also thank you for it in later years! :)
Hugs to both you and Erin
I'm having technical difficulties. I can't get all the blog to load. ALAS!
Okay…. NOW I can see the WHOLE thing… like what I got in my email notifications… I think your technical difficulties have passed. :)
Awesome photos!
And very inspiring reminder to all of us in the family way.
“Love One Another (especially those you are married to…)”
Salut! (raises tall glass of Patron)
Scratch em if ya got em!
And, I agree with Ms K ~ I think your tachnical difficulties have indeed passed!
Happy Birthday, Sugar.
Big Love!
c
Here's to wine country visits (I live in one in northern CA… in the lower reaches of the beautiful Sierras) and scratching those itchies.
Thank you
Thank you Kells, hugs back. Yes the “date nights” are a must and happen when sitters are available. We live far to fast sometimes and things get overlooked. Love only recognizes itself and you got to use and express it otherwise you wind up seven years down a road wondering where everybody went…including your Self…. kwim?
But HERE we ARE!!!
Scratch em if ya got em!
Ah, Cree you make me laugh.
SALUT! (gulp) Wooo, no operating heavy keyboards… Thanks for the B-day wishes and photo kudos, most kind.
Spirit Eagle - Northern Cali - that's GOD's country. I love it up there… Thanks.
Make Scratch - Not War.
Awe!! If you hadn't said “a month and a half ago” I would've sworn you were at the Marriott in Buellton this weekend. ;) A couple next to our room just happened to be, ugh… well, as itchy as you!!
We visited Santa Ynez wine country as well. Had a great time and visited some fair wineries (Melville, Sanford and Sunstone) but our favorite was Rideau. (I posted some pix)
It's a good thing I wasn't itchy, I was with 3 of my best girlfriends. :)
It is wonderful to hear you made time to enjoy eachother in the best ways possible.
Your little munchkins are adorable!
Great pix! And a great way to grow your love. I'm in Northern California and my granddaughters are in Beijing China so I think I need some surrogate grandchildren …
Nicole-
I saw the picture of you and your galpals. Y'all could get all the Scratchers you wanted in a heartbeat but I guess that wasn't what the trip was about. Too Bad! LOL!!!
Taj-
Careful. My children are FEDEX compliant. I will ship 'em up north for some surrogate grandparenting… Hope you see yours soon.
Beautiful blog, Rod. Such obvious harmony, in the Spirit of Love. You are wise to create this. I could take a lesson from you…
I'll second Michelle's comments…
Thanks for the reminder…
I gots me one of them itches that need some scratchin' too!
Peace
John
What a wonderful story and wonderful photos. Makes me think I need to go on another honeymoon soon too with my beloved.
Nice to have some time together. That is so precious. We were lucky to have some family around when our kids were younger. So we got a few weekends away here and there over the years.
Your kids are very cute!