Skinnamarinky dinky INK: An Anniversary Tale

BSD and I celebrated our wedding anniversary last week. Not sure if it was 13 or 14 years. That's the problem when you don't get your rings engraved. You never remember when the date is. Let alone how many years it's been.

This year we celebrated with a night out in our favorite local hotel, The Cavalier.

It's been around since 1927.

And I don't think they've changed the chair cushions since then.
Can't you just see Baby hanging out here reading a book waiting for Johnny?

Or taking a dip in this pool?

There's old school charm at every turn.

The original windows in the rooms even open.

We had fun kicking back. Sharing a favorite beverage.

Enjoying the view. Before our fancy dinner.

The clouds to the left started to look a little sketchy.

The rain began to fall.
 

We sat by the window listening to the thunder crash right over our heads. Until we got hungry. Appetizers before our fancy anniversary dinner sounded like a good idea. Until we got to the swanky beach side bar. And it was closed. Because the power went out. And the power was out at the next restaurant. And the next. And the next.

Finally, we found a dive that had power. And margaritas. All was good again.

Until we got back to the hotel. And the power was out there too. The room we chose on the 6th floor suddenly didn't seem like such a great idea anymore. Now that we had to use the dark stairwell to get to it.

And that fancy dinner we had planned. Not such a great idea anymore either. Now that we had no power. To use a hair dryer. Or to iron the dress I shoved in my suitcase minutes before being whisked away on this little adventure. Or to see my reflection in the tiny mirror. In the old school bathroom. With no windows.

Nope. The fancy anniversary dinner was slowly slipping through our fingers.

There would be no sexy anniversary dinner dress. No smoky eye makeup recreated with help from Carmindy's book. No shiny, flowing locks.

Instead there were the sweaty clothes pulled on early that morning. There was a slick ponytail working overtime to contain frizzing hair. Bangs escaping in their best interpretation of Farrah's famous "feathered wings." And there was a face without makeup. Shining in place of the sun. That decided to take a break on our anniversary.

Yes. There I am at our fancy anniversary dinner. On the romantic outside restaurant deck. Surrounded by fine art. From all over the country. Watching BSD scarf down a plate of buffalo wings in front of me. And tourists get tattoos behind me.

We decided that the old saying, "If you can't beat em. Join em," was definitely in order. So we trolled through the tacky tourist shops. Considered bringing home pet hermit crabs for the ballerinas.

Got our fortunes told by Zoltar just like Tom Hanks.

 

Tried to decide if this dude was real or not. 

And finally, caved... 

and got tattoos. 

I heart you too, BSD! This one's for you, sweetie.