Always be drinking! by Penny

I've had a plethora of responses to my Nick Hornby Ice Breaker (5 at last count, and most have profiles that are not as depressing as that one sad man...) and I'm dutifully responding to them all. For you, good readers. Even the guys I feel "eh" about - because what the heck do I know?

However, I have found it helps to be just a WEE bit tispy when responding. The words just floooooow so easily. (Confession time: Currently on glass of wine #2.)

In other news - I was talking to my mom, who is pretty much my favorite person ever. I told her about the situation with James, and how I felt like I wanted HIM to make the first step but I was sick of being penpals. She told me something that totally blew my mind.

"Well, Penny, you know, I had to ask your father to marry me. Twice."

"WHAT?"

"Yes. Twice."

I've always thought of my parents as this very old-fashioned couple. They're still married, and very much in love. One year, for her birthday, my dad got my mom a small crystal bud vase - and proceeded to bring home a different flower for it every week for a year. They conform to very traditional gender roles - my dad worked, my mom stayed home and raised the kids, my mom does all the cooking and cleaning, my dad takes out the garbage, and so on. So I had no idea that my mom had asked my dad to marry her.

I didn't get the story - I want to hear it in person, so it'll probably have to wait until Christmas - but I definitely felt like my eyes were opened...