Happy Anniversary....in advance

Nine years. We have been married for nine years! Seems like we were married only just yesterday. But you know what? I got the dates wrong in my diary. 11 Nov 2010. I marked it out in my diary and drew wedding bells. And then wrote, book dinner! But hey, my anniversary is on 10 Nov. Thankfully KM reminded me today and suddenly I am making all these last minute booking and babysitting arrangements. Thankfully, all 3 girls are asleep. Although I really should wake them up now (it is 5:30 already) if not I will definately regret not doing that tonight.

(Ok two girls are up. Can't write now.)

(Back to blogging.)

Planning for dinner sans kids is a major military operation. There are the grandmothers to call for babysitting. Checking KM's schedule. Finding a match between the grandmother's schedules and our own.

Not dinner on the 10th (our actual anniversary) because grandma (my mom) has her gym class. She has a personal trainer and usually makes these appointments way in advance. Not lunch on the 10th because granny (KM's mom) has another lunch date. How about Tuesday night the 9th? Grandma has work the next morning and has to go to bed early. At 6:00pm my mom calls. How about tonight?

Tonight? I exclaim, but isn't that a bit last minute? I am hot and sticky with my phone in one hand and my eyes on the laptop, scouring the restaurant reviews. I am not in any mood for a wedding anniversary celebration. But if the babysitter is available, tonight it will be. Suddenly the last minute arrangements for an anniversary dinner 2 days away become last minute arrangments for an dinner 2 hours away.

I call Sage. They are closed for the night. Then call Buko Nero. They are closed for the week, anyhow you usually need to book a month in advance. This must be the time of the year when Chefs take their holidays. So its down to our third choice, Jaan. (without Chef Andre who left earlier in the year to start a new restaurant.) I wonder if dinner will be as delightful as last year's.

It is 7:00pm. My mom arrives. I am combing my wardrobe for something to wear. My post-pregnancy body can only fit into 20% of my clothes. The Pucci lookalike sheath cannot get past my shoulders. Then I remember a little black dress at the back of my cupboard. I had insisted on getting it at a sale although it was too big at the time. Fortunately, this was the one thing I could now wear. I fish out some bling, whip out the oft not worn heels and in ten minutes, feel like a million dollars. It doesn't matter if I can't find a matching handbag or a wrap to hide my plunging neckline.

The dinner doesn't disappoint. Starter appetisers, and an array of desserts- raspberry sorbet balls, a selection of pastries, pralines, and a surprise anniversary birthday cake, thrown in on top of our 7 course degustation meal. Yum! By the end of the night I am so full I half-regret having asked for those extra black truffle brioches.

Two hours of frantic planning for a wonderful evening with the man of my dreams. Definately worth it.