Nice Try

August found a quarter and stuck it in the back pocket of my jeans.

"I inserted a coin," he said. "Are you going to dance now?"

How Was Your Question Popped?

A cousin of August's just got engaged. His proposal was sweet, but not my style. Not that he consulted me. Many of my friends' husbands went all out for the event: one arranged to have a third party turn on a CD player so there was a soundtrack. Another actually had a family member videotape it, which violates all my notions of proper romance.

August's proposal, on the other hand, was like most everything he does: simple and to the point. We hadn't seen one another for an entire month, and he surprised me with a visit sooner than I was expecting him. We went to a house and garden that was open to the public but deserted on that particular day. (August of course didn't bribe the owners to turn everyone else away. Probably.) Did I know what was up? Well, yes. I even knew the spot where he was going to take me -- beside the lake with the weeping willow -- because we'd spent a lot of time there on previous trips.

So when we got to the enclosed courtyard with the fountain, I was unprepared when August knelt down in front of me. He condensed the question into, oh, two sentences. My answer was one word, but it was the right one. We lived happily ever after and got married two months later.

So I started wondering what sort of proposal story others have. If you don't mind sharing, how did you Get the Question? Or was it an understood thing that never formally got Asked? Or did you, flouting convention, Ask Him? It's a grey midwinter day here and I've got a cold, so I need some romance to brighten the day.

How August Saved Valentine's Day

We'd planned to go out Friday night. The first babysitter had to cancel (she gave us plenty of notice, bless her), so we set up another. Thursday night, Dilly developed a fever, which persisted all of Friday. So instead of a date out all by ourselves, we were stuck with an evening at home with two kids and a sick baby. The best salvage I could come up with was that August and I could go in shifts to the library. Wow, wasn't that hot romance?

August got home early, bringing with him a Target bag: "Since we can't go out for a date, I thought we'd have a date here."

He'd bought popcorn and some little York mints (it's Lent, so we're technically not eating sweets right now, but the evening seemed to allow it). To go with that, he bought us a new Scene It! game to play when the kids went to bed. Neither of us is a big movie buff, but we're both insatiable trivia geeks.

He'd found a "Luscious Dahlia" scented candle for the evening. (August: "Target's the place to go the day after Valentine's Day." Mairzy: "Oh, I knew that. I read Swistle.") And he also bought me something else -- it was black, what there was of it -- that he assured me I didn't have to accept if I wasn't in the mood... but he wouldn't mind if I were.

Despite the sick baby and canceled evening out, it turned out to be one of the most enjoyable dates we've had. Forget the roses. Bring on the popcorn!

It's Got to Be True Love

August the Precise and Mairzy the Slapdash made up some hot chocolate for ourselves. I like mine a good deal richer than he likes his.

Mairzy: I'll bet I used half the amount of water for my packet than you did.

August: I used exactly the amount they said to on the box.

Mairzy (rolling eyes): Yes, of course you did.

August: I, um, used a measuring cup to make sure.

Mairzy (screeching): A MEASURING CUP to make HOT CHOCOLATE?! And to think that I SLEEP with this person!

Resistance is Futile

It had been a long day. When August got home, he let me escape to a coffee shop for an hour. Once home, I found that August had comandeered the kids into picking up the living room and dining room. The dishwasher was running. August even cleaned up our bedroom. He'd laid out my pajamas and bathrobe. Once to bed, he made sure the candles over the bed would light easily. He had some massage oil. The whole evening, I realized, was calculated and masterful. How was I to resist? I didn't.