Perfect Day

[brdgt]

Yesterday Nick and I finally got to walk across Lake Mendota. Last year it didn't really freeze thoroughly enough and we were so stressed with work and Calvin's death. We left around 11AM from James Madison Park, just a few block from our apartment.



As a crow flies it would have been 4 miles from there to Governor Nelson Park (thus, 8 miles round trip), but there was a windsailing race going on in the middle of the lake that we had to go around.



We had been concerned that there would be too much snow on the ice, making it slow going, but it was smooth and safe. There were just a few spots with large cracks and a few spots near the shoreline that we were careful around.





In addition to the windsailers there were some ice fisherman, but mostly it was just really peaceful (and COLD - I believe the wind chill was zero).



Anyway... nice story about a walk, right? About halfway across the lake Nick set up a timed shot so we could do a photo together and then he got down on one knee and proposed with a beautiful green tourmaline ring. I think I said "I can't wait!"





We continued on to the other side of the lake, had some hot chocolate and headed back around the windsailers on the other side, getting home around 4PM. We probably walked about 9 miles. Nick's camera recorded our GPS coordinates:



I had already planned to have dinner with antarcticlust and then join some other friends, including purplemb13 for karoake later at the Karaoke Kid, so I was able to tell a lot of people in person right away. Did I mention that we met on St. Patrick's Day four years ago - at the Karaoke Kid? :)

I think I look a little pleased:

Comments

[alineskirt.livejournal.com]

Yay! Yay! Yay!
Congratulations!!!

[brdgt.livejournal.com]

Thanks :)

[recklesswater]

I'm so happy for you!! YAY!!!

[brdgt.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I'm pretty happy myself :)

[loreofcure.livejournal.com]

AHHH so that's the kind of stone it is (obviously I've been facebook creepng). Lovely proposal! All my congrats!

And on a less congratulatory note but also of importance-- that DRESS is BOOBS! Love it!

[brdgt.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

I had hoped to wear that dress to a bachelorette party the weekend before but we ended up just staying in for a pajama party. My boobs will not be denied a night on the town!

[delqc.livejournal.com]

What a nice proposal! Congratulations! The ring is awesome :)

[brdgt.livejournal.com]

Thanks! He did a good job :)

[semiauto.livejournal.com]

Congratulations! What a nice story :)

[brdgt.livejournal.com]

Thank you - he really made it a special day :)

[lindaquelinda.livejournal.com]

yayyyy! congrats!!

[brdgt.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I'm walking on air :)

[bibliofile.livejournal.com]

Congratulations to the both of you!

How many people can say that their proposal took place while standing in the middle of a lake? (Look ma, no boat!) Cool. Have you picked a year yet?

[brdgt.livejournal.com]

I know right? Just a few minutes before the proposal we were joking that one day we'll tell our grandkids that we walked across the Lake and they'll be like "grandma's been drinking again, that lake hasn't been frozen over for decades!"

No real details yet. We've talked a little over the past year about priorities for a wedding though, so hopefully we can have a fun party with lots of our friends and family (his grandma is so happy) followed by an awesome honeymoon :)

[bilum.livejournal.com]

Yay! So exciting!

[brdgt.livejournal.com]

Thanks! It was worth the wait :)

[suibhne-geilt.livejournal.com]

That is super awesome news! And he picked a really lovely ring.

[brdgt.livejournal.com]

I may have given him a little guidance :)

[elf-chick.livejournal.com]

Congratulations!

[brdgt.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[monkeyhouse.livejournal.com]

awwwwww!! congrats, you two.

and how cool is that, to walk on (frozen) water?

and yay for boobies! ;-)

[brdgt.livejournal.com]

It was both terrifying and beautiful. Even though it was completely safe, it felt weird when you heard the ice cracking/freezing and the different coloration of the ice.

[seriousleopold.livejournal.com]

So awesome! I can't wait to read about all the wedding details. Seriously, I love that stuff (as long as I don't have to actually be involved in the process!)

[brdgt.livejournal.com]

Haha - I'm sort of dreading it actually! I want something very simple and we don't have a lot of money, but we have so many friends and family - hopefully we can figure out a good way to achieve our priorities.

[astronautical.livejournal.com]

yay! yay yay yay!

lady, I am so thrilled for you both. what a great story, and GEEZ what a hott top. YAY!

[brdgt.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Hard to believe it was three years ago that we were sleeping in your guest room!

[resurgam.livejournal.com]

YAY!! What a beautiful story and magnificent view! Congratulations and I also can't wait to hear wedding talk. :)

[brdgt.livejournal.com]

Thank you - Madison means so much to us, it seems very fitting.

[squiggle.livejournal.com]

what a lovely place for a proposal! congrats!

[brdgt.livejournal.com]

It's hard to beat!

[emily-hahn.livejournal.com]

Awww! Also damn that's some impressive ice. We have some ice over around here up in the Sierras but they always have somebody who disappears forever into Lake Tahoe/Donner Lake/Spooner Lake at least 1x every winter because the ice isn't always strong enough to support people who want to ice fish or go skating.

[brdgt.livejournal.com]

We have that here, but mostly drunk people in the beginning and end of the season. The lakes are small enough that most of the freeze pretty solid.

[linaerys.livejournal.com]

Congratulations! Beautiful pictures, and you look so happy! (And sexy--that's a hell of a dress and you look amazing in it.)