With the Greatest of Ease

TC turned thirty something on Saturday. I surprised him with tickets to a very funny afternoon off-broadway show and dinner at his favorite restaurant, plus a set of wine glasses to replace the ones that I have broken since his last birthday, and thanked him for being such a great husband, especially this last year. He thought that was it.

On Sunday we had vague plans to leave town. He thought we were taking the train up to Beacon for a bbq at Melanies house. He thought our friend Stephen was coming over for breakfast beforehand. He got up, walked the dog, and when he came back I told him that there was an emergency at Patchwork, I had to go and unlock the door for another teacher and would be back in forty-five minutes (full disclosure; I am usually the teacher who gets locked out at Patchwork and needs someone to come and save me) and to be ready to head to the train station. Instead, I went and picked up a happy little bright yellow convertible Mini, and with the help of our doorman (who rang TC and told him he had a delivery) and Stephen (who followed TC out with a bag packed for the day), scooped up a very surprised TC and headed north. He had no idea where we were going, which was funny because he was driving.

This is where I need to tell you something about Melanie Falick. As most of us know, she is the amazing editor behind STC Craft by day. But by weekend? She flies through the air. With the greatest of ease. Accompanied by her amazingly athletic son, B., who has over the years become one of my favorite youngsters. When I was telling Melanie about TC's birthday she suggested that we surprise him with a trapeze lesson, and I thought that sounded perfect. TC, after all, is Mr. Up For Anything.

We drove north for about two hours and exited the highway near New Paltz, NY. About five minutes after turning onto a narrow dirt road we were there: a towering system of poles and wires, and trapezes, a trio of ebullient instructors, and a simple picnic table with umbrella for shade, all sitting peacefully in the middle of a sprawling green meadow. Oh, and TC's classmates for the day: a little girls birthday party. That was pretty much my favorite part: watching him practice squats and positions with three ten year old girls. "He is always the tallest in his class", I explained to one of the moms. He did really well. By the end of the day (the session lasted about three hours, including one short delay brought on by a passing thunderstorm) TC was hanging by his knees, executing simple flips, and, most impressive of all, was even "caught" by an instructor who was hanging by his knees on another trapeze, which involved some pretty perfect timing.

These pictures sort of speak for themselves, don't you think? And that smile on his face in the last shot? It was still there this morning when he left for work.

Yes, actually. I AM wearing this dress every day this summer.