This is going to be a really long one. With loads of pictures, I just can't bare to leave any part out. Please bare with me.
How we met.
My OH and I met online. I had tried online dating before and had given it up as in my experience, they were all weirdos. But one fateful bored night when all my friends were busy and there was nothing on telly I logged back on, not particularly hopeful, but thought it would waste a bit of time and relieve my boredom. Then I spotted a gem, and he spotted me. According to his profile he liked cats and women with green eyes, one of his pictures was him driving a smart roadster. I have green eyes, two cats and drive a smart roadster. We chatted for a while and eventually after a couple of months the "shall we meet?" question was raised.
Our first date
It was terrible, mostly. We arranged to meet in Cambridge, I got there and he was nowhere to be seen. After waiting around for about 15mins I gave up and went shopping. I was in a foul mood and wasn't enjoying the shops so decided to go home, now almost an hour after we arranged to meet. Walking back to the car, there he was. Apparently he got stuck in roadworks. I reluctantly agreed to go ahead with the date, although in the back of my mind had already written him off. He got the picnic from his car and we headed to the river. He'd booked a guided punt on the river. When we got there he realised he forgotten his wallet, so left me sitting on the side of the river while he ran back to the car. Luckily it was there. By the time the punt started I was furious with him and ignored him the whole time and chatted to the man doing the punting. OH opened the wine, or tried to, the cork broke off in the bottle. So he spent most of the boat ride wrestling with a bottle of wine while I was flirting with another man. At the end of the punt the heavens opened. It was one of those summer storms that come from nowhere and it rained so hard it was like water was being poured constantly from the sky. We ended up sheltering on the veranda of a hut in the closest park. We ate the picnic, finally got into the wine and spent hours chatting waiting for the rain to clear. If it wasn't for that rain, I probably wouldn't be writing this.
The Proposal
Four years on from that fateful day, well 3 years and 364 days technically, we went to Paradise Wildlife Park. As my anniversary present he had arranged for me to feed a white lion. What I didn't know was what he had planned to do while I was feeding the lion. Feeding the lions was amazing, I was actually hand feeding them, picking up lumps of slimed raw meat, and then holding them up for the lion to take and getting covered in lion saliva.
Then half way through, he handed the camera to the keeper and dropped to one knee. I think I squealed something about "are you doing what I think you are?". I think I said yes before he even finished asking, he then produced a ring box. Which contained the most amazing fake diamond ring, turns out it is a napkin ring. I burst out laughing, and loved him even more.
He had picked the ring, but as it is rather unusual he wanted to check I liked it before ordering it. He needn't have worried, the ring he picked was amazing. I was actually really glad he didn't produce the real ring as it would have gotten meat and lion saliva all over it. Once we finished feeding the lions, and washed our hands, they took us to the tiger cafe which overlooks the tiger enclosure, they had closed it early just for us to enjoy a bottle of champagne. I was smiling from ear to ear and Steve took the time to send the "she said yes" message out to our friend who knew what was planned. After calling our parents we went home to find said friend had decorated the house, and put a magnum of champagne in the fridge.
