Peaches Prattlings











Mid-January 2015, PSM and I exchanged our first email. And so it began…

Throughout the week, we sent each other hello and nice to meet you emails, which morphed into getting to know you, which morphed into science-y pick up lines, I knew he was a bio-chemist by trade, so I started looking for science related pick-up lines, and lord love him, he thought they were hysterical!

Now…ask me what some of them mean, and you will get a blank stare, I still don’t understand some of them! Zippers, chromosomes, “Hey, want to swap oxidation numbers?” Huh? He laughed, and that’s all that matters!                           

He started sending me computer pick up lines, he knew I was a software trainer. “You’ve stolen the ASCII to my heart.” HA HA HA. See what I mean!

During our email exchange we learned about each other, little things, one or two things I already knew, from the people who introduced us, but I slowly learned a little more, then he did something no guy had ever done, he came up with six ideas for a first date! What guy does that? Well, as I found out, my guy!

We decided on an Irish pub for our first date, which appealed to me immensly, I had just gotten back from Ireland recently,  and if you know me, even before I went to Ireland, I have loved all things Ireland! I once stood next to a family at Disneyworld just to listen to them talk to each other! Love!

We decided on a date and January 30th, PSM picked me up for our first date. January 2015 was the year that…no one went to school, work, or got on a plane every Monday that month because it wouldn’t stop snowing!

He picked me up and we went to a local Irish pub, not far from my sister’s house, we had a lovely time, shut the place down, we did, from just talking and learning about each other!

He took me back to my sister’s house, where I was living at the time, we parted company and wanted to see each other again, so we did. About a week later, he joined my sister and brother-in-law, myself, and another couple at her synagoge for some awful mystery dinner theater, it was fabulous! He wore a suit! So cute!

After the performance, we went to an Irish pub, go figure, for a nightcap of hot tea, we were a couple of wild childs! ha ha! While we were there, we talked about another date and I asked when he was going to take me skiiing, well…funny I should ask that. And the following weekend, which…just happened to be Valentine’s Day weekend, he took me to his ski house in Lincoln, NH! Not bad for a third date!

April, he came with my family to Atlantis, in the Bahamas, that’s a huge step! October of that same year, we took a 3-week trip to Europe, we were trying to decide if we wanted to go to Malaysia or Europe. There was a half marathon in Lisbon, Potugal, so…let’s go to Europe! Why not do a half marathon the day after we land?! We traveled to Portugal, Spain, France, and Hungary. This was when we figured out we could travel well together!

January 2016 came, and PSM moved to Hawai’i for work, I started moving my things slowly, I had just signed a year’s lease for my apartment in Boston, I was traveling for work, and I would be there full time, well, my stuff would be! by the time my lease was up.

January 29th, I surprised PSM in Hawai’i for the weekend, that was awesome! He was definitely surpirsed! Then throughout the year, I traveled to Hawai’i, PSM came back to the mainland, we were definitely dating long distance!

Our next big trip came in November 2016, we did a 2 week trip, this time to Iceland, Copenhagen, and Sweden. We were hoping to see the Northern Lights in Iceland, but wouldn’t you know it… we had cloud cover and rain all week, but what an amazing trip!

Then… we go to Copenhagen and wondered what that big glowing  yellow ball in the sky was… yup, you guessed it, the sun! We did some touring around, then on Sunday, November 13th, we went to the Round Tower, yes it’s called the Round Tower!

We walked up the steps, those long, wide steps that horses would walk up into the castles. PSM is not a fan of heights, so he stuck to the walls, and when we came to the top, he hung back while I went out and toured the top of the Round Tower.

I was walking the perimeter, came back to where I started, turned, and there was PSM! On one knee!! Yes! On one knee… at the top of a tower!

He said some wonderful things… you can’t expect me to remember what they were!  lol, I was being proposed to! I know they were wonderful because whatever he said…I said yes, of course!

We waited a few hours, until our families were up and called them, did a conference call from Denmark! Who can say that?! Engaged at the top of a tower and made a conference call from Denmark! One amazing moment after another!

Where was he keeping the ring?! We were together the whole time, I never saw the box! Was it in his pocket the whole time? He traveled from Hawai’i to Boston to Iceland with it in his pocket! And a funny part…I had gotten a manicure before we left! I had no idea it was going to happen, but I was ready, just in case, go figure!

We spent the rest of the trip as an engaged couple! I kept staring at my hand and my…fiancé! Yes, my fiancé! Has a nice ring to it…

And then we were back in the states, it was the week of Thanksgiving, we met with different friends and family at different events and I would casually throw my left hand out, I know…way subtle JJ! And…I had something, new, fabulous, and wonderful to be thankful for this year!

And that…my friends, is the story of how I was proposed to at the top of a tower in Denmark. Not too shabby. Happy engagement anniversary PSM. I love you lots.



You heard right, it’s an early start to the day! 430a to be exact! Ugh!

As you know, I’ve been teaching this week and today is my last class of the week. Class starts at 830a EST, so…that means I am going to start teaching at 530a PST! Ugh! The alarm went off at 430a, I turned it off quickly, hoping not to wake PSM, I hopped into the shower, got dressed, and was online by 5a, opened the call by 515a and welcomed everyone at 530a.

Class went well, and…surprisingly…I didn’t wake PSM! He got up on his own about 730a local time, whew! Very glad I didn’t wake him, and like you might be thinking, how? JJ, you are not a quite person, and I didn’t change my volume for the class, so very happy he slept, he needed it!

He was very sweet, quietly, he got dressed, then went downstairs for some coffee and breakfast, and to give me the room. A while later he was very sweet and brought me some food, which I was starving by that time! It was cold when I finally was able to take a break, but luckily we’re in a room with a full kitchen, so microwave and toaster it was! By the time they took lunch, about 12p EST, it was only 9a PST for me, so perfect! Lunch for them, breakfast for me!

I will say this…it’s hard looking at the clock knowing it’s 12p there and 9a here, and I’m starving, but one advantage, and this reminds me of working from home in Hawai’i…They are done at 445p, I was done about 145p! Win-win for me!

After he brought me food, PSM got dressed and headed out to explore Las Vegas and I would meet up with him later. The Las Vegas Strip to be exact!

So…after I finished teaching, I got dressed and headed to pick up SDL and Miss A and we were going to meet everyone else at Planet Hollywood. It was so good to see them, I haven’t seen them since I got back from London, I was going through withdrawals! We loaded up into an Uber and headed over to meet everyone at Planet Hollywood, ok, almost everyone, dad had just arrived and was getting settled into his hotel, we would see him at dinner.

From Planet Hollywood, PSM’s brother and sister-in-law, SM and JM, and his aunt and uncle, Auntie L and Uncle A, SDL, Miss A, PSM and I all headed out, into the surface of the sun! and across the street to the Bellagio. One of my favorite places and a must see every time I am in Las Vegas is the Bellagio, first the ceiling in the lobby, it’s all Chihuly, well, Chihuly flowers, Dale Chihuly to be exact. If you are not familiar with his work, he is an amazing glass artist, you may have seen his work and not realized it. Maybe you’ve seen his work in the botanical gardens near you, or in Atlantis, or on the streets of Tacoma, WA, just amazing installations!

Walk into the lobby of the Bellagio and just look up! After walking through the lobby, you go into the Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens and just…wow! Every season there is a new installation and it is all made from flowers. I’ve gotten to see it a few times and each time is wonderful, and spectacular, and brilliant, and amazing! There are actually a lot of things to do in Las Vegas that do not include gambling, and this is at the very top of my list. Here is a post with pics from 2017, just to give you an idea of some more fabulous!                                                        

Next…some people decided to head back to the room to relax before dinner and a show, so SDL, Miss A, PSM, and I went to watch the water show at the Bellagio Fountains, another must do in Las Vegas! I will admit, very cool, but cooler at night with the lights on! It is perfectly choreographed, set to music, and delights the senses! Ooh, I like that!

We walked along the strip, went into some of the casinos, got some drinks, cooled off, then headed to dinner at Nacho Daddy’s. I knew it sounded familiar! I had been there a few years ago when I was in Las Vegas for work, and the reason I liked them…Mexican and vegan options, go me! I knew it was a safe place for everyone! Aside from being a little loud, it was great!

After dinner, SDL and Miss A went to go see MJ Live at the Sahara Casino and the rest of us went to Planet Hollywood, which we happened to be on the outside of, so a very short walk to the Bakkt Theater to see Jeff Dunham, a great comedian/ventriloquist. He has some great puppets that he works with and I’ve been lucky enough to see him a few times. He brought out Walter, Bubba J, Peanut, Ahmed, and Jalapeno on a Stick. He did some classics, and some new material for a special he’s making for Netflix. If a joke does well, it’s in, if it flops, it’s not in. As he said, we were getting some new stuff for free!

The best part…because everyone had either gotten in very late last night, or in this afternoon, everyone was tired and I know I’m guilty of closing my eyes and nodding off a few times. But overall, it was a fun night, but I’m ready for bed!

We said good night to everyone, and Auntie L, Uncle A, PSM, and I grabbed an Uber back to the hotel. Don’t you just love The Strip at night? The colors, the lights, the neon signs, amazing! I really need to do a ‘My recommendations for Las Vegas, if you’re not a gambler’. Ok, but not tonight! I’m done!

No alarm tomorrow! We have lots to do, but no alarm! And…tomorrow I get to tell you the real reason we’re in Las Vegas! And it involves Elvis! G’night!



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