The First Time

Take your mind out of the gutter -- I'm not talking about THAT first time. I'm talking about the first time you just knew in your heart and soul that This Is The One.

The oldies have a magical story. He was shot down in WWII and seriously injured. She was an army nurse who tended to him, talked to him and literally nursed him back to health. They had three dates and married in a style that has only been duplicated by the royal family.

I met the husband because my boss at the time asked me to track him down for a business situation. There was no Internet but I'm diligent and I did find him. He came to town and I found him arrogant, but intriguing. A few years later, we were sitting near each other at an advertising function. Later that week, we met for a drink. Somewhere in that evening, I knew.

I prefer the drama and the classiness of the oldies' story. You've got melodrama with the war. You've got officers and people who behaved like ladies and gentlemen. They both swear they knew immediately that This Was The One. My little ol' romantic heart finds some magic in that statement. Even when they're getting on my nerves.

The Royals

We're coming up on the 10th anniversay of Princess Diana's death. (Pardon the aside, but where did that decade go?) I remember exactly where I was when I heard the news. With the time difference, her death was announced on the Baby's birthday.

I was obsessed with Princess Grace. I'm still fascinated with her family -- they are wild and madcap. Is Albert gay? (I know he keeps fathering children but I'm still not convinced.) Did Caroline recover from the death of her husband? I know she moved on to that Spanish guy with another title, but they don't look very happy to me. Will Stephanie have a happy life or will she continue to date/marry bodyguards and Carribean Joes?

What happened to Prince William and Kate? Is Prince Harry going to Iran/Afghanistan or not? How will they protect him? Why this is important to me is beyond logic.

When Diana and Charles were married, I was planning my own wedding. She was my idol. I dragged myself out of bed to watch every moment of it. In her honor, I also dragged myself out of bed to watch her funeral procession. That card on top of the flowers, with the inscription, "Mummy," did me in. Also, the speech by her brother...

Now Princes William and Harry are grown. Charles has married Camilla, along with her endless supply of bad clothing and bad hats. I adored Diana but I suspect that he and Camilla are a better fit. The Queen seems to have accepted her. I don't believe that Prince Phillip has a lot of pull in these discussions.

Do you ever look back? I can't imagine living life under this worldwide microscope.

I would never second-guess God, but I'm pretty sure he was busy with something else. I was meant to be a Royal.