A Day At The Winery

He, the swinging bachelor from a small family, fell hard for this perky Italian Accountant. So after a couple of years of learning how the Italian half live; and introducing her to his cat, he knew what he had to do- it was time..

In the heat of mid-July, Todd decided to take the plunge. He contacted his family, her family, his friends and her friends to let them know the big one was coming… He was going to wine and dine her at the scenic Mount Pleasant Winery in Augusta, Missouri. Little did she know she was not just in for an afternoon and evening of drinking freshly bottled wine and eating delectable finger foods, it was going to be a decision of a lifetime.

He knew the day would be perfect, and the crowds would be small at this late afternoon setting. The two of them would get there around 4:30pm and everyone else was to descend on the scene at 5:30pm for the congratulations.

The two lovers, about to be engaged, arrived right on time with only a few patrons dining there. This was perfect! Todd suggested they go down to the gazebo to have their 1st drink and gaze out at the picturesque sky above and luscious green land below. As they poured the first glass, Todd presented her with a photo album he had put together of the two of them, and the times they had spent together-each photo accompanied by a personal note. As she flipped through the pages, and thought about how wonderful he was to have put this together, she was still oblivious as to what was to come.

Then…… he presented yet another page…She noticed an odd paper document that read as though it was an adoption certificate which was signed with a cat paw print. Well it was! For Todd’s cat Howard! Shaken and excited, she signed her name. At that point, she looked up, realizing what was just now happening, and he bent down on one knee, presented the ring and whispered “Ti amo tanto-Voi sposari a mei” which means, “I love you, will you marry me” in Italian; which he learned by several visits to her grandmother and mother. Her eyes immediately started to tear up as she said, “Si, Si, Si” which means, “Yes, Yes, Yes”. They hugged and kissed for awhile and admired the beauty of the sparkly ring he just presented to her. Unknowingly to her, he was still anxiously awaiting the next surprise.

As they walked back to the tables hand in hand, she suddenly began to see her mother and father, aunts, uncles, cousins, his family, their friends; and all were cheering with excitement. The rest of the night was filled with lots of food, fun and spirits! Everyone could not be happier!

Rosanne Ilardi and Todd Richter

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