11 years

March 4, 2000 was the last night of a show, which always means one thing – cast party. I had two very definite crushes on two castmates and the guys couldn’t have been more different from each other. One of the crushes was throwing the party (we’ll call him Socks, to protect his identity while alluding to the fact that at one point I had his roommates steal all his socks and give them to me. When he demanded their return I froze them all overnight first.) The other crush was also going to be in attendance (we’ll call him Abs, to protect his identity while alluding to the fact that the first time he moved from “cutie” to “crush” was the day he started doing handstands and his shirt fell down over his head). It seemed like a win/win situation to me as I told my roommates I was planning on making my move that night. One or the other was about to fall into my trap.

As it turns out, Socks ended up in a room with another castmate when we were all ready to crash for the night. So I turned my attention to Abs and made my move. Apparently I had made the right choice, because 11 years later and Abs has become more than just a crush, he’s turned into a loving and caring partner and ½ of your all time favorite couple in Thathouse.

What’s funny, is that Thatboy and I did NOT start dating after that night. In fact, the very beginning of our relationship we weren’t in a relationship at all. And Thatboy was a complete and total jerk. (He hates this part of the story, so I’ll leave you with that abridged version and maybe fill in the blanks at a later point in time.) We didn’t actually start our relationship until after Spring Break, and I think that was sometime in April. Nevertheless, we both consider our relationship to have begun on that fateful night in March. Afterall, it was our first kiss. And, save for a handful of days, we were seeing each other on a daily basis, even if it was just as friends. And it was that period of time that made Thatboy realize just how important I was to him when he was away during Spring Break. Those weeks of not dating that made him seek me out the instant he returned in the hopes that he wouldn’t have to spend any more days without me.

Now that we’re married, Thatboy and I don’t usually do anything to commemorate this date, other than turn to each other in the morning and say something like “Holy Crap. Can you believe it’s been ______ years? We are SO old.” But I also can’t remember the last time March 4 fell on a Friday. So on Monday I made reservations for one of our favorite “fancy night” restaurants and sent Thatboy a text that he had a date for Friday night. We’re heading out tonight after work.

Which means I get to dig into the archives to find something fun to share with you while we’re out enjoying popcorn and burrata and probably lamb. I picked this, because it reminds me of March 5, 2000. As all the cast members gathered our belongings the next morning, Thatboy asked if I’d like to join him for breakfast. Technically, you could consider it our first date – that is, if we were dating. It was undeniably romantic, under the harsh neon lights of the dorm cafeteria, (Sorry, “residential dining halls”) surrounded by hundreds of people in their pajamas. But it is the quintessential symbol of our relationship. It’s nothing flashy, nothing fancy, it just exists amid the hustle and bustle of every day life.

Crustless Quiche
1/2 lb ground sausage, cooked
4 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 tsp dry mustard
salt and pepper
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 chopped green bell pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350. Place eggs, cream, mustard, salt and pepper to taste in a large bowl and whisk.
2. Stir in sausage, 1/2 cup of cheese and the green pepper.
3. Pour the egg mixture into an 8x8 baking pan. Bake 40-45 minutes until eggs are set.
4. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and and let stand 5 minutes before cutting and serving.