The Seven Year Itch

On Valentine's Day, 2005 I was single.  I went out for dinner with a friend and had a lovely time.  Later on that evening, I got a phone call from a guy I had 'met' on a dating website.  We'd chatted for a while on MSN, then graduated to SMS's and phone calls.  He called to invite me out for a drink as he had finished work earlier than expected.  I said yes.

I broke all the 'rules' of Internet dating.  No one knew I was going out with him or where we were going, I gave him my home address and he picked me up from there.  We went to the Rainbow Hotel in Fitzroy and we bought each other drinks.  We chatted and flirted and generally had a great time getting to know each other in the real world. I learned that he was a musician who was just starting to study to become a teacher.  At the time I had just embarked on a librarian course, something that I was never to finish, for many reasons.

As he was driving me home, I remarked that I felt quite tipsy, which was odd, as I had only had about four glasses of Kahlua and milk, which was not a lot for me.  He rather sheepishly told me that that ones he got me 'may have contained double shots'.  The guy was Chyken, and the rest, as they say, is history.  A year later we were engaged, two years after that we got married and now we live in the Castle surrounded  by cats.

Seven years.  It's certainly the longest relationship I've ever been in.  Perhaps seven years has to do with the fact that for the last week I have been itchy.  All.  The.  Time.  I've been to the doctor twice and handed over more money than I care to add up at the chemist in that time.  The doctors have no idea what is causing it.  There is no rash, and I haven't started eating anything new or used any new products.  The chemist and first doctor I saw suggested antihistamines, which cost a fortune, but did nothing.  The only thing that seemed to do anything was marinating in Pinetarsol.  Have you ever smelt that stuff?  It's like a mouldy Christmas tree has thrown up on you.  Not pleasant at all!  After using that I would get about an hour of relief, then I'd have to have another shower.  I went back to the doctor on Monday and she seemed to be the only one who has taken me seriously.  She arranged a battery of tests and put me on some hard core steroid tablets.  The good news?  They WORK!!  Well, kinda.  I'm still itchy, but nowhere near as much.  Hopefully the test results next week will tell us what is causing it, because I don't want to be taking these tablets forever.

So, given that yesterday was Valentine's Day, or as we like to call it, Anniversary Day, it is traditional that we do something to celebrate.  Chyken and I take it in turns to organise a surprise for each other on this day and our Wedding anniversary.  This one was Chyken's turn.

It started with presents!  A rather large box of chocolates and something I had hinted about for Christmas, but didn't get then...

I love it!

We then drove into the city and after much changing of our minds, settled on Lygon Street for dinner.  It was delicious!  We also had the first dessert of the evening there, Creme Caramel and a slice of cheesecake.

The big surprise of the night though was that we were going on a ghost tour.  Of the Old Melbourne Gaol!  This place is spooky enough during the daytime, so I was nervous, but it was really interesting.  They explain at the start that they are not there to convince you of the ghosts, they merely present the facts as they know them.  Lots of stories told by past workers at the gaol and lots of people who have seen/felt things over the years.  An aspect of the tour I was impressed with was that the guide carried and iPad with her and showed us lots of photos of past prisoners and photos that had been sent to them from visitors to the gaol showing unexplained images of what may or may not be ghosts.

Given that I had no idea where we were going, and Chyken is terrible at answering the 'But what should I wear?' question, I was reasonably dressed up to look for ghosts, but thems the breaks!

This is where 133 people were hanged.  Including Ned Kelly.

This is Cell 17.  Apparently  the most haunted area of the gaol.  I went in there and immediately felt sick, rather dizzy and felt that I needed to leave.  I tried to go in there three times, each with the same result.  I'm not what you would call a 'believer', but Cell 17 freaked me out.

They have copies of Ned Kelly's mask that you can try on.  Well. actually they have a sign next to them that says kids can try them on, but if the helmet fits....

I like to think Ned would have done a bit of this while wearing the armour.  

On the way home we had Mr Whippy.  (Dessert Number 2 for those playing along at home).  This van is usually set up near the airport on warm nights .  Sometimes there are two of them trying to out-light each other, but there was only one and he was almost out of sherbet, but had just enough for two ice creams.  The perfect end to a perfect Anniversary Day.

I would like to thank Chyken for seven amazing years.  Neither of us could have known this was how that date would end up, but I am so glad it has.  I do not know what I would do without him.  He takes care of me, he picks me up when I am feeling down and he makes me laugh.  Oh how he makes me laugh!  He also  makes the best toasted sandwiches and is the greatest dishwasher-stacker that has ever lived.  I love him much more than a lot. xxx

How do you spend your Anniversary Day?