April 6 Holiday!

 April 6 is a holiday at our house.  Every year with few exceptions, over the past 27 years, we have eaten Chinese food on April 6.  We do this to remember that 27 years ago Roger asked me out on our first date and it was a Wednesday because I worked weekends waitressing and bar-tending, paying my way through nursing school.  I was super nervous for this date because Roger was a nice guy and I didn't want to screw it up.  I skipped classes that afternoon and raided my mom's closet because her clothes were nicer.  I wore a salmon colored blazer because it was the mid-90s and that was stylish....and he likely thought I had really good taste in clothes that day.  Later he would learn that I wore more long flowy skirts and t-shirts and sandles but whatever, I wanted to make a good impression.  

We drove to Sioux City and ate at a nice chinese restaraunt and we talked and laughed and I just kind of knew that it mattered.  The next year on April 6 we were committed and exclusive and we ate chinese again to remember our first date...and it became a tradition in a quiet way that we have managed to continue.  Isn't that great?  I think it's great.  

Last year on April 6 I tried to get Chinese for us to eat....but no restaraunts were open because of stupid covid.  I thought maybe I could cook Chinese so I went to the store but there was nothing on the shelves and we were in complete freak-out mode with covid and everything was hard and the pathetic offering I managed to buy from the store was barely Chinese....it was tasteless and awerful and one of the many times I broke down and wept because of how frustrating the pandemic was......and it was only a few weeks into it.  If I had been thinking clearly I would have just bought some veggies and rice and seasoning and called it good but I was in a covid temper tantrum....

This year the restaraunts were open, if only for carry out in our little town.  We got some pepper chicken, some mongolian shrimp, some crab rangoons and fried rice and we feasted like we had never suffered at all.  I thanked him for asking me out.  He thanked me for 27 years of yes.....and I am feeling pretty grateful.  

Maybe you don't have a "first ever" date to remember, but anyone can start now and make a "next and awesome" tradition.....send me some ideas for your own holidays!