When Alan asked Margaret

So everyone is now up to speed with our engagement. So now let me attempt to describe how I managed to pull it off. The location of our New Years trip was kept secret from Margaret for months. This is not an easy thing to do. I remember receiving a phone call very early in the morning; I think it was a Wednesday at like 2am.

"Where are we going?" "Nice try. Go to bed." “dang.” ::Click::
During these several weeks I was planning like a mad man, a man on a mission. Guys’, asking a girl to marry you is not unlike launching a space shuttle. You need planning, check lists, money, inclement weather plans, computers, and you cannot do it without a team. Also like a shuttle launch, it either works beautifully or it will explode in mid air. Thankfully we are in low earth orbit =)
So we made it to Paris, with Margaret blissfully unaware of the contents of my carry on bag. We stayed at the Hilton right next to the Eiffel Tower, which is a fabulous hotel; our room was huge and well furnished. I had booked us on a New Years river cruise, which was the stuff of cinema, a huge boat with a glass canopy, live music, amazing food, and everyone looking like extra’s from a James Bond movie. We got a seated next to this friendly gay couple who worked for a certain nameless theme park, and they were great table neighbors. They had been together for 22 years, which they explained, is like 75 years in gay years.

While Margaret was away I quickly explained to them my midnight engagement plans and they were thrilled. The cruise had our wall sized window right next to the Eiffel Tower at the stroke of midnight (I can’t recommend this cruise enough, it is worth every dime). The tower flashed and fireworks went off and bang it was 2007! Streamers, balloons, noisemakers everywhere! At this point I got up from the table, got down on one knee and asked Margaret to marry me. Our table neighbors, being the great people they are, grabbed my camera and snapped a few candid photos for us. Overall the most amazing night ever, and probably one of the first proposals of 2007 =)