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Creative Date Night Ideas |
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THE MELLO MOTEL submitted by:
Cherie Burich
On a frigid winter Friday morning a friend phoned to share her excitement about her upcoming trip to the Florida Keys. By the end of the conversation my eyes had filled with a tropical green hue of envy. I thought about my husband Tim and all the pressure he was under at work. Over the last few weeks he seemed so cranky tired and worn out. I couldn’t think of anyone who needed a vacation more. . The pity party I was engulfed in ended abruptly the moment I turned on the porch light of the Mello Motel. Nothing more than a wishful fantasy that was born in my imagination, was this charming bed and breakfast suite. I closed my eyes and I could see it. A beautiful cottage nestled between towering snow -covered pines. There was a huge stone chimney sporting a steady steam of smoke ascending into the still night air. So inspired by the relaxing tones of this magical place I knew I had to create it right inside of our small home. Thoughts and idea’s poured forth so quickly I could barely get them down on paper. Knowing my husband wouldn’t be returning from work for several hours I was sure I had enough time to transform his castle into the Mello Motel. I penned the logo ‘Mello Motel’ atop a sheet of paper and before I knew it I wrote the make believe heritage and history of the motel in two short paragraphs. The motto here was good old fashioned R&R. Next came the motel directory followed by the Mello Motel Restaurant Menu. I planned a cozy dinner by candlelight and came up with a House Specialty for dessert. It was called Mello Jell-O which was really Jell-O hidden in clouds of marshmallow cream. Because my husband never drank alcohol I filled plastic bottles of pop with grape juice and re-labeled them Mello Wine complete with the year and date. Slowly but surely the quaint semblances of a relaxing weekend retreat were taking shape right inside our home. Post it notes served as room numbers adorning the bedroom doors. I was having so much fun anticipating the look on my husband’s face when he would soon discover this ready-made vacation that I couldn’t stop. I created a spa in the bathroom with the help of lots of effervescent bath tablets. Our once boring bathtub was transformed into an oasis of invitation. Ripping the label off a plastic 7-up bottle I replaced it with my own label, Mello Champagne. I nestled it inside of the ice bucket and it rested on the ledge of the makeshift Jacuzzi. Even the toilet seat looked official as it proudly wore a handwritten banner that read, ‘SANITIZED’. Candles were strewn about the house waiting to be lit. Before my husband returned I put on a slinky
dress and carefully fixed my hair the way he liked it. His timing was
perfect. Just as I was putting the finishing touches on the hors
d’oeuvres tray I could hear the snow crunching under his car tires in the driveway. Sprinting from room to room dimming
lights and lighting candles I just made it to the front door, “Hello
honey…and welcome to the Mello Motel.” I said helping him off with
his coat .The day’s tensions melted away as we kissed in the doorway
and all I could think was… you haven’t even seen the Jacuzzi yet!!
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