A Winter Wonderland Escape
It was a quiet time between Christmas and New Year. Peter was off for the week but did not wish to go on a long trip. One day just after a late breakfast he said, “Come on let’s go for a drive.”
I was game. We never knew where our drives would lead us to. It was always a mini adventure.
It was a bitter cold day. Peter had recently bought me a silver fox coat which was the perfect coat for the weather. He had also bought me two fur hats on his latest business trip to Russia. One was a fox and the other a mink. I put on the fox one. I was dressed for the weather. He dressed appropriately as well. He had his Cossack fur hat on and was wrapped with a long warm woolen scarf which he wrapped about his neck several times and tucked inside his coat. We must have looked like we had just arrived from the Russian steppes.
Our dog Max was with Kelly in California. We had no one to be responsible to, so off we went. I put on our Four Seasons compact disc on in the car. That’s how we began each trip. Even if this was going to only be a day trip, it was the perfect way to start it. We were encapsulated in our own perfect little world. The car was warm and filled with music. The steely grey skies were accentuated with the skeletal outlines of the naked trees. Clouds hovered over them as if to cover their nakedness. We felt as if we were swaddled in a warm idyllic little universe of our very own as we drove out of the city.
“Where are we going, Peter?” I asked.
I should have guessed his answer. “That’s for me to know and…”
“Me to find out!” I chuckled. With a smile on his face, he took my hand into his as he drove. Contentedly we drove on. We passed one town after another until we came to a little town where we spotted a quaint little tea shop. We parked and entered. It was a tiny welcoming place. Soft Christmas music was playing. The tables were decorated with Christmas baubles and tiny evergreen and ivy branches. We were served the most delightful tea. We leaned back and enjoyed the moment as we sipped our tea and nibbled at a pastry.
We drove on when we were done. The next town we stopped, because we were attracted by the quaint little antique shops. Despite the chilly weather, we wandered about, arm in arm, peeking through shop windows, browsing through others. In one shop, I found a hand-painted miniature page of the Shah Nameh. It was waterstained. I asked how much he wanted for it. He said three thousand dollars. I thought not and walked away. Peter breathed a sigh of relief. He remembered a time when I bought an antique desk and a signed art deco water jug at an auction. An art dealer was bidding against me, and I was getting very upset. She outbid me on everything I fancied, but they made a mistake on one and gave me the water jug. I was elated. Peter was not. All the way home, he alluded to my habit of collecting antiques, which would eventually end up with us being homeless. All through that Sunday, he grumbled. Monday morning, as he was about to leave for the office, the telephone rang. It was from the auction house. They had made a mistake. Could I please return the silver jug? I am so sorry, but I had gifted it already. “Oh Stella!” “Oh Tony…”
Now Peter was pleased and proudly told everyone that his wife had such an eye for art. Hmm! At any rate, as we wandered to a charming town laden with antique stores, we realized it was getting dark and we were getting hungry. We asked around for a good place to eat. A German restaurant was suggested. It was amazing. As we entered, we noticed the number of fireplaces in the room. They were numerous. On each mantelpiece, beer steins were arranged. Over them hung wreaths. The fires were burning robustly in each one of them. On two corners of the room were brightly lit decorated Christmas trees. The waiters and waitresses were dressed in German costumes. The people dining were sedately dressed. I felt we had gone back in time. We loved it! What were we served? That was the best of all. There was pâtée foie gras, venison, pheasants, and other delights. By the time we were done, it was quite late, and we had wined and dined to our hearts’ content. The warmth of the fireplaces had mellowed us to a state of euphoria.
We decided to stay at a hotel. We bought essentials for such a stay and checked in. After a long restful sleep, the next day we headed back home. Nestled amongst some trees, alongside a country road, we found an eatery that served an old-fashioned breakfast. We had thick delicious pancakes smothered in butter and syrup, drank endless cups of hot strong coffee. We shared in the happy mood of all the local people enjoying their holiday interlude as well. Reluctantly we meandered back towards home. Our country drive had turned into a very special occasion. All these years later, I look back on that time with a smile on my face and joy in my heart.