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Saturday, February 06, 2010

Wonderful weekends... - Natalie Anderson

This weekend my husband and I are celebrating our tenth wedding anniversary.
I can’t believe its gone so fast – in ten years we’ve lived in two countries, three cities, five houses, I started writing (he’s done all the laundry) and – the biggie – we’ve had four children.

Life has just been crazy busy wonderful.

To celebrate the decade, hubby and I are spending two nights – ALONE!!!

We’ve had only one night away from all the children before, for a wedding a couple of months ago. So this is very exciting – we’re dropping the kids to my mother and then going to a very cute little town called Akaroa on Banks Peninsula in the South Island of New Zealand. Akaroa was settled by the French in the nineteenth century before the British claimed it, but the French influence remains – so the streets are all ‘rue’ and there’s a yummy bakery and its all very lovely. Perfect actually, because my wip is set in France and I can pretend I’m in a tiny village on the Riviera… with my very own hero. (Not that I think about my work all the time… nope, never!)

We have some very fabulous French champagne already packed, a waterfront hotel booked, and pretty much no other plans than that – none to be aired publicly anyway!
Frankly, I’m as giggly and as over-excited as a teen who’s just been asked to prom by her crush. I am so looking forward to it. Ten years has flown by – that isn’t to say it hasn’t had its challenges (four kids remember – four under four for a while there!) but it has been wonderful! I feel very lucky.

But sometimes it isn’t so easy though is it – especially for the poor characters in my books! This month I’ve got two couples with some serious ‘history’ – Jared was the crush of Amanda’s teen years – and he totally crushed her. They meet again as adults in Hot Boss, Boardroom Mistress – and realise that all those extreme teen emotions are most definitely still around! Meanwhile in To Love, Honour & Disobey, Seb and Ana had a wild affair that culminated in a spur of the moment marriage. Now that divorce papers are served, Seb realises just what it is he wants…
Anyway, let me know what your ideal romantic weekend retreat would be and I’ll pick a winner to receive a copy both books. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

With very best wishes,
Natalie
http://www.natalie-anderson.com/

10 comments:

Alison said...

I'm with you - the idea of a weekend away together would be wonderful. We have just one little girl, but she's very demanding. By the time bedtime arrives we're shattered, and she's still testing the bounce-ability of the mattress! I wouldn't mind going anywhere, but I know how lucky we are to have her.

Virginia C said...

I think it would be lovely to go somewhere we've never been, either alone or as a couple. To try new foods and experience a new culture and step outside our everyday world...together! Making sure all children, pets, household matters and work responsibilites were secured, we would be as carefree as possible. Enjoying each others company as friends and lovers and rediscovering why we first fell in love.

gcwhiskas at aol dot com

host said...

Congrats! My ideal weekend would be somwhere where is warm and relaxing without anthing to worry about :)

Laney4 said...

I am spoiled. I don't feel the need to "go somewhere" for a romantic weekend. My kids are grown (although still live at home, paying R&B). My husband and I take advantage of every available moment we can. When we both aren't working, we go for a drive, we shop (not necessarily buying anything), we visit friends, we have friends over, or we stay in together (often the case). Home is where the heart is ... still ... after 28.5 years and running.

BTW, our honeymoon first night was spent at a Ramada Inn, so we visited various Ramada Inns every anniversary weekend for several years. We had central air in our house, so my husband's brother and family came here to babysit our two young ones (years later), as we were only away from Saturday mornings until Sundays at suppertime.

Caroline said...

My ideal getaway would be a spa break with DH. A hot jacuzzi - bring it on! Caroline x

Rebekah E. said...

Congrats on your ten year wedding anniversary. Time really does fly. My get weekend getaway would probably be being hole up in some cabin up on the colorado rocky mountains.

Linda Henderson said...

Congratulations on your anniversary. My idea of a weekend away would be to go to a nice bed and breakfast for the weekend. I've always thought those were romantic.

Michele L. said...

Hi Natalie,
That sounds so romantic and just perfect! My husband is pretty thoughtful. Over the years we have had picnics in a park, at the beach, in our backyard. Once he lead me into a field that was pretty secluded and we had a picnic. We started getting romantic, kissing, etc. and a big ole' horse fly decided to come buzzing around us at that time and spoiled everything! We hurried up and bundled up everything and left because it wouldn't leave us alone.

I love going to cozy hotel's for the weekend. My hubby and I went to Frankenmuth, Michigan and had a blast! We stayed at this wonderful hotel that was all decorated in a German theme. Just loved it!

runner10 said...

A nice quick 3-day weekend does wonders for our relationship. It is so refreshing to escape the everyday madness.

Donna Alward said...

Nat - congrats on the anniversary!

Last spring we had our first night alone since our eldest was born - over 11 years earlier. This year we're planning a trip for our fifteenth anniversary! I can hardly wait. We had a very modest honeymoon and this feels like perhaps a second one!