Love at first site, “Oh, do you know Mr. Old Spice?”. Captain America finally noticed that I was not listening to his arrogant, narcissistic rambling. I shook my head no. “Well, he’s on a boat in the marina, we’ll probably see him at the party tonight.” Yay party”, and, yes I did officially meet Mr. Old Spice, from South Hampton, England, suave, debonair with a very thick British accent. Later at a disco at the top of the rain forest after many Boat Drinks ….”Daaaarling, may I have this dance?”. We chatted while dancing slow to a fast song, and I couldn’t understand a word he said. I just gazed up into his aquamarine eyes and melted. I returned home the next day. We exchanged love letters, and one year later, Mr. Old Spice and I were re-united on his mate’s 48 foot Hinckley sailing vessel. We sailed to Cooper Island, in the midst of the British Virgin Island’s Sir Francis Drake channel. Holding hands, he walked me down a path of palm tree lined sand singing the Hawaiian Wedding Song (Elvis version) and then knelt on one knee and asked me to marry him. We were married on my Dad’s swamp tour boat by a judge dressed in camouflage hunting gear. Tabatha was born one year later.

Shortly after Mr. Old Spice’s parents, Admiral Danforth and Lady Godiva visited. Of course, I prepared a not-so-traditional English roast, without roasted potatoes and Yorkshire pudding, but with my Mom’s famous whipped potatoes. After a few glasses of St. Emillion grand cru, Lady Godiva feeling quite uninhibited stated in thick Liverpool slang, “Not only is Ronald Reagan a terrible president, but he is an awful actor as well”. Feeling patriotic (stage 3 – Jimmy Buffet live in Concert, New Orleans, Mardi Gras, 1980), I stood up, placed my right hand on my chest and chanted, “I pledge allegiance to the…”Sit down Melinda”, Mr. Old Spice pleaded firmly, “flag of the United States of America, “Sit down Melinda”, he demanded loudly, I continued “and to the republic….” Clearly, I was not then, nor ever in the future Lady Godiva’s favorite daughter in law (even though I remain the only one).