4/15/10

The Viking

This is not The Viking but he loves this painting. He saw it in my apartment in New Jersey 1984. It's a cover up painting. There are about four other paintings underneath. I told him he can have it. He left it with me. He asked me to bring it with me to Texas when I moved. I had no idea why he thought I would move. Two years later I moved to Texas.




I love my husband. I call him The Viking. He is of Norwegian, English and German decent. The photos on the left were taken around the time we met in the Philippines. He was a Peace Corps Volunteer and I was taking post graduate nursing studies in Manila. I have loved him since that evening I saw him from across the room at a Christmas party in 1979. Our glances met. He was wearing white polo shirt with thin horizontal stripes and blue jeans. He looked so handsome yet so gentle. He looked like a very kind man. All my impressions of him were true. I was so jolted and shaken, suddenly I felt my chest cavity tighten, I had to catch my breath. I whispered to myself "Oh my God! I just met my husband." It took another two hours of exchanging glances before I got so fed up that he was so shy, he did not approach me. I came with a friend and she was impatient. She wanted to leave. She told me that her chauffeur was waiting downstairs and was getting hungry. I told her to let the chauffeur come up and eat. She had none of it. I told her I was waiting for the American to approach me. She warned me about American men then she left me at the party. I approached The Viking, I was so nervous yet excited. He was so handsome with blond hair and mustache. We were both young. I said: "Hi, I saw you looking at me from across the room." He replied "You were looking at me too." I retorted "You looked first." He responded "Yes, please sit down next to me."I was wearing white rolled up long sleeved collared shirt tucked in my blue jeans. I sat down next to him. He said "I like your shoes." I was wearing custom made brown oxford shoes.


He complains about my shoes. He says I have so many shoes. He thinks I must have a hundred. I correct him. "One hundred and one, at least!" He exhales. I love my husband.

39 comments:

Silke Powers said...

Oh, I love that story! The love you have for each other is palpable! Meeting Daniel was much the same for me. It was my first day in the United States when I saw him. It was like an electric shock and I know I had known him forever. I was only 19 but that was that! We are so very lucky!! TSUP! Silke

audrey said...

Awwwwww. This story is SO beautiful, Ces.
You are truly blessed to have found each other and to have built a beautiful family together.
♥ audrey

Ces Adorio said...

Thank you Silke. I love reading about how you and Daniel met. That is just a wonderful love story. I am so glad you found each other and are giving each other much happiness.

Thank you Audrey. Yes, a blessing indeed. He is a very good man who comes from a good family.

Having said that, a DISCLAIMER: our marriage is not Utopian by any means. Like anything in this human existence we have to work hard. Sometimes I could qualify for an episode for "wife from hell" if there was such a show and the Viking, well, he is a man, but we love each other. That counts for a lot.

Dear Fireflies said...

*SIGHHHHH*...... (*____*)

Why am I not surprised you made the first move???

Ces Adorio said...

Huh!??? Amalia!!! I just said Hello, sort of.

Anne Huskey-Lockard said...

Oh Ces, your voice was exactly the same then! What a story!!! The "You looked first." line is what got me---no messing with Ces!
And a woman should have at least 100 pair of shoes.....what do men understand of this??? <:)

XXOO!!
Anne

illustration poetry said...

very lovely...

illustration poetry said...

but you seem so quiet.
is everything alright?
are you angry with me or something?
im worried...

im off to fly now... grande witch.

ps: i hope you two will be together evermore just like my linked bird.
just never forget to carry the key everywhere you go, ok?

xxoo

Leslie said...

How wonderful! Thanks for sharing it.

yoborobo said...

Hi Ces! That was very romantic. I am all smiles now, thinking of you and the Viking. And he was very handsome, and you were (are) very beautiful, so it does seem like a fairy tale. But I have been married for a long time, and I know all too well the Wife from Hell Show. I think there are several episodes of me now in reruns! :) Btw, I love the pictures of you on your sidebar, especially the one where you are holding your baby girl. So sweet!! xo Pam

Deborah said...

**swoons** Oh Ces, this is so beautiful. I am all teary-eyed. **sniff** It is so important to always remember what brought us together in the first place...that connection. I, personally, I still have not gotten over that photo of the Viking in his speedo! Seriously, no wonder you moved to Texas!!! teehee. There are cycles, seasons to a marriage...for anything that is living and breathing is constantly changing. Which is where commitment comes in, to get you through the tough times, the growing pains, the difficult children, the dying parents. I think that if a couple begins to speak of divorce, that every one present at their wedding, the witnesses to their love and commitment, should come together and witness back to the couple...good grief. Much unasked for advice! HA! **kisskiss** Deb

Deborah said...

Oh, if you are thirsty, you can come drink from the pond...the kitties call it "protein water".
♥ Deb

Unknown said...

aww.. Lovely Ces!!!!
true love!!yay!!
That's so weird .. I call my little one 'The Viking" we have since he was a baby.. he has this flaming red hair ( that no one knows where it has come from) he is HUGE for his age and TAKES NO PRISONERS.. is as stubborn as an ol' .. well an ol' ..VIKING!!! Hehe .. sounds like yours is a sweet , soft viking.. mine is a tough little pirate!!
but oh so CUTE !!
And this is his birthday.. so it's happy viking day!!! You must have known as you posted this today!!! GO VIKINGS!!!!
Luv H

Janice / Dancing with Sunflowers said...

What a lovely story, Ces. The Viking is a handsome man indeed - and yes, he looks (looked, 30 years ago - but I'm sure he still is!) gentle and kind. Interesting about that painting you did long ago. You seem more connected to the earth now when you paint, but the rich, earthy colours were there all along.
Hope you're having a lovely day!
Janice.

Unknown said...

YES my little Celt has 'red ringlets!!!!! I so don't want to cut his hair .. it makes him LOOK like angel Gabriel even if he doesn't act like him! But he INSISTS that his hair is straight!! ( OH so not!)
He is the grand ol' age of 3 today!

I LOVE that you have 101 pairs of shoes!! and I love that your viking loves you just the perfect way you are!!!

Ces Adorio said...

Helen! DON'T CUT his hair, yet... I like it when little boys have long hair. Mine had long hair until he went to school.

Bella Sinclair said...

Something stinks. I followed the smell, and it led me here. But now I'm quite confused, because THIS, surely, cannot be the source of the stink. Heavens, no. The story of the Viking and the Nurse is a beautiful fairy tale indeed. You both were and still are so very beautiful in so many ways.

Bella Sinclair said...

Your kids can attest to the aroma of roses? Are you in the habit of expelling gas in their faces?

Bella Sinclair said...

Totoro farts smell like freshly mowed grass.

Bella Sinclair said...

Happy Viking Day!

Bella Sinclair said...

If I always smell like roses, that must mean I'm always....oh! whoops, excuse me again.

Marie S said...

I love the picture of you two together. How sweet. Look at that the look of innocence all over your face.
tsup with that?? LOL!!

Bella Sinclair said...

Off to lunch now.

It is now 52.

Yeah, what Marie said. Wipe that innocent look off your face.

Dear Fireflies said...

AHAHAHA...!!! I love teasing you, of course, Ces me dear!! 'Making the first move' as in coming up to him first is what girls should do rather than waiting (too long) for the guy to do it... Well, you sure made quite an impression to The Viking by doing that, didn't you? Heheheheh...

Dear Fireflies said...

By the way, I like your photo...cute as a button! (^______^)

audrey said...

Gads, Ces, you are just now leaving work? No wonder you don't sleep ~ there is so much to do once you get home and then you have to play on your blog with your many, many, sisterfriends ~ no time for sleep!!!
I still have a pack of peeps I could send you! hahahahaha
♥ audrey

Manon said...

Awe..... what a wonderful love story!! Your Viking is very handsome and you are very beautiful! Quite the lovely couple. Your story warms my heart, Ces!

Btw.... stop hiding the canvases from your dear man!!

Poetic Artist said...

A love story..I love a real love story.You make a wonderful couple.
It is such a nice story.
AHHH...
Katelen

Dear Fireflies said...

Hey Ces, if you're not too busy hiding canvases behind your easel, please come by... I have a little gift for you! oxx

Jan said...

No wonder you make such beautiful art if you have such lovely love in your home. Congratulations and happy anniversary!!

Andrew Finnie said...

Gee Ces, he is a good looking bloke, isn't he? Even I liked your story. PS what colour socks was he wearing?

Ces Adorio said...

Thank you very much friends for your heartwarming and inspirational comments and compliments to my beloved Viking.

Caroline said...

I think Bella nailed it - a lovely fairy tale! It's heartwarming to see couples like you and the Viking still together after all these years - we're celebrating our 33rd anniversary today!

Jean said...

Vous donnez une âme à vos peintures !

BT said...

Wow, what a romantic story. I had to laugh about the shoes. He is so handsome and you so beautiful, yours eyes just had to meet across that room. ~Sighs~.

Tammie Lee said...

this post is entirely romantic
my heart responded as I read your words
how lovely that you get to live this love story~

Lisa Holtzman said...

SO romantic and sweet. Yes, the viking does look handsome and gentle. You have good instincts!

alixelena2 said...

South Pacific, "Some Enchanted Evening" some words are .."across a crowded room. And somehow you know.."

How Magnifique
Alli

Becky said...

Ces, long time, no see. Hope you are doing well. I loved your story!