Mine was Dec. 24, 1971. My soon-to-be fiance had made reservations at a famous restaurant in Pittsburgh to celebrate Christmas. The LeMont is situated on a bluff overlooking Pittsburgh's Golden Triangle and reservations by the window are hard to obtain. He had planned on surprising me with my engagement ring that evening but was so excited that he couldn't wait until we arrived at the restaurant. While in the car he gave me a present to open. Inside was an old German Christmas ornament that had been in his family. It consisted of three balls that nestled inside each other. When I opened the smallest ball I discovered my ring. He really did surprise me, the first of many. I was so excited that I barely recall the actual meal. But it truly was my most memorable. Here's a link to the view - http://www.lemontpittsburgh.com/LeMont/images_04/images_04/homepage_r5_c1.jpg

The "ice/water/stone/fire" combination is just a variation of "fridge/sink/stove" work triangle that every kitchen designer is taught - it is nothing new, except for the addition of "stone", and one is going to have countertops all around the kitchen regardless, and so this addition is unnecessary. Better to keep it simple and remember the classic "fridge/sink/stove" work triangle, which has been around for many decades. I was taught the kitchen work triangle when I was getting my interior design degree, and I believe that all other designers have been taught this as well.

Here are a few more characters I think apply to the main question: Billy Kwan in The Year of Living Dangerously by Christopher J. Koch and in the subsequent film starring Mel Gibson, Sigourney Weaver, and Linda Hunt. I read the book first and in it there is no doubt that Billy is male. Actually, there's none in the film, either, except the role of Billy is played by a woman. When I first saw the film, I didn't know that the actor is female, so I wasn't wowed by the fact that she played Billy so convincingly. Some watchers, however, can't seem to get past that fact. At any rate, without Billy Kwan, a heterosexual male dwarf, the story wouldn't be much beyond the typical love affair during difficult times. (That descriptive of a particular type of a small-sized person is not PC, I know, but good grief, things do have to be taken in context of the times depicted.) Flora in The Piano by Jane Campion and Kate Pullinger and in the film starring Holly Hunter, Harvey Keitel, Anna Paquin. The book actually came after the film, in one of the rare instances when a novelization of a screenplay is quite well written, probably because Jane Campion, the screenwriter and director, had her hand in the novel as well. As memorable as Flora is in the film as the daughter of the main character, Ada, I was pleasantly surprised that her actions were translated to the book in depth. Sally Bowles in Christopher Isherwood's Berlin Stories and in a couple of films: "I Am a Camera" (Julie Harris in the role of Sally) and in "Cabaret" (with Liza Minnelli as Sally) Sally Bowles was English in Isherwood's stories and in "I Am a Camera" (although Julie Harris, the actress, was from the U.S.), but she's American in "Cabaret." I read somewhere that Minnelli was so perfect for the part, but she couldn't sustain an English accent so it was logical to change Sally's nationality. I agree in this instance. What about Harry Lime in The Third Man, a novelization by Graham Greene of his own screenplay for the film of the same title starring Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten, and Alida Valli? Apparently, Greene wanted the character of Holly Martins to be English instead of American. But he always wanted the villain to be American. Greene did not have a very high opinion of Americans. Instead, Martins as played by Joseph Cotten is a Yank. But which is the main character, Harry Lime or Holly Martins, in spite of the billing order of the starring actors? The English characters, all of whom could be said to be secondary, are some of the best ever, I think: Major Calloway (Trevor Howard), Sergeant Paine (Bernard Lee), and Crabbin (Wilfrid Hyde-White). What do you all think of those characters? Good choices or not? I'm trying to think of very well known books and films that many people have probably read or seen, although it is likely more have seen the films.

I can also relate to holidays and missing loved ones. My parents passed away a few years ago, but the pain sometimes is all too fresh. I miss them terribly. I’ve spent many a holiday on my own, for various reasons, and I more-than-survived just fine. I’d tell of my ‘awful’ holidays, but frankly, some were nightmarishly horrible, not in a funny way and there is no way to make some things humorous (even for me). Between truly psychotic siblings and now, mean as snake in-laws, holidays are sometimes a terrible time for me. Did I say I miss my folks? I did, and do. This year’s Thanksgiving was a lovely improvement! DH and I married a little over a year ago, after decades of on/off dating and chronic bachelorhood’s on both our parts, and we are enjoying this wonderful new chapter in our lives together! Thanksgiving Day we worked in bitter cold installing a new vent inside, outside, and under the house for a new washer/dryer set to be delivered – DH felt the old venting was unacceptable (I love that things must be ‘just so’ according to him; he’s a can-do perfectionist). Later we made rather strong Old Fashioned’s, relaxing with a blazing fire as we warmed our frosty hands and toes. I prepared 2 enormous filet mignons with hollandaise sauce, baked potatoes, and steamed asparagus – we ate far past the satiated point! A simple meal to prepare, but delightful. With full stomachs and warming bodies we talked of how we are always working on the house now – laughing at and with each other over the day’s more humorous events, discussing how anxious we are to start demolition for our renovations, and other things… Things couples who’ve known one another for decades comfortably talk of. Life is pretty wonderful. I’ve much to be thankful for. …Then our heat pump broke. F@#%.