The Future Mrs Hawkes!!!!!

Well blow me – the boy has managed to take me by surprise and pop the big question when I was least expecting it.

Which is no mean feat considering we were going to Mauritius, clearly a hot option for a spot of romanticality, plus I am a suspicious old bat of monumental proportions, so god only know show he managed to pull that off – but he did, with knobs on!

Was a combination of getting me off the scent pre-trip and then lying through his teeth (scarily well, must watch for that one going forwards!) with a range of excuses to get away from me on the day ('off to use the wifi in hotel reception', 'wifi down, got to go back in 15 mins', through to 'have seen a big fish flapping in the channel between the islands, am off to video it'?!)

And the full story just to fully nausate was dead luvverly it has to be said.

– Lured me down to the huge and empty hotel beach (ok, on the pretext of needing to let off wind pre-dinner, highly plausible it has to be said)

– Walked up and down to ostensibly trump (though none heard), with me little knowing there was a hotel fella behind a palm tree videoing our beach meanderings (actually a bit creepy as I didn't spot him)

– Walked past a boat tied up, obviously waiting to take two smug maybe-not-quite-marrieds to a single, beautifully lit pontoon out in the Indian Ocean, telling me 'not to be so silly' of course it's not for us')

– Only to then stop at said boat – and for me then to need the loo before setting off in the boat (old Girl Guide motto: Never get caught needing a pee on a pontoon)

– And then be wowed by the flowers, petals, candles, white table cloth etc etc - most importantly adorned with champers for him and a perfect caipirinia for me (he's the right man for sure!)

– And a mushy menu thingy with all our fave foods on it, all looking fabulous, though I can barely remember a thing of what I actually had…

– With the sounds of music from the main bar area wafting over the perfectly still waters (thank god no pontoon-sickness)

– Only to then say, there was still no chance of a ring, that he 'just wanted us to have a really nice dinner' – at which point I relaxed into my cocktail, no longer worrying that I wasn't in my nicest evening outfit

– For me then to spot him fumbling in his pocket in a 'mustn't drop the ring in the bloody water' kind of way – wwwaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!!!!!!

– And for him to then get on bended knee (not bad for an old fella of 45 with 5 knee ops behind him)

– And to produce the most SPANKINGLY GORGEOUS beaut of an engagement ring – woo hoo!!!!!!

– Cue me, melting into mush (can't believe I am admitting this) like a complete soft arse – but after nearly 42 years, it was a moment well worth waiting for

– Then spent 4 hours bobbing about in bliss on the water, racking up the mother of all bills on my AV phone (who can I cross charge those puppies to?!), spreading the word and shouting till my voice gave in

Aaaahhhhhhh…… boy done good, so very very good!