Books > My Delicious Life with Paula Deen >

Excerpts

Miss Paula Deen came into my life bringin' blue eyes, beamin' smiles, balance, and butter -- no end of the butter.

All of those great things arrived in one pretty package and standin' on the most gorgeous legs you ever did see.

But among all the kick-ass gifts that Paula gave me, a beautiful balance was the most life changing. Up until we married, my days were spent on local waters, lonely but livin' and workin' at the job of my dreams as a harbor pilot in Savannah, Georgia. It was a wonderful life and all I ever wanted, all I needed.

I thought.

What I never gave a thought to was seein' the Eiffel Tower, zippin' through a jungle along a sturdy sky-high cable, wonderin' how it was to have people ask me for my autograph, bein' the owner of a classic, bright orange, muscle car, hangin'out with Billy Joel, havin' close friends of every race, religion, and sexual persuasion the good Lord made, marryin' and cookin' on television with one of the most famous television cooks on the planet, and then, goin' home with her and curlin' up in our giant bed for a little inspired romance. Inspired by the cook, I might add. That fabulous, adorable cook.

Paula brought the most vivid colors you can imagine into a happy life of mostly soft ocean blues and cloudy-day grays bordered by sameness. The eggy yellows, steaming reds, hot oranges, peacock blues of the whole world suddenly opened up to me. Fame and fortune and good fellowship came to balance a very quiet life. Nothing has ever been the same again.

There have been some bumps, of course. What couple gets through life without a bump now and then? There were also some pretty damn embarrassin' moments, and I'm thankin' the Lord that, knowin' Paula, there weren't a whole lot more.

So, if you've ever wondered how delicious it is to marry a celebrated but also good, funny, smart, and sassy person whom the whole world loves, climb aboard with me. T here's some interestin' sailin' ahead.