many years ago

 It's our wedding anniversary. Usually one or both of us would forget, but now, of course I honor the day. We were married on a cold Saturday at the Highlands Inn in Carmel, California. It was hectic. Sometimes our lives were hectic. Today I use Husbando's everyday coffee mug, a gift from Blogmaid because we all loved the tv program Homicide Life on the Street. This coffee tastes bitter sweet this morning.

congratulations ~ 20 years!

 Today Mr. and Ms. Blogmaid celebrate their wedding anniversary and we all send them love and gratitude and wow, tons of wonderful memories in those two decades. It seems like only yesterday, as the old folks say. Well, it does.

Fifty years later

 Last night I went to a big gala 50 year anniversary celebration at John and Mary's gorgeous home in the Oakland Hills. Perfect weather, live jazz music and tons of food and drink. Husbando and I attended their wedding and when I saw him in an old wedding photo I had to grab a Kleenex®. I took Lyft to/fro Oakland, it is just so much easier. A lovely event and wow, 50 years. Zip/zip.

words from Winnie

"Some people care too much. I think it's called Love." Winnie the Pooh.

One or the other of us would forget our Wedding Anniversary sometimes over the many years we were married. Then we would usually go out to dinner to celebrate and talk about how fortunate we were. He was so easy to be with most of the time. We understood each other. I think it's called Love.

big anniversary celebration

This is the way we celebrate now. A huge zoomfest for Doug and Barb's 50th wedding anniversary. It was long and lavish and Annabelle waited patiently for me to return to her yesterday. I enjoyed getting to see people whose names I have heard for years. The happy couple (lower right square) was delighted and then they rushed to the ocean for a sunset walk after it was all over. My readers who have been married for a few years will realize how amazing and special this anniversary is. Now Doug, get your feet off the coffee table, please. 

4.3 miles to emotional well-being

famous mermaid fountain in Ghirardelli Square

My friend Pat has been a widow a lot longer than I have and we had a
beautiful walk on a cold, clear only-in-SF yesterday. We met at the
Ferry Building and walked along the Bay all the way to Ghirardelli
Square. So many changes, so many tourists. We stopped for a pizza
and by the time I arrived home I was feeling just fine and I listened to
Bill's tape for our 35th and he was indeed a happy man who loved
being married, appreciated our lives (together and separate) and who
took his house husband duties very seriously while I was still working.
Instead of counting sheep I counted my blessings and slept nicely last night.

through the years

I have the album to prove it ~ today is our 50th wedding anniversary
and of course I have been dreading this one, but I am okay. Husbando
also left three audio tapes here, one for our 35th and two unmarked.
I will try to listen tonight. Or not. The one thing I have learned in the
18 months since he died is that I really can do pretty much whatever
I want. There are no strict rules and I can leave the vacuum in the
dining room for days on end. I can eat Peppermint Bark for breakfast
and cry at strange times ~ seldom in public anymore, thank god. I
will try to let the good memories guide me today and I will get out
of our too comfy home. I was and am such a fortunate woman.

saved by the puzzle

Yesterday was not easy but Neti and I had a very pleasant day with the
Blogmaid and her family down in Pumpkinville.  Delicious lunch at It's
Italia and then worked on this doable puzzle for a couple of hours.
We walked on the cliffs above the ocean and it was such a beautiful
day ~ cold and clear. Friends help so much. Onward with gratitude...
(Oh, we didn't finish the puzzle but congrats to Mr. and Mrs. Blogmaid
and to Hopper who helped too and they finished this last night.)

invite takes center stage

I know this is not easy to read. Today it sits in front of Bill's little shrine
as I feel love and gratitude for 49 years together. Many of our guests were
sure this marriage would not work, but somehow it did. I have a cassette
tape here too from him, but I'm not up to that. Two things still knock me
over: his handwriting and his voice. Love surrounds me this morning, but
yes, I'm getting out of the house today for a fine outing and and will report
in tomorrow. Happy Anniversary, HLB. (aka Billy Flore, Swiss, Husbando
and assorted other nicknames ~ some not so nice, but funny.) Love...

we love Lulu

We've been going to Lulu's on Folsom Street since they opened in 1994.
But today they suffer as massive street construction (Bart? There?) is
happening right in front of the restaurant. But the mussels and pizza
and steak were just as delicious as ever and we sat very near the wood
burning ovens and had a lovely celebration lunch.

It was our 47th Wedding Anniversary! No, it does not seem possible.
Yes, I was a child bride. I recently found this quote about coupledom
and it applies to us, I think:

One of the oldest human needs is having someone to wonder 

where you are when you don't come home at night. -

Margaret Mead, anthropologist (16 Dec 1901-1978) 

December 27th

Why did we get married in December, two days after Christmas? How
difficult it must have been for the guests. But we married 46 years ago
with friends and family gathered in a small room at the Highlands Inn in
Carmel. It was a blur then and is still to this day. I bet quite a few of
the guests said, "they'll never make it," but we are both stubborn and
we weathered all those marital storms that some of you might know
about. Today we celebrate with a Thai lunch and theater in Berkeley,
of all places. Bonne Anniversaire, mon mari! Lucky us...

celebrate with Emmy!

a new location on Mission

the house specialty

We had a happy wedding anniversary last night at Emmy's Spaghetti Shack
which has moved to the old Pupusa place on Mission, almost next door to
the Blue Note. It's bigger and even friendlier and we were treated like the
royalty that we are. I had to work until 5:30, so we wanted to stay in the
nabe and we had a really nice time. I actually had the flatiron steak and I
recommend that and the cesar salad. Yum!

not quite a foodie post...

Mister Husbando and the Mrs. walked down a few blocks to the Hillside
Restaurant where he treated her to a large and delicious dinner to celebrate
their 44th Anniversary. Yes, to all you doubters from the past (most of
whom have passed on through this vale of tears) we are still married,
still laughing and appreciating one another, and never/never arguing about
stupid little things. The staff made a nice fuss over us as we enjoyed the
scallops, venison pot pie and each other. L-U-V is the answer...but we
do argue about stupid little things, just in case you were wondering.

happy anniversary!

Note bright blue skies

Seafood pasta for Husbando

Luscious mussels for the blogger

Fisherman's Wharf ~ not just for tourists

We had a 43rd anniversary gift of sunshine yesterday, all day. So we hopped on
the #12 Folsom bus and on to Green Street for lunch at Sotto Mare. Every place
was packed ~ restaurants, coffee shops, gift stores, bakeries and sidewalks.
Teems of happy people with their faces toward the sun. I stopped at Cost Plus
to visit my ex-boss and then walked down by the Bay and even visited the
Maritime Museum which is free and worth seeing. Return via the #49 Van Ness
and all and all, a very wonderful day for this long-married couple.