36 YEARS OF MARRIAGE - & Jerry said we would not last 5 years

On the 19th of June, we will celebrate our 36th anniversary, It will be a quiet celebration - very different from last year & our trip to St Criox. Thanks to an unexpected job loss that was with no warning, in fact the words told were " your job is safe for at least 6 months". Big fat liar comes to mind oh danny boy! But quiet works well as the break in my tailboat is not healing according to the new x-rays ...car riding is out of the question so look out Raleigh here we come.

We have gotten used to a less flamboyant way of life. No cable causes us to talk more, play more games & why would anyone need more than 22 channels (I miss HGTV & PBS) but the others no so much. Doing in the home phone is peaceful & other than Mark & Jean no one ever calls me anyway. Eating at home is definitely more peaceful - no strangers around me. The boat is cheap to visit as wind is free & we eat on board - play games & sleep early. Whether we will keep our boat, Mulligan, is up for grabs....the slip fee is higher than we may justify. Things have made a huge change this year but our love for one another has grown. When things get tough, love has bound us closer together.

Our anniversary is always around Father's Day.... an accident. We obviously had no kids, my parents were divorced & Mark's Dad did not go to Provo with us, so we did not even realize it would be Father's Day weekend usually. It was not a problem when the kids were young as we took them with us, then last year it was an issue as we went to St Croix but this year we are alone again. The weather is being predicted at 98-99 degree .... not sailing weather. A lot of work to get ready to sail & clean up afterwards. Hoping a good movie maybe or shagging is I can physically do it. We will spend the time together talking about that time 36 years ago.

A short synopsis of 36 years ago.... We left in our Javelin with Mom & Jeff in tow to drive from NC to Utah. Jeff said he did not want to go until 3 days before the trip, so this means my special "temple ready" wedding gown was left in Raleigh. No room in car for Jeff luggage & dress. Jeff was "way" more important than a dress. I did get to wear it at the reception. It was really hot driving out & cars then did not have air conditioning - Mark said it had 460 air - 4 windows down doing 60 miles an hour. Mom spent most of her trip saying "rolling up the windows as it was messing up her hair". By Texas, I said "Mom I do not care if it blows your head off, we are not rolling up the windows". I was hot , cranky & she had pink rollers in her hair - not exactly a fashion statement. I later felt bad to fuss at her but seriously roll up the window in 106 degree weather. We arrived & stayed with Dorothy Paramore Deaver's parents. He was ex dentist - they were sooo nice but announced we were getting married everywhere we went. At 17, it was soooo embarrassing. He made Mark sleep in his office - he was very proper about appearnaces appearances ;) (I think he & Mom were cut from the same cloth). Sister Paramore fixed us hot chocolate the morning of the wedding (yeah it was 90 degrees but the cocoa was yummy) & Mark was so worried we would be late he dumped his out on her lace tableclothe. On the morning of June 19, 1973, we arrived at the Provo Temple. Mark's family Minnie, Mary & Fred & a friend of Minnie's went through with us. Because of the unknown (a.k.a. cocoa) , we missed out wedding but the wedding party did not. They went through without us & we waited & waited. The blessing was by the afternoon season meant Br Paramore could attend - he & Sister Paramore were scheduled to work in the temple that morning. It was a beautiful ceremony. They did a lovely wedding breakfast for us. Jerry came over & played around with Jeff while we were in the temple. Afterwards Jerry took Mom & Jeff back to North Carolina in his van. Kissing the love of my life (did I mention I picked him out when I was 12- he did not notice me then) was like coming home for me. I knew he was the one that Heavenly sent me to - he is my best friend, my love, & too often my caregiver. When I grow up, I want to be like Mark !!
36 years & we have only just begun .... I planning for 70th year anniversary. I would be 87 (that is not old as it is the average age for women).

Misc photos are posted.The photos of Mom, Jeff & Mark was traveling there & the house was the Paramore's, the sad pocked out lip was for Mark who was making faces beside me. We played during the photos at the Rose garden. He in shorts & me in my gown. It was a blast. My Mom always believed we were meant to be.