fortissimo

Can't say for sure if I'll be using this here journal much, but let's just post and see if anyone notices.

I just got back from my grandparent's 68th wedding anniversary. You read that right68 years!

It never ceases to astonish me how well they complement each other.

We gave them a scrapbook of letters, cards, photos, and good wishes from a whole lifetime's worth of their friends and relations. And they have a terrific lot of those, being the very nice and generous people that they are.

I am just bowled over by that. The idea of being married to someone for 68 years, and of having amassed that many friends, each with a hundred good stories surrounding them...

The best part of the day was hearing all the stories about those people. For example, one of my grandmother's friends and former neighbors sent a photo of her from her current home in Missouri. Mind you, she is over 70. She had heard a contest on the radio for free concert tickets to the first person who showed up in a bathing suit. So she rummaged around in the closet, found a one-piece suit, and went down to the radio station. She sent a photo of herself in that suit, looking rather squinty and sad, outside in front of the station. Caption on the back: The sun was in my eyes!

I'll bet she totally ruined that disc jockey's day. He thought he was gonna get some cute young thing in a bikini, but instead he gets Ms. Estes.

Anyway, can anyone actually imagine that68 years of marriage?