November 23, 1979

It was a Friday, and that year it fell the day after Thanksgiving. We both had the day off from work and we thought it was as good a day as any to take that next step together.

We were already living together. He had moved into my apartment a good 9 months before this date. He had asked me the question six months prior and I put him off. I wasn't sure this was the way I wanted things to go. I wasn't sure I was ready. I wasn't sure. So I put off the decision. He persisted, and after what seemed like an enormous amount of time I finally said yes.

So the day after Thanksgiving, a Friday, on November 23, 1979 we were married. That was 34 years ago today. We have never had the Friday after Thanksgiving off again, in all that time, so it seems we only had that small window of opportunity to take advantage of the situation.

Our honeymoon was a weekend get-away at the beach thirty minutes from our apartment. We stayed the first night then drove back home and bought furniture. I remember browsing the fancy furniture store, both of us dressed as beach bums, and getting side-ways looks from the salespeople. They didn't take us seriously, and I believe one or two must have cursed themselves silently for ignoring us when our final purchase was wrung-up and paid. Through the years, it's seems most of our major purchases have been made when we weren't dressed to impress. It might be because we have a knack of discussing these matters, letting some time pass in-between, and then spontaneously going out and doing it while we are in the middle of spending time on the beach or working in the yard. It's worked. We've worked. Thirty four years worth of work because I won't say there weren't times when both of us thought of pulling out that marriage certificate to check the expiration date. 

We could never have predicted all those years ago that we would still be here today, together. We hoped, and thought we had a good shot of it, or we wouldn't have done it. All that time ago it was okay to be unsure, and okay to put off the decision. All that time ago, he persisted. And we both have, for the past thirty four years. We're not planning on stopping now.

Our wedding anniversary is not the day after Thanksgiving this year. It's today, which is a cold, rainy Saturday and he is going to work. But when he gets home, we are looking forward to going out to dinner and drinks, and next week, we both made arrangements to be off from work the Friday after Thanksgiving. We are too far away now to drive to the beach, but who knows, maybe we will dress down and make some large purchases or some other such foolishness. But whatever we decide to do, we are certainly looking forward to all those next steps together. 
TT