Thursday, June 10, 2010

1987-2010

23 years ago, I decided to do something completely out of the ordinary with my life.

I started dating.

And being true to form, since I had no clue on how to approach the opposite sex, mother dearest took the bull by the horns and set me up on a blind date with a friend's daughter.

And where did mother dearest meet her friend?

At bingo.

And where did I meet my blind date?

At bingo.

Yes, at bingo.

From that first awkward meeting, we chose to have another awkward meeting, in the form of a non-chaperoned date.

Went to a movie and dinner.

No idea what the movie was, but we had dinner at a long since closed Denny's. Come to think of it, that movie theater closed as well.

Anyways, one thing lead to another, and by the spring of 1988, we were sharing an apartment with my best friend in New Britain. Prior to moving in the spring of 1988, I popped a surprise on my lady love Christmas morning, by proposing.

She accepted.

One and half years later, we were married.

And just like that first date, so did the wedding take a turn for the truly weird.

Originally, it was supposed to be an outdoor wedding at Mill Pond park, at the waterfalls (can I get an AWWWWWWWWHHHHHHH from everyone?). The back up plan, just in case that Mother Nature decided to watch a weepy soap opera, was to have it at the church in New Britain. Guess what peoples? Mother Nature chose to watch a wickedly weepy soap opera all that week, so we had our wedding in New Britain.

Did I mention that we had to park 3/4 of mile away from the church because of a festival called "Main Street USA" was being held on that very same day at the very same time frame as the wedding, which basically closed the downtown area?

Did I mention that I forgot to grab the corsages, which were sitting in a fridge, at home, which was located some five miles away from the church? And that I had to borrow my best man's car to go and retrieve said flowers?

Did I mention that for all the headaches that were suffered on the day of the wedding, the wedding itself went off without a hitch?

However, I will mention that some two decades later, through all the peaks and valleys, two children some eight years apart, four address changes involving three towns, fifteen different cars, five parakeets, two cats, one cockatiel, three gerbils and enough job stress that would make any other sane person crack under the pressure, I am very glad to have that young lady (who is three years older than yours truly) at my side.

I love my wife to pieces, having spent as of today, 21 years in chaotic wedded bliss.

And I wouldn't have it any other way.

17 comments:

  1. Sounds like you have it made. Happy Anniversary!

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  2. Congratulations to you both! Ain't love grand? Doing anything special to celebrate?

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  3. Awesome post, G! I think the best weddings are the ones that don't go entirely according to plan -- why should everything be precision-perfect? Life certainly isn't! :) Congratulations on 21 years!

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  4. Happy Anniversary, G! Thank you for sharing your trip down memory lane. Isn't it amazing how much water passes under our bridges? Incredible...

    I loved your list - I'd be scared to compile mine!

    "chaotic wedded bliss" - what a great description for marriage. If it wasn't chaotic, I think we'd die of boredom, wouldn't it?

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  5. A great ode to your marriage. I got started late with Lana but so far it has been "the bomb."

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  6. OOOOOh clap, clap, clap WHAT A GREAT STORY. I'm so happy for you two. And, I bet you are sending your MOM a big vase of flowers, right? I mean after all she did play cupid. lol I hope you both enjoy 21 years and more together. :)Bea

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  7. I love being married. And you are sooo lucky you didn't have to go through all the dating shit.

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  8. David: Thanks. I always give myself one solid shot to do something right.

    I did something right. :D

    Joe: It certainly is. About the only thing we did special was have a quiet dinner out (we haven't gone to dinner with just us two since 2008), followed by a walk around the mall. Not terribly romantic, but it was nice to be just us two doing something.

    Lisa: It truly was an adventure. The photog was the head bridesmaid's father, and when my wife and her had a falling out, it took about several months to get the pictures.

    Talon: Thanks. And I was glad to share the memory trip. I always thought how my wife and I met up made for interesting story.

    Yes, marriage would indeed be dull if chaos was never thrown into the mix.

    Charles: Thanks. Glad to hear that yours has been "da bomb" as well.

    Bea: Thanks.

    Libby: I don't know if it was luck or if it was because I was grossly overweight back when everyone else was dating.

    As they say though, better late than never. :D

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  9. A lovely valentine to your wife. I hope two had a wonderful anniversary, G.

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  10. Lynn: Thanks, we did.

    We had a rare moment of spending quality time together on an old fashioned dinner date.

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  11. Congratulations & happy belated anniversary! Isn't it wonderful to have true love?

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  12. You know in the UK 20 years is equivalent to two life sentences!!!
    Well done and may you have many more years together:))

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  13. Lana: It certainly is. Best feeling in the world.

    Jane: Ball and chain, eh?

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  14. 20 years for me next April G; I think the ball is getting heavier and the chain shorter!

    Blimey.. now you got me thinking.20years and we've still not killed each other - I guess that's an achievement in itself:)))

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  15. Been there and still doing that. :D

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  16. Congratulations to you and your young lady! Wishing you many, many, many more years of happiness and fun.

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  17. Thanks.

    Hoping for a golden when all is said and done.

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Go on, give me your best shot. I can take it. If I couldn't, I wouldn't have created this wonderful little blog that you decided to grace with your presence today.

About that comment moderation thingy: While yes, it does say up above I can take it, I only use it to prevent the occasional miscreant from leaving thoughtless and/or clueless comments.

So remember, all of your comments are greatly appreciated and all answers will be given that personal touch that you come to expect and enjoy.

G. B. Miller

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