Last year I declared my 33rd year of marriage a Jubilee Year…I promised lots of exciting events and interesting venues.  I think I’ve delivered pretty well:  from a fall walk-in-the-woods, a visit to Churchill Downs, Thanksgiving in NYC, Christmas in New Orleans, the Movie Project, my birthday in Indy, Spring Break in NYC, lots of remodeling,  culminating in the 3-weeks of Fun in July.

It was 33 years ago today that Casey and I took our vows.  They were the traditional “have and hold, for richer and poorer, in sickness and health, as long as we live” stuff.  As Melissa and I walked down the aisle, I couldn’t have even imagined 33 years…

There are very few pictures of the event…the “photographer” was a friend who borrowed her brother’s fancy 35mm camera and loaded the first roll of film wrong.  I thought she was kidding when she told me the next week…but she wasn’t.

I remember it clearly and dearly:  it was so hot and humid that I couldn’t stand outside for more than 5 minutes without sweating through my dress.  We didn’t have air-conditioning in our house, so I went over to church early to cool off.  It was only family and some of our very best friends.   Donna had a nice reception for us afterward at her house.   Sadly, it seems like most of the people who were there are now dead…

And the last 33 years?  Well, it’s not been exactly fairy-tale sweetness, but we’ve laughed more than we’ve cried.   As we’ve shared our everyday lives, growing up and growing old, we have become Us…and I really like Us.

So the celebration that began a year ago is now over…?  I don’t think so…

As Queen of Sonnystone Acres, I hereby declare each and every year, regardless of its divisbility by 3, to be a Jubilee Year…

Let Jubilee Year 2 begin and let’s fill it full of funny.    We’re headed out for dinner at Smitty’s Little Tavern, and we’ll make a plan…  Here’s to Us and all our Jubilee years…