Anniversary Day ...

Today is Jacki and mine anniversary, we’ve been married for 29 years.  We started to “date” in our senior year of high school.  She and I were on college release, basically we attended high school for three classes in the morning and then were released to attend college classes for the second half of the day, Jacki didn’t drive and found me quite willing to oblige.  Five and half years later, after Jacki had completed college, and I dabbled in the travel industry only to eventually sign on with the Department of Defense in a Telecommunication Intern program, we were married at Western Maryland College in Big Baker Chapel.  It was hot and humid as any Maryland August day could be.  My best man was Paul Gregory, my cousin on my mother’s side of the family.  We drove up Westminster, stopping at the local 7 Eleven store to get lunch (I grabbed a liverwurst and spring onion sandwich on white toast, I still try to have one each anniversary)  We arrived well in time for the wedding got dressed in one of the classrooms in the undercroft of Big Baker.  Shortly before the wedding started, we had a downpour, it didn’t really improve the humidity but it did provide for some great photo opportunities following the service.  I remember two things from that wedding day.  The moment that Jacki and her father walked around the door into the aisle way, and the attendant then billowing up her dress.  (Side note:  To this day in any wedding I have the privilege to officiate, I try to protect that image for any bridegroom waiting to see his bride.  I warn any photographer that while they want the perfect picture, they are not to enter the aisle way as the bride entrances.  You don’t get a second chance on one of those moments, Wow! 

 Now we’ve been married 29 years and we are visiting New England, the Berkshires.  We are staying in a place called Bentley Brook in Hancock, MA.  It is kind of remote, the area is beautiful, rolling hills and small communities.  We had a deluge of a storm last night, water flowed from the eves (we’re on the fourth floor) and it look like an waterfall outside our window. Brittany, Elisabeth and Wesley are all here as this is the family vacation time.  Wesley laments that we aren’t here in the winter cause Bentley Brook doubles as a winter ski resort.  We visited here many years ago, before he was really big on skiing and snowboarding, during the summer months again,  and at that time we did the alpine slide.  Wes remembers that experience and is determined to improve upon his time downhill.  The only change that we’ve noted so far is that there are the windmills up on the ridge.  Sort of reminds me of Camp Hope in West Virginia.  I suppose a purist would be frustrated by the windmills on the ridge, a great photo editor can clip them out, they don’t bother me, clean energy tain’t all that bad. 

Infact, it is all good.  A good 29 years.  No doubt!