40 Years of Joe

Our story began on a beautiful summer day... June 22, 1972 to be exact (it's in my diary!)... when a 14 year old boy (Joey) took off on his bike with his two brothers to gather the neighboring kids to play a game of field baseball.  Joey and my cousin (Debbie) lived in the country... so to find enough bodies to make two teams for a game of baseball, meant all the kids in every nearby family was invited to play... which meant you had kids from the ages of 5 to 14 all outside, in the neighbors field, playing baseball until the parents called them all back home for lunch, chores, dinner... etc.

On this particular June day, I was visiting with my cousin at her house... we have been best friends and playmates our entire lives... I'm 3 years older and was/am a girlie girl, Debbie was/is a tomboy who could, and does play any sport as well as any of the guys.  So of course she was ALWAYS the first neighbor who would be asked to play baseball with them any time a game was getting put together.  Joey knocked on the door expecting Debbie to answer it... but... Debbie left to go to the bathroom, leaving me to answer the door, which I did... and there he was... sooooooooooo darn cute that I was instantly smitten... I may have only been 13 years old... but... I was TOTALLY SMITTEN!!!

Fortunately for me, I also lived in the country, just 2 miles down the road, and because there just weren't many girls in the area my age, I didn't have competition on trying to win Joey's affection.  Joey was always a nice, sweet and funny boy, our personalities matched perfectly and we just hit it off from "I reckon" (my answer to him when he asked me if I wanted to play ball with them).  Even though I spent a lot of time with Debbie before I met Joey... you can only imagine how much more time I was at her house after meeting Joey.  It was a FABULOUS summer, and by summer's end I was in LOVE!!!!

Joey was a year ahead of me in school, but we had several classes together and we quickly became High School Sweethearts, we would stay sweethearts all through High School.  After graduation, Joey left for college 2 hours away.  He broke up with me before he left for college... not because we had a disagreement or weren't still in love... it was because his Mom insisted he have the freedom to experience college without any ties back home.  In her eyes, this was his chance to really see what the world had to offer.  At the time, I was broken hearted and knew he would find someone else and I would lose him forever.  But... I quickly learned that even though we were 'officially' broken up... we really weren't.  He wrote me letters several times a week, we called each other long distance when we could (at the time long distance was a luxury most of us couldn't afford), he came home for the weekends whenever he could, and our relationship continued to forge and bloom long distance all the same... he never dated anyone else, nor really did I.  Now that I am a parent, I totally understand sending your child off to college and encouraging them to be unattached so that they would be available to enjoy all of the college experience.  I have always had a great relationship with my Mother-in-law, and I knew her wanting him to be 'free/available' at college wasn't about me... it was about her wanting her son to know he would always have options.  And it was at college that Joey grew up and became Joe.

I was ready (or so I thought) to get married and have babies the moment I graduated High School... I had no intentions of furthering my education, I wanted to just get a good job, work and have a family of my own.  Now that I am in my 50's I see the silliness of my thinking... but all I knew was I was in love with this wonderful guy and I wanted us to be a family forever!  As it turned out... after 5 years of dating, Joe and I did marry young... I was 19, he was 20... and two years later we started our family.  It hasn't always been blissful... we were young, dumb, and dirt poor... but we found our way all by ourselves... and we have had fun all along the way.  When we didn't have a penny to our name... we sat and played cards, board games, and backgammon and listened to albums... when we had some spare change we would get a neighbor to watch the girls and we would go to the movies, or out for a cheap dinner (we couldn't afford to do both)... when we had a bonus, we took the entire family out to celebrate.  With or without... we have just always made it work, and have always had fun along the way.  I remember and cherish the early days that were hard because it made us grow strong together... Joe and I have always been "We" and/or "Us"... 40 years strong and hopefully 40 more years to go!

I am blessed to have found the "Love Of My Life" at the tender age of 13!!  Joe and I just celebrated our 34th year of marriage this summer.  He continues to be the "Love Of My Life", my Best Friend, my Partner, my Soul Mate... "the bread to my butter, and the breath to my life" (to quote Paul Child's toast to Julia)... Joe makes me laugh every day, he makes me a better person just by the example of goodness he sets... Joe really is, always has been, and always will be my Everything!  I am blessed and I am grateful!

Here's to all of you as you celebrate your own Love Timeline!... Here's to Love... May Love always rule strong!

The First Day of Fall 2012

Today is the first day of the Fall season for 2012... and it indeed does feel like fall, smells like fall, looks like fall... and therefore, my taste buds have begun to switch over from the tastes of the fresh fruits and vegetables of Summer, to the heavier and heartier tastes of Fall.  Isn't nature funny in how that happens??  No matter how much I enjoy eating certain foods of any season... when the season has passed and the new one has begun... my taste buds change right along with the seasons.

I'm a devout Summer lover... it truly is my favorite season... I enjoy Fall and Spring... I endure Winter! I'm really trying hard this year to be a good sport and not be a pouty pants whinning about the end of Summer like I usually do.  All of my friends and loved ones know... I start my pouting and whinning over the end of Summer soon as Labor Day ends.  This year may be different because my situation is different... but either way I'm gonna try hard to appreciate the beauty of Fall and not mourn the passing of Summer.

My situation this year is different due to the fact that I had bunion surgery 2 weeks ago and am pretty much under house arrest for the next 3 months... which means... I can't be outside swimming, gardening, golfing, or enjoying any of my other Summertime pleasures, so I will stay propped up inside and watch as the colors change and the leaves fall.  

Don't get me wrong... I don't dislike Fall... it's just that... Fall isn't Summer.  I do like the crispness in the air that Fall brings, I like watching the leaves change color and fall into a Monet like blanket all over the grown.  I LOVE caramel apples, and they only taste good in the Fall, I love the soups and stews that warm the belly and soul on a cool crisp day, or even better on a cold rainy day.  I like huddling up to and warming my hinnie by any fireplace or firepit.  I love pumpkin patches and all the yummy treats that can be made from pumpkins.  I love corn mazes, hayrides, art/craft fairs, and the festivals that Fall brings.  

There really is sooo much to enjoy in the Fall season and I welcome Fall 2012 with arms open wide!  In fact... I think I will go put on my first pot of chili for this very first day of Fall!