Our 30th Anniversary

On the night before we left on vacation, Junie created some wonderful full sheet magnets to grace our cabin door. [She had a month to do so and waited until 12 hours before departure, but I won't mention that].

You'll see the whole view eventually, but the one pictured below detailed our upcoming 30th anniversary - which just happens to be today.  :)

The magnets were a big hit and we often got a "Congratulations!," "Happy Anniversary," "Happy Birthday!" from people seeing us enter our leave the cabin.  We had people stop and read them as they walked by, and at least once a passenger we were talking to in another part of the ship said "I know you! I've read your door!"

One question we were asked a few times was "What's your secret [to lasting 30 years]?." Now there are some couples I know that will get to the 30 year mark out of sheer inertia and complacency.  That isn't us.  Keep in mind we married young and I'm certain most people bet against us  - perhaps best exemplified by the fact that inexpensive Bibles seemed to make up the majority of our wedding gifts, nevermind the cost of the reception meal lol

But if I'm going to answer that question, the honest answer is there isn't a secret. There are prerequisites of course: fall in love with someone decent, and by that I mean someone with a good heart; make sure it's someone who will be a great parent to your kids; make sure the two of you are best friends who have each other's back even when it isn't deserved, and then . . well, ride the waves.  Not every day will be good.  But so long as the good days outnumber the bad - and they always have, and by a wide margin - then it isn't very hard at all.

Lisa, thank you for 30 years. Here's hoping we double that xo

10.958 Days

Thirty years ago today, at this very hour, I sat across from a young waitress I had just met. We were seated at a George Webb's restaurant on 43rd and Loomis, as she ate breakfast after an overnight shift at a different Webb's. I had only coffee. I found her repetitive pick of venue an odd choice at the time, and while she ate and summarized her life for me I was awkwardly quiet, and quite focused on a stain on her front tooth. 

Not exactly the greatest start to a date, in retrospect, but it did a quick 180 within an hour. If you want the details of it, start to finish, you can find them here, in a post I wrote back in 2008.

In a very real sense, that date continues to this day, a narrative thread that as of today spans thirty years, or if you want to get down to the nitty gritty, a whopping 10, 958 days. 

(I work with a few lawyers whose entire lifetimes fit in that span!)

Now I don't, in any way,  dismiss or discount the value of our wedding date 18 months later, but it has never had the same oomph or importance for either of us, even as pro-marriage as we are. October of '96 doesn't happen without February of '95, the kids don't happen without it, nothing happens, for Team Slap, unless February 22nd of 1995 unfolds as it does. 

I'm very proud to have reached this milestone. Not because it's been so difficult to get there - it was but a blink of an eye - but because it brings me happiness, and fulfillment,  to know that I've been blessed with the woman I love, my wife and my best friend, Lisa, for thirty years now.  

Happy Anniversary Sinatra!

Don't you dare mock the glasses. It was the '90's man, you think Lenscrafters stocked 2025 frames back then???

 

Happy 54th Wedding Anniversary!

My parents were married 54 years ago today, in 1970, on a day when the first snowfall started just as they were exiting the church. 

Happy Anniversary, and many more!

I love you both!

29 Years Ago Today

I met this dude today, 29 years ago, and I'm glad I did. 

I was his waitress at Webb's. Our first date was today too,  4 hrs after we met, and the date lasted 9 hrs. Life is wild,  I love you Dan!

- Lisa

Happy Anniversary!

Happy 26th Anniversary babe. I love you Dan! - Lisa

Beatles: Love at the The Mirage in Las Vegas

To cap off the day we walked over to the Mirage to see Cirque de Soleil's The Beatles: Love. It's a combination of acrobatics, dance, and theatre set to the music of the Fab Four. I'll be honest, a lot of the time I didn't know what the heck was going on, because some of it is as trippy as a '60's student art film. I *do* know this: it was gorgeous, creative, and sometimes jaw dropping. We were in the second row, section 108, close enough to interact with a performer that came off the stage before the show, and to literally be enveloped by a fabric prop near the end of the performance. Our seats also put us next to a theatre tech on 3 occasions as they secured rigging, and allowed us an expansive look at the catwalks (?) above the stage; both were of interest because two of our kids were stage techs in high school, and one has chosen theatre as her life's work. In short, the show was very good, and well worth a ticket. If you visit Vegas, go see it!

Hell's Kitchen - Las Vegas

To celebrate the 27th anniversary of meeting each other, we had a late lunch/ early dinner at Gordon Ramsay's Hell's Kitchen. The lobster risotto was sinful, no pun intended, but the scallops aren't something we'd order again. As an entree, beef wellington for me, and jidori chicken scallopini for Lisa followed by sticky pudding for dessert and a celebratory glass of champagne. A wonderful experience.

Hell's Kitchen

To celebrate the 27th anniversary of meeting each other, we had a late lunch/ early dinner at Gordon Ramsay's Hell's Kitchen. The lobster risotto was sinful, no pun intended, but the scallops aren't something we'd order again. As an entree, beef wellington for me, and jidori chicken scallopini for Lisa followed by sticky pudding for dessert and a celebratory glass of champagne. A wonderful experience.

Michael Jackson's One

Yesterday Dan and I saw Michael Jackson's one to celebrate our 25th anniversary. It was the best show I've ever seen. Unbelievable. Happy Anniversary baby, I love you!!! Hope the next 25 years brings amazing things! - Lisa

Happy Golden Anniversary!

50 years ago today - November 14th, 1970 - my parents exchanged their wedding vows. Lisa and I had planned on treating them to dinner and a concert at the Fireside tonight to celebrate, but you can chalk that up to yet another plan scrapped by Covid in 2020. It may not be as public a celebration as your 25th, but I hope you both enjoy the day and don't worry - we'll rock out your 75th. I love you both. Thanks for getting, and staying, together, and for all the love you've shown me. 

Kochamy was oboje

Happy 24th Anniversary!

Today is our 24th wedding anniversary,  and because work schedules precluded a tradional celebration today,  we enjoyed lunch together at Real Chili. Yum.

Mind you,  we went out last night.  The "no reservation/ no wait" restaurant of our choice turned out to have an hour wait so we went to Carraba's - where the staff wore jackets because the heat had been broken all week and the dining room was a brisk 55 degrees F. Zoinks.

Even so, it was a great meal with a great woman and I had a blast. 

Thanks for 24 years Lisaboo.

Happy 24th Anniversary Dan! We’ve had enough tests, the tide is turning and I’m looking forward to our future together. - Lisa

Anniversary Date

Dan is taking me to the circus for our anniversary date! Excited!! - Lisa

Happy 23rd wedding anniversary

Happy 23rd wedding anniversary Dan. I love you!  - Lisa

Happy Anniversary!

Happy Anniversary Dan. Beating the odds through the good bad and ugly and trying to keep our sense of humor while we do it. My biggest laughs have always been with you by my side.  Xoxoxo  - Lisa

20 Years!

In a few minutes I will have been married for 20 years to this awesome guy right here. Wow, time really does fly. It's been fun growing up with him, I know growing old with him will be wonderful too. Danny boo, you're a great man and I'm proud you're my best friend and husband of 20 years. I love you forever. Xoxo❤💋  -Lisa

Our 20th Wedding Anniversary

Twenty years ago today- that's five days less than my wife had spent on the earth at the time - this happened. 

 Anyone that says their marriage has been free of conflict, and immune to periods of turmoil is either a liar or single.  For us, the good days have far, far exceeded the bad. In twenty years we've made four great kids, but even if God had chose not to bless us with them, I still married my best friend and a heck of a hottie; I think we would have been just fine. 

I had big plans for our 20th anniversary, but (typical Pisces) it didn't pan out. No matter. For the 25th, we go all out.

You heard it here first. 

Happy Anniversary Sinatra!

Our 20th Wedding Anniversary

Twenty years ago today- that's five days less than my wife had spent on the earth at the time - this happened. 

 Anyone that says their marriage has been free of conflict, and immune to periods of turmoil is either a liar or single.  For us, the good days have far, far exceeded the bad. In twenty years we've made four great kids, but even if God had chose not to bless us with them, I still married my best friend and a heck of a hottie; I think we would have been just fine. 

I had big plans for our 20th anniversary, but (typical Pisces) it didn't pan out. No matter. For the 25th, we go all out.

You heard it here first. 

Happy Anniversary Sinatra!

Happy Anniversary!

Happy 45th Anniversary, Mom and Dad!

Happy Anniversary!

Happy 45th Anniversary, Mom and Dad!

Anniverary Wishes

By posting this at exactly midnight, I hope to beat Dan in wishing him a Happy 19th anniversary.....I love you baby, here's to many more years of being your wife! 😍  - Lisa

Happy 19th Anniversary Lisa!  Here's hoping you keep me around for at least another nineteen! xoxo