Celebrating at Las Brisas in Laguna Beach, CA 1987

Rocky and I are celebrating our 35th Anniversary today. We got married in a gazebo overlooking the ocean in Laguna Beach, California on a somewhat random Monday. My sister Liz, and Gary, her boyfriend at the time, were our only witnesses until a couple of old ladies from New York wandered by and asked if they could sit in the gazebo and watch. Although they didn’t know either of us, I glanced at them during the service and noticed they were crying.

The gazebo was right in front of Las Brisas Restaurant and Bar and their outside patio was packed with people drinking and enjoying themselves on a beautiful January day. Although we were not wearing traditional wedding attire, it was clear what we were up to in the gazebo. Clearly feeling no inhibitions after several rounds of drinks, a party of guys yelled loudly, “Don’t do it!! ” as we got ready to say our vows.

We’d chosen a Monday in late January because the fine jewelry business was finally slowing down after the insane pre-Christmas and post Christmas madness and we could both get ten days off of work. Also, Monday was the only day we could get a minister to perform an outdoor service since we were not members of any church.

Rocky and I had met while working as sales reps at John Crandall Jewelers. We started off competing for engagement ring customers and ended up engaged to each other. Both of us had learned a lot from our short  “practice marriages” to other people and didn’t feel the need for a big ceremony. Plus most of our family members were not excited for us to be getting married again. They were pretty sure it would not work out.

When a friend suggested we use their time-share in Mexico for a honeymoon, we chose our wedding day to fit the availability of the beach-front hotel. At the last minute, the time-share fell through but we had already decided on our wedding date: January 26, 1987. Following the ceremony, instead of flying south, we drove up the California coast to Napa Valley to explore wine country.  We stayed in bed and breakfasts along the way and fell in love with the off-the-beaten-path adventuring that has defined our lives ever since.

Here are a few things I’ve learned after spending more than half of my life with Rocky:

1. Don’t fight over how to make gravy. I don’t even eat gravy so it’s best to let Rocky decide.
2. Stay out of the kitchen while Rocky is creating a masterpiece meal.
3. Keep Rocky out of the kitchen while I am cleaning up the kitchen after he has created a masterpiece meal.
4. Don’t try to clean the wine glasses though. Mr. Particular should do that himself.
5. Avoid using the words “always” and “never”  in an argument. They always make things worse and never better.
6. I should keep my thoughts about his rose colored pants to myself. Lots of people really like them.
7. Walk more and eat less. Especially when living with a guy who makes masterpiece meals.
8. Adventures are the best gifts we can give each other. And kindness.
9. Spending money on a large, comfortable bed and great sheets is always a smart investment, but more than four pillows is excessive.
10. Laugh together. Laugh when life is challenging and laugh when life is fun. Laughing together fixes just about everything… with the exception of those rose-colored pants.

Still laughing together. Gijon 2022

Happy Anniversary, Rocky!  To quote the wise and wonderful Winnie the Pooh, “As soon as I saw you, I knew a grand adventure was about to happen.” I love you and look forward to more adventures and laughter by your side. Of course, I look forward to more of those fabulous meals as well.

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