In Honor of Our 39th Wedding Anniversary

As Tom says, it is the couple that can laugh at this joke who will be able to survive the reality of it! We're not there yet, but we are still laughing together, 39 years into our journey through life together.

An old couple were having problems remembering things, so they decided to go to their doctor to get checked out to make sure nothing was wrong with them. After checking the couple out, the doctor tells them that they were physically okay but might want to start writing things down and making notes to help them remember things. The couple thanked the doctor and left.

Later that night while watching TV, the old man gets up from his chair and his wife asks, "Where are you going?" He replies, "To the kitchen." She asks him for a bowl of ice cream and he replies, "Sure."

She then asks him "Don't you think you should write it down so you can remember it?" He says, "No, I can remember that."

"Well," she then says, "I also would like some strawberries on top. You had better write that down cause I know you'll forget that." He says, "I can remember that, you want a bowl of ice cream with strawberries."

"Well," she replies, "I also would like whipped cream on top. I know you will forget that so you better write it down." With irritation in his voice, he says, "I don't need to write that down, I can remember that."

He fumes off into the kitchen. When he returns twenty minutes later he hands her a plate of bacon and eggs. She stares at the plate for a moment and says, "You forgot my toast."

36 Years of Wedded Bliss

We can tell what doesn't work in marriages. So often today people ask, "Who will make me happy?" But what we should ask is, "Who will I love so much that I will sacrifice myself to make them happy?"

Father Roch Kereszty

Dear, even-tempered Tom is truly my soul mate. I'm so very lucky that he loves me as much as I love him. He has taught me so much over the years about music, about thinking, about humor, about originality, about kindness and consideration. Not because he actively taught me but just by being around him. That in itself tells you a lot about the sort of person Tom is.

It's wonderful having spent 36 years with someone. You know each other's references (jokes become real one-liners), you understand each other's moods, and it is a deep, restful relationship that is not without delightful times of surprise and passion.

I've said this before (as the comments will attest). But this year saw significant changes for us as a couple and as householders. Although she is such a part of our family now that I can't imagine life any other way, my mother came to live with us just last September. We were excited to have her move in but there's no denying it was a big adjustment, especially for Mom — she appreciates Bollywood movies now much more than we ever could have hoped.

Of course, we can't ignore the surreal change of life with Covid-19 and all the uncertainties that involves — swirling statistics with continual reinterpretations, quarantine, toilet paper shortages, three adults working from home (oh, wait, we already did that part of it). Oh no — we realized we are in the "danger" age group. The lower end, to be sure, but it was still a mental shock. Who better to help get through all this than the person who knows and loves you better than anyone else? Not that we could ever have dreamed of facing such strangeness when we married.

And there will be more changes to come as we await the arrival of our first grandchild in November! It's a wonderful world out there and I'm so glad to have Tom to experience it with.

I've Been Blogging for 13 Years? How Did That Happen?

The sentiments below (from 2014) are still ones I feel when I think about the blog. Much has changed in my life due to this blog. For one thing I've written some books. That never would've happened.

For another, social media is now king and blogs seem old and passé. Yet, a fair number of people still come by every day. So rumors of our passing have been greatly exaggerated.

With that in mind, let's celebrate!

I remember so clearly that Sunday afternoon when I sat down, filled with nervous excitement, and figured out Blogger well enough to write my first post.

Fittingly enough it was a quote about St. Joseph and work as a spiritual act. I say fittingly enough because over the years I have leaned heavily on sharing quotes about living our faith in everyday life. St. Joseph, who guided Jesus through his first years of everyday life, is a perfect saint to have helped me launch such an endeavor.

I don't have any grand thoughts on this anniversary, perhaps because it just struck me a little while ago that I should see when it was in May that I began blogging. And it was 10 years ago today! What're the odds?

I can say that I have enjoyed it a lot. Blogging continues to bring me new friends, new insights, open doors for God to be present in my life. And what can be better than that? Not much, really!

Many thanks to those who take the time to drop by, and even more thanks to those who comment. I love you all! Now, let's all get some cake!