What Did We Do On Our Anniversary? Lots...Including The Laundry

A few months ago I was sitting in the green room of our local community theater chatting with cast members as we waited our entrance. A fellow actor was on her laptop checking out China.

"China, huh?" I said (of course, I might have said something different--its been a few months...).

"Yeah. I'm checking out where my husband and I want to go for our anniversary in November," she said. "We're thinking of going to a place neither of us have ever been to, so we're considering China."

"That sounds like fun," I said.

And it does.

It make me think of the anniversaries my wife and I have celebrated. Today is #26. We didn't go to China. We went to Red Lobster and then I had to go to work. In those twenty-six years my wife and I have traveled maybe twice and only once have we left the state to celebrate our anniversary. The time we did leave the state, we never went more than 2 miles from the state line.

And we're okay with that.

Years ago my wife and I decided to homeschool. What does that have to do with traveling for an anniversary? When you homeschool you usually can only have one income. I didn't realize, back when we made the decision, how it would impact us as a married couple. My income wouldn't send us to China. It barely sent us to Nevada.

Today my wife and I had a great day. We spent the morning and half the afternoon together. We had a delicious lunch and we did laundry. I put in seven hours of work and now the last embers of the fire that was September 22 are dying out. 

Twenty-six years. It's been amazing, and I'm so glad she said, "yes."

Celebrating Our Anniversary...At Thyme And Seasons

Last week my wife and I celebrated our anniversary. We wanted to go somewhere new and we weren't sure where to go. Harnessing the power of the internet, my wife took to the web for recommendations. 

It came down to two--a place in Layton (about ten miles north...), or a place in Bountiful (about ten miles in the opposite direction...).

We went south.

I'm so glad we did!

My wife found an amazing place called Thyme And Seasons Market Place and it was good! The owner and executive chef Hai Fitzgerald converted the once convenience store to a market/restaurant that specializes in seafood and steaks. Those are two things we really like. Having never been there, we asked Hai for recommendations.

"We just got in some delicious escolar--best seafood in the place."

We ordered two dishes.

It's hard to see, but the menu is written on the wall and has a variety of options. Hai said you can come in every day and get a different meal. I believe it, too. Also, it's the kind of place that has all sorts of stuff up on the walls, old pictures, even money from different countries, so it's a feast for the eyes, as well.

As we left, I snapped a picture of a Lamborghini that parked next to our minivan. They had heard of the place, too. I'm hoping we find another excuse--and not just an anniversary--for us to return.

Your Anniversary's In June...What's Wrong With That? Ah...Playoffs

The other day a co-worker and I were having a conversation. He's one of my sport's friends. That isn't to say he and I participate in sports, but it seems whenever we talk (which is a couple of times a month...), we inevitably discuss sports.

I used to be into sports--my wife would say I still am--but I don't think so, at least not the was I once was. Sports used to affected me and not always in a positive way. I made the conscience decision to reduce my sports intake. I know I'm much more at peace than I used to be.

So, my friend and I were talking. Somehow we got on the topic of marriages and weddings. I remembered a mutual friend of ours that was going to get married soon, so I asked him how he was doing and when was he going to get married. He said our friend was doing fine and the wedding was in June. 

Then my friend said something that I wasn't quite sure I heard correctly. 

He said, "Yeah, that's when I got married, but I kind of wish I had gotten married a little later in the month." I asked, why, and he said, "Because, had I waited a little bit, my anniversary wouldn't interfere with the NBA playoffs."

I was a little taken back. Our local pro team, the Utah Jazz hadn't made the playoffs in several years and the last time they did, they were swept in the first round. I asked what that meant since no local team was playing this year and he said that it kind of interfered with his anniversary, not in a major way, but the games sometimes did.

I guess removing myself from the world of sports has made me think about things differently. I would imagine the two could exist harmoniously together. Of course, my anniversary is in September, arguably the best time for sports. With college and NFL games in full swing, baseball pennant races going on, preseason NBA games and major league soccer matches--it's a sports junky nirvana. So, when we decided to get married in September, what was I thinking?

All photos used without permission from the NBA