55th Wedding Anniversary
Bensblurb #591 2/10/11
Another milepost on a long journey
We interrupt this commercial to bring you a personal bit of news: February 11 marks the 55th wedding anniversary for me and Carole Lee--my first and only wife.
But it’s really no big deal. All you have to do is sit there and put up with each other and occasionally share a smile, a memory and a fond glance...stuff like that.
The rest is in the stars, as they say. For the older you get the faster the time goes and the slower you get. The great-grandkids (soon to be four) smile tolerantly in our presence as we try to remember their birthdays and heck, even their full names anymore.
Granted, our fine herd, extending from Virginia to Colorado, also might possibly contain a laggard or two among the geniuses. So far none has really self-identified. But we’re watching two footloose grandsons for their haywire potential, although both are at that age, you know, when things most often start gelling for the better. Here’s hoping.
Last month I rounded up the local kin and headed us to a fancy meal at a place we had never been. It’s called Bavarian Chef, at the Fredericksburg railroad station (where Claiborne’s used to be). Really great eats.
And seeing the gusto there, let me tell you that it’s one thing my family can do with food. There were seven of us around a big table, and before settling in for the feast, we all joined hands, bowed heads, and returned thanks, then hugs. Later, after dessert, a waitress came over to our table and told us how nice she thought our blessings had been, and how novel in today’s world. I hadn’t noticed.
More to the point, just coming off another Redskin-less football playoff season, forgive me for being less than celebratory and, to put it mildly, more disgruntled.
Our game celebrations used to be something else. The greatest for me came when Washington played Denver in the Super Bowl. Back then, son Bud and I would have another drink each time the Redskins scored. Then super sub Doug Williams threw four touchdown passes in the second quarter to devastate Denver, and me.
I doubt there will be any surprises from the family regarding our 55th wedding anniversary, since the 50th was celebrated so long and loud. This time around, alas, both honorees have less gas in their tank, so to speak, with our aches and pains ruling out any more kicking up of the heels. Besides, we tried some of that on New Years Eve at Aquia Harbour’s Clubhouse Restaurant. It took a while to recover, after acting our age and then some.
You must be getting tired of this personal stuff. But just two more, if you will: One, I now am honored to be officially banned from further political commentary on the liberal Huffington Post website. Honestly.
Two, as I promised last summer to report here, while beginning my own weight-loss campaign, that’s how many pounds I have shed, on a good day. Pitiful, but lengthening retirement is a major hurdle. You’ll see.
Ben Blankenship is a career journalist and a long-time resident of Aquia Harbour. Reach him at Benblanken@aol.com.
Another milepost on a long journey
We interrupt this commercial to bring you a personal bit of news: February 11 marks the 55th wedding anniversary for me and Carole Lee--my first and only wife.
But it’s really no big deal. All you have to do is sit there and put up with each other and occasionally share a smile, a memory and a fond glance...stuff like that.
The rest is in the stars, as they say. For the older you get the faster the time goes and the slower you get. The great-grandkids (soon to be four) smile tolerantly in our presence as we try to remember their birthdays and heck, even their full names anymore.
Granted, our fine herd, extending from Virginia to Colorado, also might possibly contain a laggard or two among the geniuses. So far none has really self-identified. But we’re watching two footloose grandsons for their haywire potential, although both are at that age, you know, when things most often start gelling for the better. Here’s hoping.
Last month I rounded up the local kin and headed us to a fancy meal at a place we had never been. It’s called Bavarian Chef, at the Fredericksburg railroad station (where Claiborne’s used to be). Really great eats.
And seeing the gusto there, let me tell you that it’s one thing my family can do with food. There were seven of us around a big table, and before settling in for the feast, we all joined hands, bowed heads, and returned thanks, then hugs. Later, after dessert, a waitress came over to our table and told us how nice she thought our blessings had been, and how novel in today’s world. I hadn’t noticed.
More to the point, just coming off another Redskin-less football playoff season, forgive me for being less than celebratory and, to put it mildly, more disgruntled.
Our game celebrations used to be something else. The greatest for me came when Washington played Denver in the Super Bowl. Back then, son Bud and I would have another drink each time the Redskins scored. Then super sub Doug Williams threw four touchdown passes in the second quarter to devastate Denver, and me.
I doubt there will be any surprises from the family regarding our 55th wedding anniversary, since the 50th was celebrated so long and loud. This time around, alas, both honorees have less gas in their tank, so to speak, with our aches and pains ruling out any more kicking up of the heels. Besides, we tried some of that on New Years Eve at Aquia Harbour’s Clubhouse Restaurant. It took a while to recover, after acting our age and then some.
You must be getting tired of this personal stuff. But just two more, if you will: One, I now am honored to be officially banned from further political commentary on the liberal Huffington Post website. Honestly.
Two, as I promised last summer to report here, while beginning my own weight-loss campaign, that’s how many pounds I have shed, on a good day. Pitiful, but lengthening retirement is a major hurdle. You’ll see.
Ben Blankenship is a career journalist and a long-time resident of Aquia Harbour. Reach him at Benblanken@aol.com.
posted by Ben Blankenship at
5:38 PM
