48 Years Today.

Remembering the day: my mother planned the entire wedding because I was 18 and had no idea what a wedding should be like. The only ones I had been to were church basement affairs of my cousins on one side, and the wedding of another cousin in Darien Ct. at a country club. One of the Hiltons was in attendance.

Mine was like neither.

The only thing I held out for was a short dress. I had tripped on my full-length prom dress the year before and had fears of repeating that. 125 people were invited and the reception was at the now gone Sunken Gardens Restaurant in Philadelphia. We had no money for a band but the restaurant had one, which we made good use of. It was a gorgeous day, a surprising fifty some degrees and sunny. A funeral director my parents knew drove us there in his limousine.

Dad and me

I had three bridesmaids, all dressed in short aqua dresses, which we had bought for very little at Gimbels Department Store. I am still in touch with one of them. After the reception ended, we went back to New Brunswick for a few days and then I returned to Philly, resumed my job with the phone company, waiting for my promised transfer.

Living with my parents for three months was pretty awful. When Phil picked me up on the weekends, my mother expressed regret that we wanted to go back to New Brunswick since our time with them was growing short. I also resumed  my teenage chores of cleaning the bathroom on Saturday mornings and drying the dishes after dinner. They didn't give me my allowance though.

When I finally got my transfer to New Jersey Bell, things improved until my mother started asking about grandchildren.  Three years later, Josh was born and the next year Megan. What a great life. Sure there has been a tragedy or two, but never one between us.  

To my exemplary husband, I love you.  And to my parents, I miss you.