Thursday Thirteen

It was 30 years ago that my husband and I said our "I dos" and he and I became "us." Thirty years is a long time. Our anniversary is this coming Monday.

I wanted to share this with my Thursday Thirteen readers, so I hope you will forgive me for this once-in-a-lifetime indulge me as I offer up photos of my wedding. It took place on Friday, November 18, 1983, at 7:30 p.m. I'm afraid that instead of 13 photos there will be 26. Also, some of the photos have little spots on them from dust from scanning.

My wedding invitation.



Napkin.

My colors were silver and purple. I wore an ivory wedding gown; my bridesmaids were in purple (and we all wore hats as I refused to wear a veil). My husband and his entourage wore silver tuxedos.

 

I had more than 150 people at my wedding. It was huge.

 

My maid of honor putting the garter on my leg.

 

 

Final preparations for the big day.

My mother-in-law (left) and my mother (right). 

My bridesmaids, from left: Revonda, Robin, and Jennifer (my husband's sister). 

 

My husband's father was his best man. This is an especially poignant photo for me since my father-in-law passed away in 2010.

 

From left: My father-in-law, my soon-to-be husband, and the minister, John Mason.

 

 

Ushers Alan and Michael (my husband's cousins).

Me and my father.

My cousin Michelle, who served as my flower girl.

My brother, Loren, who sang at our wedding. My husband's close friend, Chris, played the guitar. 

My future mother-in-law being escorted to her seat by Alan. 

The main event begins. 

 

I insisted on a unity candle even though neither of our religions really called for such a thing. Our wedding was rather eclectic; I pulled what I liked from various services and we wrote our own vows.

 

 

Introducing the Mr. and Mrs. 

 

 

The wedding party

 

 

Another sentimental photo: the grandmothers.

 

 

At the reception with the cake.

 

 

I dared him to smash it in my face; he didn't!

 

We drank from a traditional silver wedding cup sent to us by a relative in Germany.

 

 

My husband tossed the garter to the unmarried men.

And I threw the bouquet to the unmarried young women.

 

Meanwhile, this is what they did to my car.

 

 

The newlyweds leave the reception in a barrage of rice. Little did the mischief-makers know, we had never planned to take my car. We left in my mother's.

This is how I remember my parents and brother when I think of them. My mother, who passed away in 2000, and my father still young and handsome, and my brother, just growing into manhood.


Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 319th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.

Bovinely Autumn

Books: Chesapeake Blue

Chesapeake Blue
By Nora Roberts
Copyright 2002
Read by James Daniels
9 hours
Unabridged


This is book 4 in Nora Roberts Chesapeake series. I didn't know it was a part of a series when I picked up the audiobook, but no matter. The book stands alone as it is.

Seth Quinn is a famous artist who returns to his home in St. Christopher, located somewhere along the Chesapeake Bay. Seth has a troubled past, thanks to an abusive mother who essentially sold him to his grandfather so he could take the boy away from terrible circumstances.

At home, Seth discovers that Dru Whitcomb Banks, granddaughter of a famous senator and all that goes along with that, has escaped from Washington DC and opened up a flower shop in his hometown. She has troubles of her own, though nothing as bad as Seth's.

Dru doesn't love or trust easily, and Seth's past has left him a target for blackmail, something he keeps a secret. Can these two find love amidst all of this stuff?

That's the premise of the book, and one that Roberts readers will enjoy.

Veterans Day

Provide for the common defense

 

 

Secure the blessings of liberty

 

 

Make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof

 

 

the right of the people peaceably to assemble

 

 

the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial

 

 

Article IV. The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

 

 

 

to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

 

 

Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

 

 

The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.

 

 

The above words are from the Constitution of the United States.

 

Happy Veterans Day

That's Interesting

The What's What Meme

From Sunday Stealing


Q. What is on your bed right now?

A. My favorite set of sheets, a blanket, and a bedspread. I don't use comforters as they will not stay on the bed and I hate chasing after the covers.

Q. What’s your favorite word or phrase?

A. I say "That's interesting" a great deal, either to elicit more commentary or because I have no idea what someone is talking about. It works for both. Some of my favorite words are chagrin, snickerdoodle (which is a type of cookie), and hasenpfeffer (pronounced hossenfeffer). I don't like to eat hasenpfeffer, it's a code word in my household.

Q. What is the best ice cream flavor?

A. I don't think hot fudge Sundae is a flavor but that would be my favorite. I haven't had it since I was 12, so ... 38 years.

Q. Did you wake up smiling this morning?


A. I woke up screaming, actually. I've been having night terrors lately. I think it's caused by a new medication I'm on.

Q. Is there something in your life you used to have, and now miss?

A. Yes. I used to have one and at the moment I do not.

Q. What major company would you like to work for?

A. None of them, really. But if I must pick one, then I would like to be a bestselling author for a major publishing company.

Q. What time do you wake up on a typical morning?

A. My alarm is set for 6 a.m.

Q. What holiday makes you sad?

A. What's to be sad about, it's just another day.

Q. Where does a good night’s sleep rank on your priorities?

A. Very, very high.

Q. One song that makes you cry?

A. Vincent (Starry, Starry Night), by Don McLean. Here's a link to it on youtube.

Q. How old was your mom when she had you?

A. She was 18 years old when I was born and she was 56 years old when she passed away.

Q. When is the last time you went to the beach?

A. October of last year.

Q. What is the most random object around you?

A. Geez, my whole home office is kind of random. I have a used yogurt cup and a spoon in front of me (my Saturday night dinner). Does that work?

Q. What is your favorite sushi?

A. The cooked kind. I don't eat sushi. Actually I don't eat fish; I've developed an allergy to shellfish and have stopped eating all fish as a precaution.

Q. What food do you find disgusting?

A. Sushi!

Q. If you could have any type of dog in the world, what would it be?

A. A teacup poodle, provided there was some way to make a hypoallergenic model.

Q. What was the last meal that you made for yourself?

A. I fixed a really mean pot roast for my husband and me, along with some Basmati jasmine rice and peas.

Q. Is the hard drive on your computer full or getting close to being full?

A. No. It's only about 1/3 full.

Q. Are there any songs that you prefer the acoustic version over the regular version?

A. Not that I can think of it. I like the acoustic versions of most any song if it well done. But I like the usual sounds, too.

His Shy Smile

Don't worry, my fellow and I of 30 years are doing all right! No Potential New Boyfriends for me!

Saturday 9: Potential New Boyfriend

Unfamiliar with this week's featured song? Hear it here. 

1) In this song, Dolly Parton locks eyes with a definite maybe. What's the first thing that attracts you to a potential new boyfriend or girlfriend? If you're currently in a relationship, what first attracted you to your partner?

Me with my husband of
30 years. Isn't he
adorable?

A. The first thing that attracted me to my husband was his shy smile and brilliant blue eyes. Then we started talking and I loved his intelligence.

2) When Dolly was still a very young girl, she met Johnny Cash, who told her to follow her instincts and pursue a music career. Obviously this worked out very well for her. What's the best advice you ever received?

A. To pursue my four-year degree at Hollins College, now Hollins University. I received my BA there in 1993 and my MA in 2012. Had anyone told me to marry my husband, that would have been number one, but no one did. I made that decision on my own.

My Hollins Bear
with my 2012 MA
announcement

3) Dolly enjoys telling interviewers how she met her husband at the Wishy-Washy Laundromat in Nashville. Do you have a load of dirty clothes, or some other household chore, waiting for you after you finish this week's Saturday 9?

A. I always have laundry waiting on me. To be two people, we go through a pile of clothes. And housework never ends, you know.

4) Dolly's Imagination Library is a charity devoted to children's literacy. What book did you enjoy as a kid? Or, if you're a parent, what book did you enjoy sharing with your own children?




A. I loved every book I read, I think, but one of my favorites was Miss Osborne the Mop by Wilson Gage. I bet you never heard of it. Apparently it is out of print.

5) Dolly's theme park, Dollywood, is a very popular vacation destination. When you have time off, would you rather travel or have friends/relatives visit you?

A. I would rather have visitors so long as they stay in a motel. It would have been the other way around before the bedbugs returned. Now I'm so terrified of bringing those back home that I tend to just ... stay home.

6) Dolly is godmother to Miley Cyrus. If you could advise Miley, what would you say?

A. Grow up. Go to college. Keep your clothes on. You ain't no Madonna.

7) Dolly has earned a reputation for being very warm and friendly to the public. Have you ever had a celebrity encounter?

VA Senator and former
governor Tim Kaine speaking
with Hollins U. President
Nancy Gray

A. I don't know if politicians count, but I've met several of the governors of Virginia (Mark Warner and Tim Kaine (now also state senators), Bob McDonnell, Doug Wilder) during the course of my work as a news reporter. I've met some prominent writers, too - Lee Smith being the most famous one who comes to mind. I also know several local television celebrities, local artists, and local writers, but that's about it.


8) As you can see by the photo, this song was originally released on vinyl. Do you still have any old-school LPs or 45s?

A. Yes. I still have all of my LPs. Even Captain and Tennille. My husband has all of his Rolling Stones albums. But we have nothing to play them on.

9) Sam simply cannot stand Dish TV's Hopper commercial, where hysterical grown men hide under the bed and up in a tree house because they're afraid of ... something. What commercial just bugs the beejeesus out of you?

A. All of them.

Sunrise, November 3 (Rare Eclipse)

I attempted to capture the eclipse on the morning of November 3, but I had no solar filters and the photos I took do not show the actual event. We also had cloud cover.

We went up to Uncle Bill's to take these pictures, as there is a better view of the sunrise from his house. (I was dressed in my nightie, mud boots, and an overcoat. It was chilly!)

They are pretty photos, even if they didn't catch the eclipse.

 

Predawn.

 

Dawn.

 

The sun still hasn't risen.

That's the Peaks of Otter. 

The sun is just coming over the rise; it's that bright orange behind the trees there just to the left of the middle.

 

There's the sun! 

Ol' Helios took his time rising. 

 

And of course he was lifting up straight into the clouds.

 

The eclipse apparently was nearly over when I took these shots around 7 a.m.

 

This one is my favorite.

There may be a bit of the eclipse in this one but it is hard to tell.

Thursday Thirteen

1. Why can you not return technological items (cameras, iPods, whatever) back to their original packaging so that it looks just like it did when you opened the box?

2. Would you rather play a game with someone who is more talented than you, or someone who is less talented? Would it matter if anyone else was watching?

3. Is there something you've dreamed of doing for a long time? Why haven't you done it?

4. Why do we yell?

5. When you try something new, does the fact that you've never done it before increase its appeal or decrease it? How does it affect your anxiety levels? Does it depend on its importance?

6. If you knew that you would completely recover, would you accept a year of paralysis below the neck in order to save an endangered species?

7. Why is it so hard to say no? Do you have trouble saying no?

8. Why do we lose things? How often do you have to look for your keys, glasses, etc. (I bet few people misplace those smartphones.)

9. Why do things have to be either/or? Can't we have both? Do we always need both?

10. If you could get rid of your memories, would you do it? What if you could be selective about it?

11. What would you do if you could do anything you wanted?

12. How would you like to spend the last three months of your life?

13. Would you risk your life for somebody else? Would it depend on who it was?



Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 317th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.