July 1980 - Exeter, New Hampshire
We have been married 31 years! A lifetime or a moment. David was my date at my 19th birthday party and I haven't dated anyone else since.
It is our custom to go on a picnic on our anniversary. I make a chicken salad and we bring a bottle of The Widow to a lovely sunny spot. Same thing, every year. Later, we usually go to a wonderful restaurant and enjoy a gourmet meal - and just enjoy each other and celebrate the luck that we found each other (no reason to ruin the lives of two other people!) and that we are still having fun!
Except this year we woke to rain! It was cold too. We had to use the furnace this morning. It is the middle of July and I was wearing a turtleneck sweater. And an undershirt. Come on!
I had poached chicken breasts with fresh basil leaves yesterday and left them to marinate overnight (recipe soon!) for a Chicken Caprese Salad (the same recipe I left behind last week on our train trip to Seattle). I finished preparing the salad this morning, but the weather was not looking to cooperate with picnic plans.Not that this has stopped us before. A few times on our anniversary, we have had our chicken salad and champagne on our (covered) front porch during rainy weather. Only one time was this awkward - when UPS delivered a package during our repast.
My Husband decided a luncheon in the Oregon Wine Country would be a better option, so he drove me over Chehalem Mountain for lunch at the Dundee Bistro, owned by our neighbors, the Ponzi Vineyard family.
We love the Dundee Bistro.
Though DT looks a little bothered in this photo (I was delaying the toast to take a photo!) he was posing so you could see the wood-burning fire. Yes. July 12th. A fire-side table. Can you even imagine a fire in July? Welcome to Oregon.
They say long-married couples start to look alike, but we are starting to order alike: we both chose steak frites with truffle fries, Oregon Blue Cheese and Morel mushrooms someone call a cardiologist and a few green beans for garnish. Way too much food - we ended up bringing one steak home.
We arrived back to Taylor Manor to find our field mower dude hard at work - tackling the chore of cutting the grass in our one-acre deer-grazing area. Smelled wonderful.
We enjoyed the evening on our (covered) front porch. The sun came out, the skies cleared and it was actually quite pleasant - since we were wearing sweaters. We had our chicken salad for dinner. We are adaptable. Maybe that is why we have been married for 31 short years.
The miles continue to build. Three miles yesterday, 2 today. I am one mile ahead of schedule. Thirty five long miles to run before I reach my goal. But don't forget I am donating $$$ for every mile I run to the Oregon Food Bank.Until my next update, I remain, your married correspondent.