Our 12th Wedding Anniversary

Last Saturday was Jeff and my 12th Anniversary. We had a lovely day. I slept in until late (which is always a nice thing to do), and then we decided to take a drive down to Wheeling for the Italian Festival.

One of my most favorite things in life is travel. Although I am quite happy to jump on an airplane and see new cities, I am equally entertained by visiting the countryside around me. So, the promise of the Festival meant heading over to West Virginia and taking Highway 2 south. It is a scenic route that carries you alongside the Ohio River. A high canyon wall reaches above you on the left, and hillocks and fields are draped in trees and grasses. Native wildflowers are scattered like so many gems, and overhead soar a variety of species of bird. We would pass through several small villages along the way, and as Highway 2 becomes their Main Street, our eyes are treated to old Victorian and Craftsman homes, as well as ancient commercial buildings. Oh, yes, one more reason for me to find a bad taste in my mouth for the 1950's and 1960's... 'Modern' replaced the quaint architecture, stripping it of it's Romanesque columns, gargoyles, frills and filigree. On Highway 2, 'Modern' never found its niche, and my eyes are given a reprieve from the blight of that tasteless era.

We arrived at the Festival while it was in full swing, and found a very friendly parking lot attendant (who even helped us locate a space right near the sidewalk, so Jeff would not have to walk far!) We enjoyed the Italian music wafting up from the riverfront, and the smells of so many food booths tempted us at each inhalation. Admission was free, as were our pocketbooks, and we treated ourselves to good food and Pennsylvania Dutch fry bread. We purchased a bottle of honey apple mead (because, despite it being an Italian theme, there were a host of vendors sporting English treats.)

Jeff and I strolled along the Ohio River, and I took a few pictures. A very nice gentleman asked us if we wanted to pose together, and so (a rare treat!), Jeff and I are actually in the same snapshot! The weather was nice, and we had a slight breeze to keep us cool.

We stopped at the market on our way home, and purchased some shrimp for our Jambalaya. We have always celebrated our Anniversary by making a special dinner (unless my parents take us out for a treat.) It stems from when we were newlyweds, with hardly any funds to our name. Although many women expect fancy jewelry or an expensive meal, I have never seem the use for it. To begin with, I don't wear jewelry all that often, with the exception of my wedding rings, and expensive meals are usually not as good as what Jeff can cook here at home. Perhaps on our 50th, many years from now, we will don the suit and black dress, and go out for a meal. Or not.

Dinner was a romantic affair on our back porch. We turned on the strung lights, dug out a bottle of wine, set a candle on the bistro table, and enjoyed each other's company. It was very relaxing. There are still a few fireflies around, and they helped the evening meal end on a magical note.

Sunday was much the same as always, with the exception of my participation in the choir at mass. I was asked to return for the 6 PM mass, and did so happily. Unfortunately, the organist and I had a chuckle as the preloaded new music (we are switching over to the Mass of Light platform) when off pitch... instead of singing, we ended up reciting. All in all, a good Sunday.

I was to sing at a funeral on Monday, but woke up feeling under the weather. My house is dusty, my carpets are fuzzy with fur, and about the only thing I was able to do was get the Cornish game hens in the oven. Today was a slow day, with Jeff feeling under the weather, so the house is still messy. But, I am pleased to have at least caught up on my blog, and will try to catch up on reading the blogs that I follow. One of my newfound friends, Annieelf, gave me a link to a fascinating blog about insects, called Hazzbugs, and I will try to get that link in place for you today. If it doesn't come up, you can paste http://www.hazzbugs.blogspot.com/ into your browser window. I've also got to send off an email to Jonathan St. Andre, as he sent me one over the weekend. I have yet to sit down and actually write Pauline in the UK anything more than a few lines (congratulations to her daughter, Bex, on becoming Head Chef!) I have not forgotten you Dean, or Christa, or SquigglesMom, or Father Patrick. Don't feel too badly, dear friends... I have not even responded back to my own Mum's email! Yes, I bravely admit it: I am behind on just about all my email and other correspondence! Not to fear, for I will endeavor to be caught up by Christmas!