34 years ago today...

I walked into the temple and married my one true love! Both of us were almost 22 years old, yet still ready to make a lifelong commitment to loving each other. We've succeeded so far! We've raised three daughters, seen four new grandchildren enter the fold and have the best English Bulldog granddog ever! Our sons-in-law are really great guys that we are so proud to have in the family. It's crazy to think of all the things we've done together, knowing most people going in never thought it would last.

Some of the things happening around the world thirty four years ago:

Gerald Ford was president. He tripped and fell a lot. Then he retired a stone's throw from here. His wife opened a HUGE drug and alcohol recovery center in Palm Springs.

The merchant ship U.S. Mayaguez was recaptured from Cambodia's Khmer Rouge. The Khmer Rouge did not lose power in Vietnam until the birth of our first child some three years later in 1978.

The Vietnam war was coming to an end. Saigon had fallen just a few short days ago, April 30th. War was on all our minds. Edited to add: How strange is it that the photographer, Hugh Van Es, a Dutch photojournalist who covered the Vietnam War and recorded the most famous image of the fall of Saigon in 1975 — a group of people scaling a ladder to a CIA helicopter on a rooftop — died this morning?

Trini Lopez, Laini Kazan, Paul Rudd, Emmitt Smith and Brian Eno were celebrating birthdays. Frank Zappa's son turned one.

The Philadelphia Flyers beat the Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup finals 4 to 2.

Junko Tabei was almost to the top of Mt. Everest. She became the first woman to ever reach the top on May 16th.

Inflation was on the rise: As quoted by consumer reporter: "I'll tell you one thing, if things keep going the way they are, its going to be impossible to buy a weeks groceries for $20.00." I remember the first weeks worth of groceries I bought for us as a newlywed couple was $10 a bag. I bought three bags worth of groceries.

Gasoline was 65 cents a gallon.

Freddie Prinze was starring in Chico and the Man.

May 15th, 1975 was a Thursday.

We ate lunch, after our wedding at McDonalds on Santa Monica Blvd. We met Jack Carter the actor there. I have his autograph.

The number one song that day was a Tony Orladndo and Dawn song called He Don't Love You (Like I Love You). I don't even remember the song!

Our song was Day after Day by Badfinger. It was released the month we began dating in 1971. We are still that cheesy couple that has to make eye contact and smile when we hear it on the radio. Yes, my heart still skips a beat.

I was wearing a wrap skirt and yellow french t and sandals. He was in his navy seafarers denims and a 70s style polo shirt (not an Izod)and Frye boots. We had changed in anticipation of the reception later (didn't want to have to press my dress again). At the reception I was in my gown with a fully beaded bolero (hand beaded by my mom) and he was in a tux with top hat and tails. It was a crack up. My attendants were my sisters, a cousin, and a friend from high school. His attendants were guys he knew from church.

My colors were white and (Navy)blue. The flowers were bachelor buttons for their lovely blue and white roses. I carried a single white rose for my bouquet. One love - one rose. I wanted my attendants in navy dresses but my mother would have none of it. She stated it was to funereal for a wedding. Yeah, I got in to FIDM (didn't attend, that's a regret!) because of my sense of fashion, but what did I know? They ended up in cream colored dresses with small blue flowers. Just one of the compromises between my mother and I.

Our reception was held the same day. We had over 400 guests present. There was a full buffet dinner with a five tiered cake and seven satellite cakes in all different flavors. I got the bite of cake my groom served me. The rest was eaten by guests. We were at the reception until 10 p.m. The next day we went to Disneyland. Our real honeymoon wasn't until three weeks later.

We climbed into our 1966 Volkswagen Van and camped throughout Utah and Idaho for three weeks, rarely sleeping in the same city for a night. It was a great western adventure. We had a blast! Waking up to see the sunrise in Zion National Park was beautiful. Then seeing the clear blue water of Bear Lake in Idaho a few days later was awesome. I had never seen a lake with such clarity in my life. Wow.

I was working at Alpha Beta, a grocery store, as a clerk/bookkeeper. He was in college and working part time but I can't remember where. He was in a band. He's a bassist.

We've made our own little history in these 34 years. Let's hear it for another 34! I'm up for it sweetie, how about you? (he says "I should live so long!")