Just booked our 44th wedding anniversary trip. Two weeks in September 2011. It starts in Athens. Not Georgia. Our first hotel is Hotel Polis. Go figure. From the rooftop of the hotel restaurant, we will see the Acropolis all lit up.
Then to Santorini for a week of sailing the Greek islands. Fifty foot sail boat 8 passengers. My favorite #. Maybe we will even stop at L. Cohen's island of Hydra, where he wrote “Marianne” and “Bird on A Wire.”
Santorini at the Hotel Pelicano and hopefully a lot of Ouzo, then on to Istanbul, Turkey for our anniversary on September 30th. Janis, our travel agent/friend says, "There is a bridge where you can walk into Asia."
On the announcement of our engagement, Sandy's Mom, Frances Zabek, asked in 1962, "When will you get married?”
We were 19 and 18. “In five years,” we replied.
She said, "You won't last that long."
Sandy’s Dad was more uplifting. He lowered his North Adams Transcript and said, “I hope you know what you’re doin’.”
Then he raised the newspaper back up.
His Mom, Babci Zumbek, always liked me. She knew that it would work. I don't know why. We never even had a real conversation. She only spoke Polish, you know, from the old country. Well I am one half Polish. Lemanski is certainly Polish. Nora's maiden name.
Hattie Fontaine Bacon, my Dad's mom, “From France not Canada," she would say, gave me her diamond that Frank originally gave her . . . to give to Sandy.
Mom and Dad Bacon said, "Don't let her get away."
I listened and I didn't let her get away. Lucky me!
We met when we were 14 and 15. There was a dance. The waves parted. The red sweater. Girls should always wear sweaters.
Everyone knows the story by now. Frankie Avalone was singing " Venus."
We had Kezia's name picked out even that far back, when we were 14 and 15. Sandy knew. I was clueless. Everyone at Adams Memorial High School knew. I was clueless. Hey! I am a guy.
So it really is 51 years. Sometimes you just get lucky.
I wish you our luck and happiness. Just like Romeo and Juliet. You can't make up STUFF like this. Thank you for listening again and again.
