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08-13-2010, 12:20 PM
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49 years and a surprise!
Yesterday was our 49th wedding anniversary. Our anniversaries are always special to us. Invariably, I'll purchase a bouquet - I try to get one rose for each year. This year it took 3 vases to hold them all. I've known my current wife (as I always call her) since we were in the third grade; I fell totally and irretrievably in love with her when we dated in high school, and married her right after college and before I joined the Army. It's been a long ride, with four daughters along the way.
At any rate, last night we went to a special Italian restaurant for our anniversary dinner. Pretty swank place with all the amenities. We started with a deluxe antipasto for two, selected wine, had great dinners, and finished up with spumoni. As I called for the check, a waitress came to our table and explained that an individual seated at a table nearby had claimed our check already, and he was paying for our entire dinner. We of course went over to their table, introduced ourselves, and found out that he had overheard my comment to the maitre'd that it was our 49th anniversary, and that he wanted to do something special for us. He and his wife had celebrated their 34th anniversary two days before. Real nice guy! I'd guesstimate the tab on our meal came to close to $100 - a not inconsiderable sum for a total stranger to pick up.
There are really nice people in this world, and it's good to encounter them now and then.
Thought I'd share this pleasant surprise with you all.
Here's pic of my spouse back when we were dating in high school:
And here's a pic of me with my '50 Chevy around the same time (same car, different paint job):
And here we are today:
I wish for all of you at least a small measure of the joy we've had over the years!
John
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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -
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08-13-2010, 01:08 PM
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Much congratulations are in order !!!! Our anniversary is in two weeks and we have been married 36 years! You both are to be commended!!
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08-13-2010, 01:31 PM
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Congratulations !!!! Nice photos,too.
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08-13-2010, 01:37 PM
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Congratulations John!
My bride and I just celebrated our 43rd anniversary last week. I must say time has treated both your bride and mine much better than it has treated us.  Continued happiness to both of you.
Frank
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08-13-2010, 01:37 PM
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Congratulations and how wonderful to have the love of your life beside you for all your life!
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08-13-2010, 02:05 PM
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Lucky girl.
Lucky guy.
Nice people to spring for the meal.
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08-13-2010, 02:19 PM
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CONGRATULATIONS!!!
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ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ
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08-13-2010, 02:23 PM
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PALADIN,]GREAT STORY,GREAT PICS.
GOD HAS BLESSED YOU BOTH.
THANKS FOR SHARING FRIEND
HAPPY TRAILS
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08-13-2010, 02:37 PM
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That's the way most of us started out. High school sweetheat and live happily ever after. I started that way then BOOM ! DIVORCE Move ahead several years......another DIVORCE..I'm done with marriage.. Nine years later I meet my current wife. Life is good !! My hat is off to you and your ( current ) wife. You guys are a minority in Marriage these days. Your a lucky man...
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08-13-2010, 02:41 PM
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Congratulations!
T-Star
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08-13-2010, 03:27 PM
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Very nice. I hope my wife and I get to enjoy each other's company for 49 years. We celebrated our 15th this year. There ain't nothing worse than a bad woman, but there ain't nothing better than a good one. Looks like you found a keeper. Congratulations.
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08-13-2010, 03:30 PM
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I'll bet it made the gentleman who bought your dinner as happy to do it as it did you. It feels great to do something nice for someone who you'd think will appreciate it.
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08-13-2010, 03:34 PM
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Congratulations, John, what a great anniversary!
Although...you make me feel like a marriage rookie....sheesh!
Best wishes, and may your next anniversary be even better!
Len
PS...bet you wish you still had that car!
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Qui me amat, amet et canem meum
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08-13-2010, 03:44 PM
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John, congratulations to you and your wife, what a great milestone and a great story to top it off. It was very nice to meet you in Tucson.
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08-13-2010, 06:46 PM
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Whew! I was afraid you were going to say you were 49 y/o and she was pregnant! That would be a surprise.
Happy Anniversary!! Hope you have many more happy, healthy years together!
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Insert short witty words here
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08-13-2010, 07:19 PM
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Congratulations to the both of you!!
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Dom
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08-13-2010, 08:38 PM
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Congrats. Off topic, but how was the food? Always looking for good Italian in metro PHX. Care to share name of the place?
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08-13-2010, 08:44 PM
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congratulations! I would have guessed that was your daughter with you in the third picture.
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08-13-2010, 08:45 PM
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Great story, beautiful wife - you are a lucky man. The love in her eyes is obvious in that third picture.
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08-13-2010, 08:48 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by zercool
Great story, beautiful wife - you are a lucky man. The love in her eyes is obvious in that third picture.
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That's it right there. May God continue to bless the both of you. Congratulations!
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08-13-2010, 09:01 PM
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Lucky man John - best wishes always. The unknown stranger who picked up the tab was a real suprise. Not many who would do that; a sign that you are blessed indeed. Good luck to the future.
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Martin Co,FLA(finally made it)
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08-13-2010, 09:10 PM
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Congrats John. We are having our 47th end of this month. Sounds like you are a lot like me. Just to dang hard to train another one
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Jumpin Gee-hoss-a-fat..Bob
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08-13-2010, 10:49 PM
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Congratulations to the two of you. You obviously are doing something very right!!
I wish you a wonderful year this year and a better one next year.
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08-13-2010, 10:53 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PALADIN85020
Yesterday was our 49th wedding anniversary. Our anniversaries are always special to us. Invariably, I'll purchase a bouquet - I try to get one rose for each year. This year it took 3 vases to hold them all. I've known my current wife (as I always call her) since we were in the third grade; I fell totally and irretrievably in love with her when we dated in high school, and married her right after college and before I joined the Army. It's been a long ride, with four daughters along the way.
At any rate, last night we went to a special Italian restaurant for our anniversary dinner. Pretty swank place with all the amenities. We started with a deluxe antipasto for two, selected wine, had great dinners, and finished up with spumoni. As I called for the check, a waitress came to our table and explained that an individual seated at a table nearby had claimed our check already, and he was paying for our entire dinner. We of course went over to their table, introduced ourselves, and found out that he had overheard my comment to the maitre'd that it was our 49th anniversary, and that he wanted to do something special for us. He and his wife had celebrated their 34th anniversary two days before. Real nice guy! I'd guesstimate the tab on our meal came to close to $100 - a not inconsiderable sum for a total stranger to pick up.
There are really nice people in this world, and it's good to encounter them now and then.
Thought I'd share this pleasant surprise with you all.
Here's pic of my spouse back when we were dating in high school:
And here's a pic of me with my '50 Chevy around the same time (same car, different paint job):
And here we are today:
I wish for all of you at least a small measure of the joy we've had over the years!
John |
Congratulations to you both! Great post (as usual...), and nice pictures (as usual...). Love the story of the guy buying you folks dinner, goes to prove that good things happen to good people!
My wife and I had our 7th anniversary on Monday, so we have a little catching up to do...
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NRA Life Member
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08-14-2010, 12:37 AM
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Congrats on the anniversary and what a nice gesture by that fellow! As a sicde note, today, August 13, is my parents 50th anniversary.
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08-14-2010, 01:27 AM
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Awesome! Well done you two!
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08-14-2010, 08:55 AM
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Congrats to you and your sweetie, 33 years for us in Sept. and there is nothing like being married to your best friend. Heres to many many more. Larry
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08-14-2010, 09:02 AM
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Those are great pictures. Congratulations to both of you.
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He who angers you,controls you
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08-14-2010, 10:50 AM
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Congratulations on hanging in there for so many years, you old romantic you. Every marriage is a trip filled bad roads with potholes, as well as, newly paved interstates. It takes special people to endure. Nice story, especially the part about the free dinner.
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08-14-2010, 11:46 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by yaktamer
Congrats. Off topic, but how was the food? Always looking for good Italian in metro PHX. Care to share name of the place?
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The restaurant we visited was Nina's Tutti Santi, at 16th Street and Morten - in the SE corner. Hard to beat. Class place where you can still go casual.
Other Italian restaurants we frequent:
Anzio - on 28th Ave. Great pizza. A hole in the wall in a strip mall, but surprisingly spacious inside with great servers.
Anzio Landing - Falcon Field, Mesa. Worth going out of your way for, and watch the planes take off and land from your window seat. Their complimentary hot bread is outstanding.
Raimondo's - in the Day's Inn, @ 5th Ave & Camelback. Ray relocated here about a year ago from the previous location on 7th Street. Still terrific and reasonably priced Italian food. The bar there is like "Cheers," - regular customers who all know each other.
Michelina's - Shea Blvd, just E of the 51 (closed in August). Wonderful food, a bit pricey, but well worth it. Excellent attentive service. A real class operation.
La Fontanella - on E. Indian School Rd. A wonderful variety of Italian specialties. All are very good. Complimentary bread and olive oil with spices. Reservations suggested.
Roma Garden - at Thunderbird and 40th Street. Family recipes direct from Italy. A favorite for many in the know.
Harley's Bistro - 7th Ave above Indian School on the E. side. Their baked ravioli is the best in the world, trust me. They have been here using the same recipes since the 1950s, under different owners and managers. Excellent service.
And best of all (we've been eating here since high school) - Riazzi's Italian Gardens on S. Mill Ave. in Tempe. It relocated here back in the '70s when a coming freeway made them pull up stakes from their previous location on E. Van Buren. Same family has owned and run it for 4 generations. Try the ravioli & spaghetti/meatballs combo!
John
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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -
Last edited by PALADIN85020; 08-14-2010 at 11:58 AM.
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08-14-2010, 11:53 AM
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Thanks to all for your well wishes! And no, I don't think I look like that retired general.  It's hard to believe we are in our 50th year of marriage now. I'm sure glad I picked my future wife out of the herd early and that she asked me to marry her!*
*She will argue that fine point. The truth is, she asked me if it wasn't time for me to propose. But I call that a constructive proposal. Right? 
John
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08-14-2010, 04:50 PM
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Congratulations John. You both look great and she looks like she adores you! A great marriage makes our journey on this earth a real blessing.
My sweet wife and I will be married 37 years in October. As I'm fond of saying, "I screwed up and married the RIGHT one!" I'll bet you feel the same way . . . for we truly all never know when we start out if we will always love and adore each other.
I ended up with a real angel . . . and looks like you did too! Here we are last week at Mexico Beach in Florida. What a wonderful time we had!
We are both blessed, as are our spouses . . . for both must work hard and cheerfully to put the other one first! All the best, Tom
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08-14-2010, 05:07 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tom turner
Congratulations John. You both look great and she looks like she adores you! A great marriage makes our journey on this earth a real blessing.
My sweet wife and I will be married 37 years in October. As I'm fond of saying, "I screwed up and married the RIGHT one!" I'll bet you feel the same way . . . for we truly all never know when we start out if we will always love and adore each other.
I ended up with a real angel . . . and looks like you did too! Here we are last week at Mexico Beach in Florida. What a wonderful time we had!
We are both blessed, as are our spouses . . . for both must work hard and cheerfully to put the other one first! All the best, Tom
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Looks like you married well, Tom! Congrats!
John
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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -
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08-14-2010, 10:33 PM
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John,
Thanks for the info on the restaurants. I lived on Morten at the 51 about 20 years ago (in the apartment complex on the North side of Morten where it dead-ends against the freeway). Don't remember Nina's though. Is it in the space where Frisco used to be?
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08-14-2010, 11:01 PM
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Congrats.....and great picts!
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08-15-2010, 01:11 AM
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Well, at least the bride aged well. 
Congratulations on the milestone!
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08-15-2010, 02:24 PM
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Congratulations!!!
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08-15-2010, 02:45 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by yaktamer
John,
Thanks for the info on the restaurants. I lived on Morten at the 51 about 20 years ago (in the apartment complex on the North side of Morten where it dead-ends against the freeway). Don't remember Nina's though. Is it in the space where Frisco used to be?
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Nina's Tutti Santi is located on the SE corner of Morten and 16th St., just south of Gallagher's sports bar, tucked away in the SE corner of that complex. Unless you're looking for it, you might miss it.
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08-15-2010, 02:48 PM
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Wonderful story and pictures. Thanks for sharing. The years have been kind to you both. That was quite a nice gesture on the part of the total strangers. The dear wife and I have number 48 coming up next month.
oldogy
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08-15-2010, 04:49 PM
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John, do you think it will last? Just kidding. Congratulations on 49 years together. I don't know how a life could be more meaningful than one filled with the life long love of a special woman. Thanks for sharing.
Out
West
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08-15-2010, 06:20 PM
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WOW!!
You are still a Handsome Devil and your Wife is still a "Hottie".
Jimmy
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08-15-2010, 09:22 PM
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Congratulations!
My wife and I had our 25th this year. She is much more than I deserve.
Best,
DLB
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Veritas et Humanitas
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