The Years Go By

Back when I was in the spring of my life I met a fine and wonderful man, a gem, a treasure beyond imagining. At the time I had no real idea of how he would change my life and be the one who would come to know me best, warts and all. The amazing thing, then and still, is that he loves me and wants me to be myself and not someone else, not even when it might be easier for him if I was. I love that about him, along with all the other fine and wonderful qualities.

The years go by. We make a life, marry, have children, change jobs, move to another home, weather adversity together and celebrate together, have our ups and downs as all true relationships tend to do.

Over 35 years pass since we marry. These past few days we celebrate another year together with a trip to one of our favorite places, Monterey, CA.

We take Pi with us and he enjoys our favorite inn, The Victorian Inn. They love dogs there and he enjoyed the window seat

and the bed

plus having his water dish on a marble fireplace hearth...fancy!

We took a number or walks around the area near Cannery Row and the Monterey Bay Aquarium, visited a bookstore of course, had lunch at the Sea Harvest Fish Market (where there might be a whale bone at the end of the parking lot),

enjoyed the morning as we ate breakfast outdoors under a lovely arbor on Wave St. at the Wave Street Cafe with a great view of Monterey Bay, and had our anniversary dinner at Bistro Moulin, also on Wave St., a quiet place with sophisticated French food, not far from the Aquarium.

The walkers and bicyclists were out in force on the bike and pedestrian path where the railroad used to be and we were amazed at how many rusting old tanks still exist from the days when sardines were canned here in the time of Steinbeck. When we first started coming here a few years before we married, there were a lot more ruins but now there are many newer buildings and lots of places for tourists to spend their money. Back then one of the old buildings held a carousel but that's long gone and now the space is either a parking structure or a movie theatre. The biggest draw for me is always the water.

On the way home we encountered some rain but by the time we pulled off the freeway for a break at a oak shaded vista overlook near Filoli, it was sunny with just a bit of mist in the distance over Crystal Reservoir and lots of fluffy clouds.

At home all was well and one of my yellow roses had opened and was a sunny welcome home.