07.17.17

Thirty years ago this evening, my boyfriend of seven months asked me to marry him. We were vacationing on Maui and enjoying a booze cruise. The ring was placed in a lemon slice and decorated the Mai Tai which was placed before me.  The captain of the ship, the band and most of the guests knew what was about to happen.  I saw the ring; I said to Jim it can't be real and he assured me it was.  I said yes -- the band played -- we danced while the sun went down. Romantic to say the least, but that doesn't mean we weren't scared to death of commitment.

Today we are enjoying gin and tonics with a fine champagne chilling for later. The portable a/c unit is running; we're watching a 1986 concert on TV featuring QUEEN. The pets have been fed and everyone has taken their designated sitting place in the living room.

We will celebrate twenty-seven years of marriage on the 28th of this month. Where has the time gone?  Jim and I have made a conscious effort to honor one another and to honor our marriage.  Not an easy road, but we're together laughing, loving and living the good life in Montana.

Mr. and Mrs. James E. Bellissimo

Whitefish, Montana