Surviving Our Mixed Marriage

No, I’m not talking race, religion, or politics. But I am talking about a difference so challenging, so fraught with misunderstanding, so bewildering, we’ve wondered how our union takes it. Randy is an extrovert. I’m an introvert. Yet as the decades have rolled along, we’ve learned specific ways of coping with each other’s personalities. What […]

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What Are Your Favorite Married Dates?

Every couple has them—the occasional rough patch where you can’t speak to each other without considering murder. After 43 years of marriage, Randy and I have had a few. But there’s a small thing that always gets us back on track and reminds us why we’re still together. It’s called a date. Here’s five of […]

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The Concert That Was Almost a Disaster

  Don’t you hate when you try and do something nice, but it takes a dicey turn? This happened when I bought two tickets for my husband Randy and me to see “The Monterey Jazz Festival on Tour” at our local music venue. It wasn’t our usual fare, but everything at this theater is good, […]

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When Spouses Surprise Us

It was an amazing message to receive from my husband, with almost historic significance. I looked at my phone in shock. Was this a mistake? But no, it had come from Randy. I stared a few more moments, at a missive I’d never received in over forty years of marriage. “I’ll make dinner tomorrow night.” […]

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The Gift That Wouldn’t Stop Giving

      My husband Randy is the best present giver ever, buying gifts with the greatest care, planning, and generosity. So, for my birthday recently, when he pulled out a huge, heavy box for me to open, I was intrigued. Inside lay a vacuum-packed item that looked like it contained something large, white, and soft. […]

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He Says/She Says: Our Marriage’s 3 Dumbest Fights

After over 40 years of wedlock, you realize you can love someone and still drive each other crazy. You even learn no topic is too small, picky, or ridiculous to have skirmishes over. Here are three of our latest and in my defense, I have to say… well, okay, I have no defense. But here […]

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Help! What Do You Get the Man Who Has Everything?!

It should be easy buying a gift for my husband, Randy. He has varied, fun, passionate interests – music, playing bass, wine collecting, and clothes, just to name a few. With a 65th birthday coming up, finding something should be a snap. Instead, it’s a Herculean task. Here are three reasons why… Randy buys whatever […]

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How Do You Celebrate 40 Years of…Everything?

  Randy and I didn’t expect to have our big anniversary during a pandemic. But here we are and we’re adjusting. Instead of a splashy dinner in Manhattan, we’re doing French take-out on the back porch. Perfect. Maybe the splashy dinner didn’t matter. Maybe forty years speak for themselves. Here’s what ours have contained… Laughter – […]

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