Tuesday 9 May 2017

Eight Years!

In all my righteous huffing and puffing over France's First Couple, I forgot that today is Benedict Ambrose's and my wedding anniversary. Special greetings to all readers who remember when and where we first met--in the combox of my original Seraphic Singles blog.

Incidentally, I forgot to mark my 10th Blogiversary, too. I think it was in last November.

And what an eight years it has been! I think we spent every night the first year totally drunk, thanks to treating every supper as if it were a dinner party for two. To this day my parents assume we always drink Gin-and-Tonics before dinner, and thus when they come to stay I must always rush out and buy a big bottle of Gordon's.

We love when family and friends come to stay: these are highlights of our married life. Other highlights have included a holiday in Barcelona with Nulli, Notre Belle Soeur and their children, holidays in and around Rome, holidays in Norcia, and holidays in the Scottish countryside. Sadly, these highlights have also included snappy arguments, as we didn't mention when we were reminiscing about our holidays just after B.A. was diagnosed with a brain tumour

Clearly B.A.'s surprise brain surgery was not a highlight. It is funny, though, that when we were utterly terrified, we didn't talk about such deeply noble subjects as faith, family, wonderful liturgies or even the time we saw Pope Benedict saying Mass outside Saint John Lateran. No, it was all "The next time we're in Italy..." and "When we are in Paris..."

Other highlights: our 5th anniversary supper, celebrated in the stable-block of the Historical House; our other anniversary suppers, which are always on Thistle Street in the New Town; our dinner parties--especially the summer Sunday Lunches on the front lawn; oh, and drinking a dozen flavoured vodkas with Polish Pretend Son at his parent's place, even thought they made B.A. snore all night and I was so sleepless I was deathly ill the next morning.

Then there are B.A.'s public lectures, which I enjoy attending, and celebrations of my books when someone wants to publish them,  Family, friends, travel, dinner parties, restaurant celebrations, lectures and books. That's what its been about--on the surface, of course. Under the surface there's a whole lot of spiritual work going on--plus the plain cooking, the cleaning, the laundry, etc., etc.

When I was still Single and writing the original Seraphic Singles, I wrote about how marriage was about soap. I assumed that marriage would involve a lot of washing things: dishes, clothes, windows, counters, floors, bathrooms. Since marriage is about real life, not the photos in wedding magazines, I meditated upon blood, sweat and tears (and a lot of other, less pleasant sounding bodily substances). However, mine has turned out to be rather more fun then I imagined. Of course it is sad that we couldn't have children, but this is a cross we already had before we met, if you see what I meant.

11 comments:

  1. Happy Anniversary! And decades and decades more of happy anniversaries! Will be saying a prayer for you both! Keep the faith!
    (also thank you for your blog - read it every day - you write perceptively about relationships - could you be persuaded to write another great book (after your smashingly wonderful Ceremony of Innocence?) ALSO: one of the best things you've ever written on men/women/marriage was that article that got some criticism - why I don't know - and that you took off your blog quickly - I only scanned it once ......aargh....and meant to come back and save it -- anyway those ideas you expressed there were perfectly correct and on target! you'll remember the piece.
    Anyway THANKS FOR YOUR BLOG AND GREAT HAPPINESS TO YOU AND YOUR HUSBAND!

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    1. I so do not remember that piece! Can you give me a big hint? We are talking something like 36,500 posts over ten years and my brain is getting grey, drying out like an old sponge...

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    2. And thank you for your good wishes!

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  2. Happy anniversary! And special greetings to you from an old reader. I think I started reading your blog around the time when you met your husband. That is really a long time, wow! Your writing has had quite some influence in my life. Thank you for your work, and many blessings for the future to you both!

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  3. Happy Anniversary! As one of your oldest readers, I loved seeing your love story play out, and I am glad God has blessed you with such a good marriage!

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  4. I came a little later (but still a couple of blogs ago now, lol), so lots of references to the fact that that was how you met, and links back to the old blog that already didn't work (Because yes I tried to follow them!) but still: Happy Anniversary!

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  5. Happy Anniversary! I certainly do remember the days when BA was a commenter on Seraphic Singles. Every comment he made he would sign off with the BA standing for different words. I remember thinking he was funny and intelligent and that surely some lady was going to snap him up. I was so excited when you went to Scotland and it all happened!

    Wishing you both a wonderful celebration and praying for your health and joy.

    Aussie Girl in NZ

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  6. Happy anniversary and God bless you both!! I heartily second Magdalena's words! I remember the Seraphic Singles days and hoping something would happen when you met BA in person as he seemed so lovely! :) Thank you both for being such a beautiful example of marriage!

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  7. I wish you a happy and blessed anniversary!
    :) :)

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  8. Happy Anniversary!!! May God bless you with a long and happy marriage! :)

    Emilka

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