Hi Sheila Joyce ... and partner, Congratulations ... ... and, in addition to a couple of days initially ... youve had a 44-year honeymoon? Good wishes for many more worthwhile, interesting, productive, healthy, happy, helpful (and half-baked, on occasion) years together. ole joyful P.S. By the way ... what do they call a rejected suitor character that screws up a planned elopement ... an interloper?? o j

Your instincts are bothering you for a reason Gerina -- STBDH's plan is a LOUSY one. He's being a ChickenS#!t and taking the coward's way out, and his daughters will be hurt and angry about it for a long, long, long time. And if they don't blame him, they'll blame you -- most likely YOU. And that's why his insistance that this is his decision to make is baloney. You will get blamed for hurting his daughters and it will affect their relationship with YOU far more than it will affect their relationship with him. And that makes it your business. I can see why he wouldn't want to tell the Ex in advance. It's still CS, but at a tolerable level. Not telling his own daughters is intolerable CS. What about having him tell his daughters the day before you leave, but ask that they not tell their mother because everyone knows it will upset her. Maybe have a note to Ex already written out, and tell the daughters you will be dropping it in the mail on the way to the airport so Ex will be told -- They don't need to feel they have to do it. I like the idea of asking them to help plan a celebration when you get back -- But is the celebration they will plan the kind of celebration you would want?

Congrats! What a great and inspiring post to read, thank you for sharing!! I met a man at the pet store the other day, he was a real talker and shared that it was his anniversay. He was talking about how his wife fell in love with a dog he’d found (and rescued) after it was tossed from a car! He proudly boasted, “yup, my bride and I have been married 61 years today”. After I got into the car it dawned on me, that they had married in the same year I was born!

Over 40 years ago, I was working and wanted to give my mother a set of Waterford goblets. The department store selling them had staff who were very snobby (they eventually went out of business- I wonder why? :-) ). I asked a saleslady the price of the style I liked, and she replied "Fifteen dollars." "I'd like half a dozen please," I said. "That's _each_," she countered. "Yes, I heard you," I said, getting $90 out of my purse. "I'd like six." When we married my mother gave us six Waterford champagne flutes in the pattern "Colleen", since it is my name. For my taste it is rather overblown and we rarely use them- they're also really heavy for what you expect of a champagne flute. Since Mom has passed I have her goblets as well. I like nice things :-) Pity the younger set is less keen :-(