Nineteen

On June 27, 1992, Walter and I got married. We'd been dating for a couple of years. I guess he finally decided that he could live with me after we drove around the country in my Mercury Capri convertible, and he still liked me...or at least we hadn't killed each other.

Miami, July 1992...you are absolutely NOT allowed to comment on the hair or the day-glo orange bathing suit, or the waist-high, folded over jean shorts...

And by around the country...I really do mean AROUND. We drove from San Diego to Miami, Florida; to New York City, to St. Louis, Missouri, to Reno, Nevada, back to San Diego...in this car.

One night we slept in this car, in a rest stop on I-70 on the Ohio-Indiana border. Not really very comfortable and only something you do when you are very young.

That car trip is also where Alice and Walter (our "names" for each other) were born. In my best nagging, whiney voice, I'd say "Walter, will you just stop the GAWD DAMN car and ASK SOMEONE WHERE THE @$%#$ WE ARE?"

To which he would calmly say:

"Just relax Alice. I know where I'm going..."

Yep...we figure if we survived that trip, we could survive marriage and kids.

Traffic delay somewhere in in the middle of Nowhere, Utah....to this day one of the most beautiful sunsets I've ever seen. Again no commentary about the hair, white high-waisted pants with a black belt (very slimming, no?) or Walter's shorts. He might still have those...

So...about a year later, we got married on June 27. If you Google the following morning (June 28, 1992) among the top hits you'll get is references to two of the biggest earthquakes to hit SoCal (at the time): the Landers Earthquake at about 5am, then another one about three hours later, the Big Bear.

Walter and I felt both of them from the 26th floor of the hotel we were staying at in downtown San Diego (a nice E-Ticket ride). So did all of our guests who were staying at another hotel nearby that had to be evacuated. To this day, when Walter or I say something about our wedding or reception we usually get two responses.

"That was a GREAT party" (and it was).

Go ahead...make up a caption for this one...

And Walter's response...

"I remember the EARTHQUAKE" (me too).

Nothing quite so earthshaking occurred this weekend for our 19th anniversary, but we did have a really nice two person celebration, doing one of our favorite things to do...drinking good wine. We went tasting in Temecula. We stayed at a place called South Coast Winery, which by Temecula standards is very nice.

At Palomar Winery...not one of my favorites, but has some lovely grounds...but DAMN it was HOT yesterday.

At a new winery called Europa Vineyards...had a very nice Pinot Grigio there. Don't we both have the happy eyes?

Napping by the pool...isn't that what everyone does after wine tasting on a hot day? He's kinda cute when he's sleeping, yes?

This morning, Walter and I went for a little three mile run through the vineyards. I stopped to take a few pix along the way, so it was a pretty leisurely run.

I love this picture...with Walter just looking at me and wondering what the heck I'm doing (stopping to take a picture of course!)

I am so ready to plan vines at our house and grow some grapes...they really are very pretty!

We ran past one of my favorite wineries in Temecula, Weins. It was about 8:30am, so they weren't open yet.

Yes, the sky really was that blue. 

Happy Anniversary Walter... Thanks for a great 19 and years. Can't wait to see what the next 19 brings us!