Phone pictures on our 33rd

Not for any purpose really...
just to show you that we ARE still active.

I have also added some odd pictures from the REST of our day.

33 and a Third

Today is our 33rd Wedding Anniversary!

Late last night I was going through some old photos (that we scanned before we left) so that I could put on a few representative snapshots of my lovely bride through the years. Well there is a lot of them, and of course I would have to include a lot of pictures of the THREE of us, and of course a lot of the pictures of the three of us actually only had two of us in the picture because one of us was holding the camera, and of course a lot of the pictures that we have of each other were taken at one of our 27 or 28 Annual4th parties, and I couldn't bear to crop ANYBODY out of the pictures because they are such an important part of our marriage and our life. All of the older pictures are happy pictures, and some of the recent pictures are showing that all things can heal, and all of the pictures show what interesting lives each of us leads with various changes in their lives through the years but the friendships still hanging on.
So this morning I have this very warm feeling that a successful marriage isn't just two people holed up in their little "lovenest", but two close friends that would rather share their experiences and interactions with the world and their friends as a couple instead of as a single. I enjoy doing things WITH Beth. I enjoy playing with other people while Beth is around. I enjoy napping with Beth. I also go out with friends without Beth, and I have a really good time, but it is usually because we are doing something that:
a) she wouldn't enjoy doing
b) she wouldn't want ME to be doing
c) it's car/tractor/junk/stupidstuff
/flammable/noisy/crowded/dirty.

In almost all other situations things are just more fun with a Beffrie.
I can't imagine ANY other scenario. This is my life and I am thankful.
Happy 33rd Beffrie. Thank you to all of our friends. Thank You.

I Love you Beth.

From the Annual4th:

From 33anda3rd

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To Beffrie and W,
Congratulations on your 33rd. Just to think your only a 3rd of the way there. 99 yrs sounds good to me. I love you guys. If there is one thing I have enjoyed this summer, it's seeing the smile back in your faces. We have had so many good times over the years and we can't wait to have a few more.
P.S. Did Danny REALLY have a bathing suit that small???
Happy Anniversary !!!!!
Joe S.
September 1, 2007 11:57 PM

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B & W;
I loved seeing old pic of you on the 4th's of the past, and especially seeing Derek. Although, I see him all the time around our house....pics of him and Tess, little momentos. So, thanks for posting. Superslueth that I am, I guess you're in Ashville now. I'll keep reading your site and catch up with you.
Love you guys, Dee
September 2, 2007 5:27 PM

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chemo sabe said...
Happy Anniversary!!!
Warren, I remember on Chris&Steve's 1st anniversary, you all called me, and you wished ME a happy anniversary. When I responded something like "huh?" you reminded me that I (we) were all there and were (are) also part of C&S's marriage! So true!!! What would we all do without each other!!
Thank you for letting us all be a part of your lives, I'm so grateful that you guys are part of mine.
Happy anniversary to all of us!!!!
It is SOOO wonderful to see the smiles on your faces!

love
chemosabe

September 4, 2007 8:44 AM

Some re-runs before the fall season starts...

I have typed in a short story that I wrote a while ago. It is totally unrelated to our trip, but I always liked this one. I recently discovered a notebook that I thought had been destroyed when Brae Mar burned down. Most of my writing was stored there because that is where I wrote most of my stuff. I always seemed to write when on vacation and could never force it when I was at home. Some of my favorite stuff burned up, but I recently found this notebook so I will toss in a few reruns when I can.

They should be classified as fiction, for you folks that classify things. I just lump it all in a group called Short Stories. I have always liked reading short stories because you don't ever need to be afraid to invest yourself fully into them because there is no need to commit to a dreadfully long book if you don't like the way the story is going. If you don't like it, it ends. If you DO like it, then the experience is yours. Many novels only leave you with a few nuggets that you keep anyway.


I have taken a lot of notes and photos on this trip so far. I am planning to use these to spark the many stories that are stacking up in my arms right now, just waiting to leap out of my fingertips into the computer. We will be spending the winter in Florida at one of D&L's houses (because it's free), and I am hoping to do a lot of writing there. It is therapy for me. Beth is going to learn how to handle the photos and will be doing that half of the job.

Until then... well even after then, for that matter... my stories will not be in the order of our trip, they will be in the order that they come bubbling out. Likewise for the photos.

Well here is your first re-run: The Rock Hound

The Rock Hound

It was not your normal looking dog. Short, stocky, spotted. His parents must have been a dalmatian and a basset. There wasn't much difference between standing up and sitting down but he seemed to be sitting down most of the time, I think.

He would sit there panting and enjoying the pats while vaguely looking at the waves. He's a neat dog too! Almost no drool or mess, even with that tongue hanging out that far. Probably doesn't shed much either. Pretty Cool Dog. Kinda dog I'd like to take home. We sat there looking down at the waves together. Joggers slogging by; this dog doing all the panting for them. Imagine what this dog would sound like if he was doing anything physical. Pretty Cool Dog. He just watches the waves with me; he doesn't even turn his head for early morning birds or joggers. He's with me. He could be sitting anywhere watching the waves but he's sitting her getting slow pats while I'm quickly becoming his “new best friend”.

I figure out why he seems so familiar to me. It's his teeth. His teeth are little short stumpy things sort of like his legs. No long fangs on this sawed-off carnivore, nope, just short little nubs. I have the same kind of teeth; just like everyone on my Father's side of the family. My Grandfather, Uncles, and some of my cousins have had those same type of teeth. Luckily we all had long legs and no spots, but those floppy ears would have been fun in a convertible.
This dog is just like family. I wonder if this dog's owners know that this dog has kin out there.
We watch more waves. I begin to wonder if maybe this dog strolls out here every morning. How many mornings does he find a “new best friend” to share the morning with.

Suddenly, my spotted pal pulls in his long tongue, and stands up. The reason that I knew he was standing was because his body seemed to get even longer and his tail was now off the concrete. He takes a few steps forward to the front edge of the sidewalk where the beach rocks are and he picks up a gray 3 inch specimen and slowly plods away. I watched my little buddy hike along carrying his rock. I guess he couldn't say good-bye with a mouthful like that. I wasn't sure, but it looked like he stopped at the far end of the sidewalk to sniff something, only for a moment. He accidentally dropped his rock and I didn't see him pick it up again. He turned left and headed home.

I wanted to run down and meet my dog the next day, but i had promised someone that I would meet then for breakfast. As we sat at a table on the sidewalk near the beach I was able to watch my buddy walk up and around the same path he had the day before, but this time there was no tourist to stop and pat him. Just joggers and fog.
I was just sitting there watching him slowly trot along until my breakfast companion commented on “that dog”. I said “Oh yeah, I didn't even see him”.

He trotted up and around the loop right past the place where we had sat the day before and kept going down the sidewalk until he got to the spot where he had stopped to sniff something the day before. He sat down. He didn't bend over to smell anything, he just seemed to be looking at something. He sat there for a very long time, his ears swaying in the sea breeze. The dog eventually extended himself again, continued on, turned left and was gone. After breakfast I went over to his spot and instead of finding a beach rose or some other sniffable object, there were several dozen rocks; all of them about 3 inches across but of no particular shape. Most of them were gray, as were almost all of the rocks on the beach.

I looked at this pile of rocks for a while before I went back to the cottage.

The next morning I woke up a little late and had to hurry down to meet my dog. “He has already gone around the top of the loop, I'd better hurry.” I came over the crest of the next small hill and slowed down. It was a clear warm morning on the beach and there were lots of walkers. My dog was sitting there and somebody was sitting next to him. Patting him. They were watching the waves. I sat on a park bench and watched them. They sat there together while I watched. Slow pats and dog pants.

I was getting ready to leave when he got up. I sat back on my bench as I saw him snoop around, find a rock and trot down the sidewalk away from today's friend with his prize. When he got near the end of the sidewalk he didn't sit and think like he did yesterday, he just dropped his rock in his memory pile and kept trotting.
A smart dog looking very proud of himself.

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ww, Short Sands, York Beach, 6/28/93

Rachel wants an accent.

Kinder's Great Eats, Mitchell, Eastern South Dakota.

This is an All American eatery. The laminated menu has little flags under the plastic to emphasize any food item that is particularly patriotic. After 10pm there is a Quarter-Pound Burger with Fries for the price of a gallon of gas as shown on the big red letters at the station across the highway, they have discontinued the same offer for a two egg breakfast because the price of gas went over $2.99 and it wasn't a good deal anymore.

There are only three tables occupied, our waitress is a tall young girl with a natural gentle soft beauty that makes it impossible to guess her age, somewhere between 18 and 38. She takes Beth's order. As soon as Beth stops speaking our waitress asks "Where are you guys from?". Beth answers "New Hampshire". The waitress pouts and says "I want an accent!", I am not sure, but I think she stamped her foot. I spoke for the first time, "You DO have an accent!". She was still pouting, "but it's just PLAIN, I want a GOOD one!".

Our waitress then explained that there is a couple over at the other table right over there that are from Massachusetts and they have a strong accent, "but NOT like YOURS, of course" she said to Beth (this is not the first time that it has been suggested that Beth may have a strong accent).

Our waitress has not traveled much, but would like to go somewhere to pick up a "good" accent to use. We chatted about the best places and possible techniques to acquire an accent.

We wished her luck, and I ordered my food. It was actually surprisingly good food.

2007-08-22_1:58pm/ Written 2007-08-26_7:45am

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Chris S said...
Warren and Beth, It is such a great joy to read your stories daily. Thanks!
If you are looking for more small towns to visit, Susanna's brother lives about 2 hours South of Mitchell in Pickstown, SD. The town is full of people who also might want an accent.
Also, the town was built by the Army Corp of Engineers in the 40's to house the people who built a huge dam across the Missouri river. The dam is a neat sight.
Also the church was built to accommodate 3 religions with a rotating alter. Very unique.
Let me know if you want directions or details.
Chris S (#2)
Aug 27, 2007 10:17 PM
I gotta find out more about that church! (ww)

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Betsy Alice said...
Just a note to let you know that I read your about your travels as often as I can in the land of the strong accent. Dial-up is darn slow! Too bad you didn't get the name of the waitress. Rob has a tape called "How to Speak New Hampsha". It's very good!
Miss you both, love, Betsy
August 28, 2007 9:40 AM
Guud Ideah! I used to work for the company that made that tape, I'm going to try to find one and ship it to her. I think they still sell it at the stationary store in Petersburgh. (ww)