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Friday, May 25, 2018

Secrets to a Long Marriage

Thought for the day: Chains do not hold a marriage together. It is threads, hundreds of tiny threads which sew people together through the years. [Simone Signoret]

[credit: morguefile]
Yep, hundreds and hundreds of tiny gossamer threads made of delicate pieces of spun gold.

Kinda like razor-sharp cobwebs.

Just kidding.

Then again, it'd be super cool if married couples could shoot webs at each other to reinforce their marital bonds every once in a while, wouldn't it?

They were drifting apart until Spider-man aimed his wrist at his bride and reeled her back in...

 Okay, so maybe not.

Yesterday was our 49th anniversary. Forty-nine. Holy crap. It doesn't seem possible. So what's our  big secret? Beats me. Luck, maybe?


And hard work. Life isn't always a tra-la-la walk in the park, and neither is marriage. Sometimes the park feels more like... Jurassic Park... but ya just have to keep on walking. And more than anything, you've gotta keep laughing.

 A wedding anniversary is the celebration of love, trust, partnership, and tenacity. The order varies for any given year. [Paul Sweeney]








I'm definitely tenacious. No matter what, I always support my man.






And he supports me. If an establishment no longer meets my needs, we simply go elsewhere.



You don't need to be on the same wavelength to succeed in marriage. You just need to be able to ride each other's waves. [Toni Sciarra Poynter]

Hopefully, in the same direction.







And far far away from the sharks.








I always try to keep Smarticus happy in the kitchen.







And in the boudoir.

(That reminds me... thanks to the designer gurus on HGTV, we now know that we have an ensuite off of our bedroom.. and all these years, we just thought we had a bathroom!)



I reckon our marriage must be darned near perfect, then, because we're definitely a pair of stubborn smart asses.

Our marriage was many years ago. The celebration continues to this day. [Gene Perret]







So as we look forward to celebrating our fiftieth, we'll continue holding hands and looking for the sunny side of life. Then we'll jump into the future feet-first, ever hoping for the best.

And ya know... I wouldn't have it any other way.








                                  Until next time, take care of yourselves. And each other.



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65 comments:

  1. joehMay 25, 2018 at 12:48 AM

    I got nothing to say...Oh wait...congratulations.

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  2. Valerie-JaelMay 25, 2018 at 1:17 AM

    Happy Anniversary, and many more to come!. Loved the funny about changing something in the bedroom! Have a great weekend, hugs, Valerie

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    1. Susan Flett SwiderskiMay 25, 2018 at 12:36 PM

      Thanks! Not sure how many more we'll be around to celebrate, but it's always been my hope to reach 75. :)

      You have a wonderful weekend, too. Hugs back atcha.

      Delete
  3. Elephant's ChildMay 25, 2018 at 1:48 AM

    Huge congratulations. Keep on keeping on. And enjoying life and each other.

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  4. RiverMay 25, 2018 at 4:32 AM

    Happy Anniversary! Wow, almost half a century.
    My recipe for a long marriage would be communication, tolerance and much laughter.

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    1. Susan Flett SwiderskiMay 25, 2018 at 5:53 PM

      Thanks! I KNOW... it's hard to believe.

      That sounds like a top-notch recipe.

      Delete
  5. Pat HattMay 25, 2018 at 6:27 AM

    Big congrats on 49 indeed. Don't you love the fancy word for bathroom when it is off the bedroom? Maybe to try to hide the fact that the stink from #2 is closer to you lol

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    1. Susan Flett SwiderskiMay 25, 2018 at 6:04 PM

      Thanks. Yeah, calling our simple bathroom an "en suite" cracks me up, but your "cover up" reason for the fancy la-di-dah terminology never occurred to me. :)

      Delete
  6. Alex J. CavanaughMay 25, 2018 at 6:54 AM

    Happy anniversary! May there be many more.
    My wife and I are best friends and were before we even started dating. We knew each other's crap so there was no fakey, trying to impress stuff.
    And I do pick up my socks.

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    1. Susan Flett SwiderskiMay 25, 2018 at 6:15 PM

      Thank you, dear sir.

      Smarticus and I are best friends, too, and have been for nearly sixty years, but he still doesn't pick up his socks. :)

      Delete
  7. JoanneMay 25, 2018 at 8:13 AM

    Happy Anniversary! You two seem to have the perfect mix - keep laughing and enjoying life. That's the key. Cheers to you and enjoy the long weekend!

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    1. Susan Flett SwiderskiMay 25, 2018 at 6:30 PM

      Thanks! I can't imagine any relationship lasting long-term without a good sense of humor. (At least, not a FUN relationship!)

      You have a super weekend, too. :)

      Delete
  8. Madeline Mora-SummonteMay 25, 2018 at 8:27 AM

    Congratulations! We're at 19 years married and looking forward to many more.

    Love the "perfect marriage" and the two imperfect people pic - sweet and true.

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    1. Susan Flett SwiderskiMay 25, 2018 at 6:37 PM

      Thanks! I hope you guys get to have many many more years together, too.

      Delete
  9. The Cynical SailorMay 25, 2018 at 8:33 AM

    Congrats!! With your sense of humor (and I imaging your hubby has a similar one), it's no wonder the two of you have been married so long.

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  10. only slightly confusedMay 25, 2018 at 8:37 AM

    Congratulations on surviving 49 years of marital combat....

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  11. I'm mostly known as 'MA'May 25, 2018 at 9:21 AM

    Congratulations ! Happy Anniversary ! Just remember the best is yet to be...

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    1. Susan Flett SwiderskiMay 25, 2018 at 7:07 PM

      Thank you. :) (I dunno how much better it can get...!)

      Delete
  12. Liz HindsMay 25, 2018 at 9:27 AM

    That's wonderful. We're coming up to our 40th and it seems like forever and just yesterday.

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    1. Susan Flett SwiderskiMay 25, 2018 at 7:19 PM

      Congratulations to you, too. Forty years is quite a milestone in today's world. I know exactly what you mean about it feeling both like forever and like a single day.

      Delete
  13. ConnieMay 25, 2018 at 11:40 AM

    Happy Anniversary and wishing you many more to come! You're ahead of us by a few. We will celebrate 33 years this summer. Laughter, patience, and compromise are all keys to a good relationship.

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    1. Susan Flett SwiderskiMay 25, 2018 at 7:26 PM

      Thanks, Connie. I think your keys are all good ones. Matter of fact, it'd be nice if all of our world leaders knew how to use those keys, too...

      Delete
  14. Mevely317May 25, 2018 at 3:39 PM

    YAY, yippee and congratulations! Love this impromptu picture of you two kids. (Ya, there's 'something' about a man in uniform.)

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    1. Susan Flett SwiderskiMay 25, 2018 at 7:29 PM

      Thanks! Oh absolutely, there IS something about a man in uniform. (I'm so weird, I even like it when my hubby wears old camo fatigues...)

      Delete
  15. Hilary Melton-ButcherMay 25, 2018 at 4:36 PM

    Wonderful Susan ... so many congratulations to you both ... and yes you've done things together and got on with life - enjoy rocking and rolling towards your 50th ... just enjoy and note all the changes that have occurred in 50 years ... the ensuite is helpful, but frankly a bathroom is just as good! Happy weekend ...and many more ahead - enjoy ... cheers Hilary

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    1. Susan Flett SwiderskiMay 25, 2018 at 7:42 PM

      Thanks, Hilary. We'll keep rocking & rolling... a little slower than before, maybe.

      HA! Yeah, a bathroom suits us just fine. :)

      Happy weekend to you, too. Cheers!

      Delete
  16. angryparsnipMay 25, 2018 at 4:47 PM

    A Big Yee Haw from Tucson.
    Adored the header photo and of course the last photo !

    cheers, parsnip

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    1. Susan Flett SwiderskiMay 25, 2018 at 7:48 PM

      And a big Yee Haw right back atcha. :)

      Have a lovely weekend.

      Delete
  17. Susan KaneMay 25, 2018 at 5:49 PM

    Huzzah to you and your beloved! 49 yrs means you two are not slackers.

    the last photo had me giggling.

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    1. Susan Flett SwiderskiMay 25, 2018 at 7:55 PM

      Thanks! Well, we're slackers about SOME things...

      Giggles are good! Have a super weekend.

      Delete
  18. Janie JunebugMay 25, 2018 at 7:10 PM

    Congratulations. Don't quit now.

    Love,
    Janie

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    1. Susan Flett SwiderskiMay 25, 2018 at 8:03 PM

      Thanks. Quit? Heck, this is just the seventh inning stretch. :)

      Delete
  19. BotanistMay 25, 2018 at 8:22 PM

    Well, congrats on your anniversary. We just passed 26 this month but clearly we've a long way to go yet.

    And I just loved that enticing dish :)

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    1. Susan Flett SwiderskiMay 26, 2018 at 9:25 AM

      Thanks, Ian. Twenty-six is a good long time, too. I hope we all have a long way to go yet. I'm not ready to end the dance just yet.

      :) It's definitely an "interesting" dish...

      Delete
  20. Elizabeth SeckmanMay 25, 2018 at 11:50 PM

    What a lovely bride you were! And still are, btw.

    When I got married, my grandma told me that marriages were a 70-30 proposition- sometimes the 70% was in my favor, sometimes not.

    BTW, where exactly is that McDonalds that is handing out boy toys? I'm not asking for myself, but for a friend...LOL

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    1. Susan Flett SwiderskiMay 26, 2018 at 9:33 AM

      Thanks! I dunno about lovely, but I sure was a happy bride. (Still am!)

      I'd say your grandmother was a very wise woman. :) And kind, too, to share that insight with you.

      HA! I dunno... LOL

      Delete
  21. Starting Over, Accepting Changes - MaybeMay 26, 2018 at 12:04 AM

    Happy Anniversary, Susan. When we look back it seems that the years have gone by so quickly, yet some things seem like yesterday. May you two have many more tomorrows of making wonderful memories together.

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    1. Susan Flett SwiderskiMay 26, 2018 at 9:50 AM

      Thanks, Arlene. Yes, you're right... you know it first-hand... about how quickly the years fly by, but how vividly some of the memories remain in our minds, seeming to belie the truth of how long it's actually been. May you and your hubby have many more years together, too.

      Delete
  22. WordsPoeticallyWorthMay 26, 2018 at 3:07 AM

    Greetings Susan. Happy Anniversary, I wish you both all the best for now and the future. You've been married for how long I've been living! A milestone for sure. I hope you have many more happy years together sharing your joys and pleasures. Blessings to you.

    Thank you. Love love, Andrew.

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    1. Susan Flett SwiderskiMay 26, 2018 at 9:53 AM

      Greetings, Andrew. Thank you. Blessings back atcha. May we all have many more happy years.

      Delete
  23. Keith HaversMay 26, 2018 at 5:12 AM

    Congratulations, Susan. I hope you had a great day.

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    1. Susan Flett SwiderskiMay 26, 2018 at 9:55 AM

      Thanks, Keith. It was awesome. I'll post about where we went in next week's post. :)

      Delete
  24. JonMay 26, 2018 at 11:42 AM

    Any two people who can endure each other for 49 years without committing murder, certainly deserve hearty congratulations (I didn't mention THINKING about murder....).

    I'm only trying to be funny, Susan. Your post is great and I truly congratulate you and Smarticus on the Big 49.

    Heck, I've had enough trouble living with myself all these years......

    BTW, I liked the Tim Hawkins video.

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    1. Susan Flett SwiderskiMay 26, 2018 at 4:01 PM

      Thanks. :)

      I'm glad you liked the video. I think it's a hoot.

      Delete
  25. ^.^May 26, 2018 at 12:32 PM

    Congrats to you and significant other, friend Sue ... for me is 35 years ... not counting the last 5 years of part time separation ... and still going strong many times ... cuz there will be no other for me ... smiles ... Love, cat.

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    1. Susan Flett SwiderskiMay 26, 2018 at 4:31 PM

      Thanks, cat. Thirty-five years is good, but I hope the "going strong" part continues to get stronger. Smiles back atcha.

      Delete
  26. Pixel PeeperMay 26, 2018 at 3:48 PM

    Happy anniversary to you and Smarticus! Forty-nine years, wow - I didn't think they allowed marriages between babies in this country!

    I love the quote about the ...tiny threads which sew people together through the years... - I experienced one one of those when one Christmas, after a few months of unemployment and scary times of money being really tight, we decided not to give each other Christmas presents. And then, on Christmas Day, my husband and I unwrapped our presents with the words "I thought we weren't giving anything to each other" and it turned out that he had bought me a box of chocolates with a lottery ticket tucked in it. Because I had also bought him a box of chocolates with a lottery ticket tucked in it...

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    1. Susan Flett SwiderskiMay 26, 2018 at 4:32 PM

      Thanks! Yep... we were actually mere zygotes. :)

      THAT is priceless story. I love it. Thanks so much for sharing.

      Delete
  27. ^.^May 27, 2018 at 3:12 PM

    Congrats to you and your loved one's 49th, friend Sue ... We only made it to 35 ... now we are part time wife and part time husband ... but actually he IS still my boyfriend and he IS the father of our children so there will never ever be another one ... part time smiles and part time tears ... and all dat jazz ... Love, cat.

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    1. ^.^May 27, 2018 at 3:16 PM

      ... "ones' 49th" ... I absolutely hate spelling mistakes ... sorry ... me just a poor lil immigrant ... I studied so hard and still not perfect and suspect me never will be ... smiles, tears ... Love, cat,

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    2. Susan Flett SwiderskiMay 27, 2018 at 3:46 PM

      Thanks, cat. Actually, you had it right the first time... I've only got one hubby to celebrate with, so "one's" is correct. :)

      I hope the smiles outweigh the tears. That's the best any of us can hope for.

      Delete
  28. Rhapsody PhoenixMay 28, 2018 at 11:38 AM

    Blessings....
    Ah the adventures of navigating marriage, everyone desire longevity though not everyone gets it.

    thanks for sharing.

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    1. Susan Flett SwiderskiMay 28, 2018 at 12:03 PM

      Blessings back at you. :)

      Yes, lots of people like the idea of navigating marriage, but in order to achieve the longevity they desire, they can't bail as soon as the waters get rough. :)

      Delete
  29. mail4roseyMay 29, 2018 at 1:59 AM

    That last picture cracks me up. :) Super happy 49th to you both!

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    1. Susan Flett SwiderskiMay 29, 2018 at 12:12 PM

      That picture cracks me up, too, because I can soooo imagine Smarticus and me doing that.

      Thanks. It truly was super.

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  30. bazzaMay 29, 2018 at 9:41 AM

    I thought I had responded to this post before (I have just got back from five days in Belgium making sure that the beer is still up to standard with a bunch of friends. We're off to Toronto in a couple of weeks!)). Congratulations on 49 years! Leah and I celebrate the same number this October. We are all rare specimens...
    CLICK HERE for Bazza’s less-frequent Blog ‘To Discover Ice’

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    1. Susan Flett SwiderskiMay 29, 2018 at 12:20 PM

      HA! Well, I'm sure you and your friends tested that beer out to the max. (Gotta have quality control, right?)

      Thanks for the congratulations, and the same back atcha. Yep, we're pretty rare. And lucky.

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    2. Lowcarb team memberMay 29, 2018 at 6:57 PM

      I just love the last picture on your post!

      Many congratulations and good wishes on your 49th anniversary.

      All the best Jan

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    3. Susan Flett SwiderskiMay 29, 2018 at 8:09 PM

      Me, too! Just goes to show ya, there's no age limit on fun. :)

      Thank you.

      Delete
  31. Lisa SouthardMay 30, 2018 at 4:35 AM

    Sending Happy Anniversary wishes! And congratulations on the happy years shared thus far - long may they continue! xxx

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    1. Susan Flett SwiderskiMay 30, 2018 at 7:11 AM

      Thanks! We had a super anniversary... and the celebration continues. :)

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