For our 40th anniversary, we were originally going to go somewhere out of town but not knowing what might be opened or not, we decided to avoid potential disappointment and play the tourists in Colorado Springs. We got a cheap room to avoid the distractions of being at the house and planned some activities. We did some but not all of them.
One of the things my wife had planned was a special lunch to start things off. She had something special she wanted to make on the grill so we went to find a nice park with a grill. This should have been a simple task but while the parks were open, the play areas, pavilions, and picnic areas were closed. We went to the park where the administration office is and I went up to the door, which was locked, and rang the doorbell. I asked if we couldn’t maybe just use the grill at the pavilion if we promised not to spread any germs. The woman said through the glass, “no.” I think she may have added something else under her breath, but I couldn’t hear it.
This could have daunted a less stouthearted couple. We couldn’t check in to the hotel for a few hours anyway, and we had kind of planned to do everything at our own pace, whatever that turned out to be. But, we knew one place where she could start a fire and cook. So, we went home to her trusty, rusty old smoker, my wife’s favorite tool. Really. Both about going home and about the smoker being her favorite tool. She is something of a firebug. She has been using it to burn sticks and branches from the yard and for cooking for several years since our son, Tong gave it to her. The fact that she made sure that it was used and later reused and abused plays into a later story. Anyway, she is used to using it and making fires in it. Nobody was home, although Son-In-Law came home for a short time and left again (which is another story for a day or two from now). Very soon (Click to enlarge photos):
So, while we were waiting for the coals to heat up we set the table and started mixing ingredients, chopping Kalamata Olives, Sun-Dried Tomatoes and olive oil from the the tomatoes, capers, and lemon juice.
This guy oversaw the work, and helped hold down the tablecloth:
Add picnicware:
The requisite lovebird selfie:
And soon we had Mediterranean Salmon:
And filled our glasses and gave thanks for 40 years:
Mellowly conversing, nobody around, we may as well have been alone in a park or at a campsite in a meadow, watching the fire, eating, and enjoying one another’s company. Until it was time to make sure the fire was taken care of, closing the lid and getting ready to drive away in our fancily decorated car. Again.
The way it ended up was probably the best “No!” you’ve ever had!
Yes sir, I think you’re right.
Very nice.
Love the pics… y’all look soooo young!!!
Thank you. We are very young.
Oh. Uhhh well ok.
40 years is kinda big…
Yes…What are you trying to say?
It’s not like you could’ve gotten married when you were little kids. Just saying.
Oh? Really? I was a man nine years before I was born.
Ok! Now I’m REALLY confused! What on earth are you talking about?
What? I don’t know. I’m so old I forget.
Aw come on. Now I’m hearted broken!
Please tell me!!!!!!!!
Coroner: I’ll tell you. I haven’t seen anything like this in my twelve years as a coroner.
Doreau: I haven’t seen anything like this in my six years as a cop.
Hammer: I haven’t seen anything like this in forty-nine years as a man.
Doreau: Sledge, you’re only 40.
Hammer: I was a man nine years before I was born, Doreau.
You’re right. That didn’t make a crumb of sense.
Sledge Hammer was a TV show in the 80s that parodied some of the cop shows and movies at the times, like Dirty Harry with Clint Eastwood. Sledge Hammer was tougher than any or all of them combined and more manly. He was so manly he was a man nine years before he was born.
That’s so cool, but I wasn’t alive back then.
No, but a lot of the jokes stand on their own.
Right.
His tagline was, “Trust me. I know what I’m doing.”
I’m sure he did.
Every time. Except the very last episode at the end of the series. A terrorist had planted an atomic bomb and the timer was about to go off. No one knew how to defuse it and there was no time for the bomb squad to get there. With seconds left he said he would do it. Someone, maybe his female partner, asked if he really could do it. He said “trust me! I know what I’m doing!” and the very last scene ever, of the whole series, was a mushroom cloud.
Yikes!
Yup
Awwwwwwwww. So sweet….it all worked out. 😄.
The food looked yummy. 🍽
What a wonderfully, blessed anniversary weekend. 🎂🙂
Thank you!
Seems like you had an awesome barbacue. You do look super young though
It was awesome. Thank you very much. The secret is clean living and getting married when you’re four.
Seems to work!
Haha! You changing it again… behind my back too!
Aww…I couldn’t find a single tear emoji.
Too bad!
What? No * tear * for me?
You really want to cry? Most people don’t.
Hmm….
Hmmm?