Next year is our 25th Anniversary. Being happily partnered for 25 years is an oxymoron really awesome! (Just joking, honey.) What should we do? We want a real celebration. I think we should go to Italy. I bet we would have really great sex in Italy (like we did on Friday. . . and the Friday before that, except maybe more like once or twice a day rather than once or twice a week. . . oh who am I kidding. After 25 years?! Sometimes it’s more like once or twice a month. But lately . . . , well, my man is hot.)

Another idea I had, just last year (can you believe it), was to get legally married right here in good old homophobia Virginia. I was optimistic for a couple of days in February 2004. I tried to get Rolf on a plane to San Francisco so we could get married. But we’re not known for spontaneity. Or planes. I really thought that by October 2006 we’d be able to wed right here. Who knew we lived in the Hate State. Truthfully, what I want more than anything for our 25th Anniversary is a legal Virginia marriage ceremony with family and friends in our newly landscaped backyard overlooking the lake on Sunday, October 8, 2006.

(Hmmm . . . . flashback. . . “Honey, will you marry me? All you have to do is build a deck!” and become the King of Virginia.)

We’re really excited because we have a landscape plan now. There is going to be a pool, and a couple of new decks, one with a hot tub, and a screened room overlooking the lake. It is going to be a wonderful place for weddings parties. We’re chomping at the bit to get started because this will be the third summer we haven’t had a garden.

We went over to our old house had a garden tour Friday night. Actually, it was our date night. We went out without any firm plans, but we dressed up so we’d be happy wherever we ended up. Now, we don’t normally dress up and go to our old house for a garden tour. (Although I’d be open to that, I’m sure the lady who lives there would start calling the police.) We had just stopped at our old neighbor and friend’s house to return the Rototiller we had borrowed on our way downtown. We weren’t there for more than ten minutes when I drifted over to look at our garden. Rolf was mocking me, saying that I can’t just wander over there, but I couldn’t help myself. I just had to see “my” peonies. The new owner came out and allowed us to visit. Dressed in our date clothes, it reminded me of our Twentieth Anniversary celebration. There, amid the green, on the deck, with champagne . . . just the two of us; we exchanged gold and diamond anniversary rings and we danced.

We had so many beautiful times in that garden. (We spent ten years putting it in.) Although it broke my heart to sell it, I know we will have many more wonderful memories in our new garden. Maybe a wedding. That glorious night, Friday, October 5, 2001, I never would have imagined that we’d sell.

Rolf looked so cute; glowing, as later we sat outside at the Mercury Grill. Under a twinkle-lit canopy of trees, white linens draping every table, each occupied by boyfriends and girlfriends; his blue eyes sparkled and his sweet smile kept me laughing. The atmosphere and food were so good; I declared that my goal for this summer was to try everything on the menu. Since I can hardly go out of town until after Tommy closes, I want to spend every Friday night at the Mercury Grill. And plan how to

Get the landscaping done,
And the kitchen renovated,
Plus define our 25th Anniversary Celebration,
And figure out how, when, and if ever, we will make it to Italy (or England, France. . California, for goodness sakes!)
While praying that our newly purchased lottery ticket will help make it possible,

And figuring what show I’m going to direct in Fall 2007.

And then, go home to play bedroom games.

Again.

That could make it a very nice summer after all.