A Year of Blogging: December 14, 2011

December 14 is 'Bouillabaisse Day'. Not only did I have trouble spelling it, but I have to admit I have no idea what it is. My first thought would have been some sort of pasta dish. I was wrong! Bouillabaisse is a seafood soup. It is made with various cooked fish, shellfish, vegetables, and herbs. It originated in the French town of Marseille. Well, I have to say, that's as much as I care to know. You lost me at 'seafood' and 'soup'. I don't eat seafood, and I really dislike soup. So if you enjoy bouillabaisse, today's a good day to eat it. I think we are running out of days, because neither the calendar I clipped from the newspaper 11 months ago or the website www.holidayinsights.com list an alternate for this day. Fortunately, my own family has a lot of events this time of year, so I can fill in a little. Today is my parents' anniversary. They married 37 years ago at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in my hometown of Berlin, NY. I asked them why they got married in December. In NY! It's not like we're talking a nice tropical place like Hawaii. They both love Christmas, and enjoy Christmas decorations, so they thought December was the perfect time. It is no real surprise that on Saturday, December 14, 1974 they got a blizzard. After all, it snows in New York in December. The wedding was at the Catholic church in Mom's hometown (Dad was Catholic, Mom converted) and the reception was held closer to Dad's hometown. Between the two stood the infamous Mountain. Dad's parents slid off the road coming over the mountain on the way to the wedding and Mom's slid off the road on the way over the mountain to the reception. At least I think that's the way it was. Mom's father put on his suit, then put his overalls over it, and went out and changed the oil in his car while he waited for Mom to get ready. My grandmother had a fit over that! My parents took a rather unusual honeymoon. They came to Canton, Ohio to the Football Hall of Fame. For the longest time, the picture on Dad's dresser was of Mom standing in front of Vince Lombardi's statue. Once we were old enough to understand honeymoons and romance, we asked my mom why on earth they went to the Football Hall of Fame for their honeymoons. She responded "I was in love. It didn't matter where we went." My sister strongly disagreed, and declared that she would go to Disneyworld for her honeymoon. And she did. Six years ago, when Mom and Dad came out for Thanksgiving, we took a little trip through Ohio. We went to Amish Country, to Longaberger, and yes, to the Football Hall of Fame. I took their picture in front of the sign. Mom liked to say that people said it wouldn't last, and there they were, 31 years later back at the Football Hall of Fame. Happy Anniversary to my parents. Even though I know it hasn't been 37 years of perfect bliss, they have always given me the best example of a loving relationship.