A Done Deal? Or Not?

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It’s a done deal. Or not.

Yesterday morning, during our regular worship service, Karl - a/k/a Dupp or The Duppster - and I exchanged marriage vows, so now I’m Mrs. Karl J. Duppstadt. (I think I spelled that last name correctly!) 

So, it’s true. That part is a done deal. We tied the knot!

We made the commitments and said the vows; the rite of marriage or the sacrament of marriage took place Sunday. We didn’t have what is typically referred to as “a wedding.”

We decided to focus more on the marriage than on a wedding.

It’s the marriage – the rest of our lives – that isn’t a “done deal.”

And it’s the marriage that is the hard work.

The marriage, unlike the wedding, has no finite, predetermined ending time. A wedding is all happiness, excitement and joy; a marriage also contains happiness, excitement and joy, but it includes times of sorrow, difficulty and adversity as well.

Brides and grooms have long lists of friends and family to invite to a wedding. Rarely are others invited to a marriage. I used the word “rarely” because on Sunday, Pastor Troisi asked members of our congregation to commit, by God’s grace, to uphold and care for us in our life together. Thankfully, there was a resounding “We will” from the congregation.

We did invite God to our exchange of vows and we do invite God into our marriage, and we plan to keep Him as a part of our marriage.

Yes, we became husband and wife on Sunday. That part is a done deal.

The marriage work, though, is never a done deal.

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Valentines and Condoms?

As always, I'm intrigued by unusual observances and holidays.

Well, that means I’m especially intrigued by this particular weekend.

Oh, yes, it’s Valentine‘s Day on Sunday. It’s Presidents’ Day weekend; we’ve just seen the anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln; George Washington's is soon.

Thursday was Blame Someone Else Day. Some folks celebrate that all year long – especially politicians and elected officials. Parents also hear blame-shifting year ‘round, as do teachers. After all, just about everything that goes wrong is someone else’s fault.

If blaming someone else doesn’t work, then celebrate Get A Different Name Day, which was also on Friday. Avoid consequences by changing names? Maybe so. Lots of criminals have aliases, don’t they?

Or perhaps getting a different name is tied in to Valentine’s Day. Fall in love, get married, take another name.

Most baffling, though, is one more observance that shares February 14th with Valentine’s Day.

How ironic that the 14th is National Condom Day. How’s that for something to coincide with Valentine’s Day?

The purpose of this special observance, though, is not fun and games. The American Social Health Association (ASHA) urges Americans to “Get Passionate About Prevention.”

ASHA points out that one in four Americans will contract a sexually transmitted disease at some point. That is not something to celebrate.


Now, for a few silly chuckles.  Thanks to Celie for sharing these:

Did you hear about the romance in the tropical fish tank? It was a case of guppy love.

What do you call two birds in love?

Tweethearts!

What do you call a very small valentine?
A valen-tiny!

What do farmers give their wives on Valentine's Day?

Hogs and kisses!

 

Why did the pig give his girlfriend a box of candy?

It was Valen-swine's Day!

 

Do skunks celebrate Valentine's Day?

Sure, they're very scent-imental!

Why do valentines have hearts on them?

Because kidneys would look pretty gross!

 

Why did the cannibal break up with his Valentine?

She didn't suit his taste!

 

Happy Valentine's Day!

We love because He first loved us.

How Close is Too Close for E-mail???

New neighbors are moving in next door.

When I met the husband half of the couple two days ago, he mentioned that his wife was looking for employment. I suggested a particular link on the web that might be beneficial and said I would e-mail the link to them, which I did.

I just received a reply from the wife half of the couple. She thanked me, then said she felt silly e-mailing someone who was just next door.

This reminded me of something.


My ex-husband and I met on the internet but not on one of the dating sites or anything similar. Somehow, we just ran across each other accidentally when we were involved with or researching the same topic somehow – history, politics, government; I don’t remember exactly what.

Shortly, we were e-mailing each other back and forth about things going on in South Carolina, where we both lived. This went on and on – about state politics, shipwrecks (his ventures), word oddities and more – for hours and hours, then days and days, then weeks and weeks. We figured we logged over 500 hours chatting with each other on-line before we ever had a first date.

After we got married, we sometimes e-mailed each other from within the SAME house! Isn’t that crazy? It’s much sillier than neighbors e-mailing each other.

Of course, this may be one of the reasons we are now exes; we communicated much better online than in person, I guess.

(In case you’ve read much on this blog, yes, he’s the same one who is now married to my cousin, so he is now my cousin-by-marriage!)

It's Time for Honey and Pleasure and Even More!

(If you're reading this on Facebook, click on the link to get the full post.)

This is National Singles Week.  For some folks, that's cause for celebration; for some, it's angst.   And for some, it's just wishful thinking!

Forget the week; I think I've just begun Singles Decade/Decades - depending on how long I live!

Ironically - or not - today is National Love Note Day, so celebrate!  Send a love note to someone you love.  You could even send a nice note to someone you just sorta like.  You know, spread a little kindness, spread a little love.


Of course, it's also National One-Hit Wonder Day.  Now, I don't know if or how that fits in with any of the other observances, but I have thoughts about that one that I'll keep to myself!

All of September is One-on-One Month and it's also Pleasure Your Mate Month.  No comments from me on either of those - not on this blog.  That's 'cause my momma sometimes reads this stuff.

National Honey Month is going on as well, but I don't know if that has to do with the food, bees or the endearing term. 

It's also Healthy Aging Month.  Finally, one I can observe and celebrate!

Inquiring Minds Want to Know

Okay, so maybe there aren't that many inquiring minds and maybe I’m the only one who wants to know, but I am very curious about something.

It’s fair to assume, I believe, that most people who read blogs probably have cell phones. Cell phones display the number or the name - or both - of the caller when a all comes through.

The question is this: Do you always answer your phone when it rings? Do you look to see who is calling first? Do you answer even if the number is an unknown one?

In the last few days, I’ve been getting anywhere from 2 to 6 calls per day from an “unknown number.” That’s what shows up on the screen and that’s it. The person calling never leaves a message – and I don’t answer the ringing phone. These calls just started recently and they've continued every day.

Am I wrong not to answer? If the caller really wants to reach me, shouldn’t he/she leave a message?

Besides, do we have phones for our own convenience or for the convenience of others? When I’m relaxing or when I’m busy, I don’t want to answer polls about political candidates or learn that I've been selected to visit a resort with no obligation except to listenj to brief presentation.

What do you think?

The Proposal. This is Not About the Movie

There’s a movie out called “The Proposal.” This is not about the movie, although I enjoyed the movie. How can you not enjoy Betty White???

The movie, though, made me start thinking about proposals. Over the years, I’ve heard about some very creative proposals and some very romantic ones.

One person asked his girlfriend to marry him on a billboard; another used a scoreboard at a ballgame. Yet another used a message behind a small advertising airplane. Another proposed on a Christmas ornament.

Since it hasn’t been that long ago, I remember well how Carroll a/k/a The Dawg asked me to marry him.

We were in a car, driving on I-26. What follows is the conversation:

Carroll: If I asked you to marry me, would you say “yes”?
Sherry: Is that a proposal?
Carroll: No.
Sherry: Oh, well.
Carroll: I don’t want to ask you unless you’re going to say “yes”; I don’t want to be turned down.
Sherry: Oh.
Carroll: I’ve never asked anyone to marry me before; I’ve never proposed to anyone.
Sherry: Well, maybe you ought to give it a try.
Carroll: Um, okay. Will you marry me?
Sherry: Yes.
(brief pause)
Carroll: Do you know what time the Braves play tonight?

How’s that for romantic?