OK it was just a mere 42 years ago and yes I can remember it as if it was just yesterday.  That means an old person is telling this story.  Humor can slide along with me on this one.  August the 8th is the anniversary of Grandparents, Katie and John Murphy, and Parents, Mary and Charlie Pfau…and yes, it is the long lost anniversary of Jill and Udo.  That 42 year anniversary belongs to the latter couple. Yes it did rain on the wedding day…supposed to be bad luck.  The groom did forget the ring and the best man had to go fetch it.  The bride showed up early as usual.  The groom was late. Now you know I am talking about the latter couple.  Of course.  When it was time to profess the vows, the bride cried and could not speak. Therefore the clergy man recited the vows for her.  Oh my.  Is that binding?  After it was all over, the newly weds walked down the aisle of the small country church, reached the doorway and the bride had to step on her tiptoes to kiss the groom.  Now, what is that matter with that picture! Speaking of which, the photos were taken outdoors (in the drizzling rain).  Looking back upon those photos, I can only comment that I have never seen such a somber gentleman.  The next episode came at the reception, where the bride threw her bouquet to all of the single girls, and it landed in the chandelier.  No one was going to get married from that group of hopefuls.  When the dinner and dancing subsided, the bride and groom walked upstairs in the hotel that was supposed to be the evening to top all evenings, and when they tried to open the door of their honeymoon suite, someone was standing on the other side of the door.  Another couple was residing in “our” room and were very upset that we had tried to barge in on them.  We reported this to the management, whom only offered regrets that they had rented the honeymoon suite out to two couples at the same time.  What that meant to us was “first come first serve”.  Off to the car we went, back to our apartment. And yes, the bride was carried over the threshold. For those of you who are reading this and who are from the current generation, that was the custom in the day.  Now if you were indeed listening to the saga with focus, you may be able to select the only thing that turned out correctly. Traditionally, the ceremony, the gifts, the vows are everlasting.  In the real world, all that really matters is that a new beginning happened, love was shared, precious children arrived, all in spite of “tradition.”  The day doesn’t matter…the tears are long spent, the immortality of the promise means everything.  I always believed that God has a sense of humor.  After all these years, I can finally chuckle and look back with a smile.  The end.