As each birthday seems to zip by for myself, I've enjoyed growing old with you!
I hope you have enjoyed growing old with me. Yes, I know, living with me gets old, very old, fast. Especially
all my controlling ways and worry warting! So enough about me, let's honor you.
You are one of those exciting people who enjoy the moment, and have added so many wonderful
experiences to my life, many of which I would have been "chicken" to experience without you inviting, coaxing, and yes, sometimes pushing
me over the edge!
I love to listen to you "play" the piano. I like what you do with Scott Joplin.
Makes me think I am in Disneyland at the Carnation pavillion for a moment. Of course, what you do with Bach, Beethoven,
Mozart, Dvorak, Schumann, Brahms, Hayden, and the other great classical composers is always "striking" to me as you are able
to read all of those sixteenth and thirty second notes like they were all adagio whole notes! Love to watch your fingers
spider their way up and down the black and whites. And it was equally fun to watch you play the very very big piano
with your feet in New York in Schwartz's toy store.
Because of you, we have our very own Beverly Hills Chihuahua (see picture above) and your
excitement and love for the little animals in our house is as good a lesson in unconditional love as any! Kissing you
is a tad interesting after they have licked you "to death" but I haven't died yet. Well, of course, I die every time
I kiss you!
I was a little nervous about the insurance policy you took out on me recently and that's the
only reason I took one out on you! I took out the policy a couple of days before your birthday, because it was cheaper.
No, of course not, I will not let on in any way how old you are. I know women are very offended when their husbands
publicize their age. Yes, I will tell everyone in cyberspace that you are definitely younger than me!
I think one of the most exciting moments of our life together is when you thought you were going
to be sent to Alcatraz. I admired the way you ran from the police and were able to hide out for several hours till they
finally gave up persuing you. And I never let on that I knew you nor did I give them any kind of identifying information,
so I am sure the event will never come back to haunt us. Oh my God, there's a pounding on my office door!
I will never forget and still admire the way you stood up in the midst of that bar fight at
TGIF's and bellowed for the two men to STOP FIGHTING! Yes, you are right, I was hiding under the table like a chicken
again, but that is why you are so good for me!!
I know it is annoying that whenever you go anywhere in Redlands, kids of all ages
shout out your name. But I hope you realize they are always excited to see you and want so much for you to remember
them. It shows you are leaving all your students with something they value and want to hang on to.
I love seeing you in my memory jumping in the waves from San Diego to Canada, from the west
coast to the east coast, skiing the slopes of Big Bear and Utah, driving the electric car in Keywest and discovering Hemingway's
ghost. You trying to throw me off the Empire State Building when I wouldn't stop worrying if we had enough money was
a little disconcerting, but it was a view that few people have had. I'm glad I snapped a couple of pictures while I
was hanging over! (See picture above)
Most of all continuing to see you floating down the center aisle of Old Mission San
Luis Obispo is the grandest image of all. I am so glad you married me with all my quirks, quacks, and
quocks. And I am so glad I married YOU.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY! AND MANY MORE
Happy Birthday, Dianna!
