My hubby Leon and I have been together for 38 years. We married on October 25th, 2014 because that’s when it became legal “across state lines”. So tomorrow is our anniversary.
Back in 2014, Leon’s mom, brother, sister, their spouses and children were coming to Connecticut from Pennsylvania for Leon’s birthday on October 23….so I proposed we get married on October 25th while they were going to be around anyway. My family and friends were all nearby.
We purchased our silver wedding rings in Provincetown, got our license, asked our friend Michele who was Justice of the Peace (and who has since passed away), to perform the ceremony. We bought matching shirts and ties on sale at Kohl’s, booked the local Italian restaurant for 16 guests, ordered flowers for us, my sister, Leon’s mom, the JP and the table. We purchased a cake at Costco. I made Italian cookies, my sister-in-law made cookies and favors, my niece Andrea played guitar and sang Bob Dylan’s “Make You Feel My Love”.
I told my sister, who has since passed away, (a Sister of Mercy) we are inviting you to our wedding, but I don’t want you to get in trouble (with the RC Church) for attending a “gay” wedding. Her reply: “Don’t be silly. I’ll be there!” (The nuns she lived with all sent cards and congrats. Love them.) Friends Ed and Jeff and Joyce and Robin were our Best Persons. The ceremony was at our house in the sunroom.
Anyway, here is a re-post of a video I made several years ago - collage of some moments of Leon and me, our family and friends. The music is “Strong For You” by Jeff Krassner (a gay singer/song writer who passed away in 2016).
P.S. You should know that I am the sensitive, fragile, emotional, sentimental and sometimes a bit crazy one, so the lyrics of the music accompaniment are definitely more Leon being “strong for me”, than I being strong for him…
“Strong For You” Jeff Krassner
When the blues come cavin’ in
and you lost your way again
I will be strong for you
When the rain comes pouring down
and shelter’s no where to be found
I will be strong for you
Let my love provide a fortress for your soul
A haven in the chaos
That’s raging out of control
When the things that people say
Make us hide our love away
I will be strong for you
When the lies consume you whole
And you feel you just can’t go on
I will be strong for you
I cannot be shaken
No, no, I will not be moved
Though the winds of change are shifting
I’m steady win or lose
And when you’re feelin’ weary
I will hold you up
Just fall into my lovin’ arms
Close your eyes and trust
I will be strong for you…strong for you
I will be strong for you
Now I cannot be shaken
I will not be moved
Though the winds of change are shifting
I’m steady win or lose
And when you’re feeling weary
I will hold you up
Just fall into my lovin’ arms
Close your eyes and trust
I will be strong for you… I will be strong for you
No, I will not move
I’m with you, with you, win or lose
I will be strong for you
Today is my husband Leon’s birthday – I wrote this when he was Forty-nine and…today he is sixty-five, but it’s all still true:
He is Italian by osmosis – he has eaten enough home cooked Italian food in 22 (38) years to maintain high levels of garlic and tomato sauce in his Irish blood. Even if it was all washed down with Diet Coke.
He loves cars – looking at cars, driving cars, washing cars and talking about cars and talking about cars and talking about cars.
He has a Better Than GPS sense of direction and memorizes every twist, turn, bump, pothole and landmark on any trip we’ve been on.
He is thoughtful and generous – always going the extra mile to help a friend or stranger. (Like when he towed a camper several hundred miles for some people who’d broken down on the highway.)
He tips the waitrons too much and washes whoever’s car is in our driveway when they least expect it.
He likes water – seems he’s always playing in it and running the well dry. (Ah, we now have city water)
He snores and denies it.
He loves TV and Movies and Netflix and
iTunesYouTube. Any electronic gadget is his friend.He laughs at TV shows that aren’t even funny.
He talks (texts) on the phone so much that I’ve suggested an implant. He is our social director.
He is the one who knows what all the wires in back of the TV are for and how to connect them to make multimedia work.
He thinks he likes Martinis but I think he just likes the olives.
He works hard, but when he stops, he sure can be lazy.
He always seems to see a situation clearly for what it is – and acts thoughtfully, honestly and decisively. He doesn’t get bogged down with internal conflicts.
He always looks out for me, and seems to know what’s best.
He is my shoulder to cry on, my buddy to laugh with, my partner to walk with. He is my rock, my anchor during turbulent times. He is my best friend, my companion, my lover…forever my fiancé and my spousal equivalent but not yet my husband. (He has been my husband since 2014!)
He is all this and more…and I love him dearly.