Happy Anniversary Party was party filled with love.

Gay and Stu in 2010

I could have danced all night, I could have danced all night...

Yes, a few years ago I could have danced all night, but Friday evening at the 50th-anniversary party for my sister, Gay, and her dear husband, Stu, I could not dance due to knee and hip problems, but everyone else did dance. The music was perfect for the different generations who attended. Guests arrived from many miles away - Chicago, Phoenix, Florida, and south Georgia - all to celebrate the long and happy marriage of these two beloved people.

As my readers know my family has gathered too often in the past few years for sad occasions. My brother's funeral this past February and the year before, in February, the service for his wife. 

What a joy it was to see Gay and Stu dance so beautifully to the song, Fascination. Their guests applauded as they watched the turns and graceful movements expected from a much younger couple.

Gay's dress was perfect for this dance. I hope to share a video soon.

 The older generation danced to the slower music, but as the night went on, the D.J. knew just the right music to get the younger generation on the floor. Seeing Susan's happy face as she left the dance floor brought warmth to my heart.  Her husband died too young. And she was too young to be left a widow with a son to raise alone. But she was beautiful last night as she made plans to have more fun in her life now. Another niece, a recent widow, had a good time, also, and I hope her future will brighten. 

Have you ever been in a room that was so filled with love that it seemed to permeate every inch of space amidst the enjoyment and laughter of those present? 

With many of Gay's family there and Stu's entire family who flew in from Chicago and distant lands, along with friends he grew up with from high school, from his work as public works director for the city of Roswell, Georgia, and so many others who know and love Gay and Stu, I delighted in meeting and talking with the most interesting people. One man, an 82-year-old pilot, once flew the biggest planes ever built. He invited me to come to his home and he would take me up in his plane.  Church friends didn't know their friends from work or other times and places in their lives, but before the night was over, they reached out and introduced themselves, all sharing their stories and history about the celebrated couple. 

Even the event coordinator said she had never seen such affection and happiness shared at a wedding or any other occasion. One of the waiters said he was brought to tears by the sincere words spoken that night.

I enjoyed sitting next to the pastor of Alpharetta Presbyterian Church, who I watch on TV each week. He is charismatic and has a great sense of humor. The renewal of the wedding vows was not so formal and was humorous at times with comments about their wedding in our family home in southwest Georgia fifty years ago. He reminded us all that after a short honeymoon, Stu, who was in the Navy, left for Guantanamo Bay. 

Fifty years ago, 1971, Stu and Gay were married in the living room of our family home.

Stu's nephew, Tom, gave a toast to the couple and did an outstanding job with the words written by Doug, Stu's brother who is dealing with health issues and could not speak. 

When we get photos taken at the party, I will share them on this blog. 

This is what I hope everyone who was at the party will remember: No matter your age, you can have a wonderful time and participate. People in their eighties can mingle with those under thirty and all have a great time. The only limitations are those in your mind. 

And then we were seven - photos that stir the memory

I am continuing my project of storing old photos on CDs and trying to organize all of them so that I know where they are. I came across a couple today that bring back memories. Above is a photo taken on my parents' 50th wedding anniversary - I believe it was June 1973. My father never put on a suit, but Mother somehow persuaded him to dress up for this big day. I was happy for her as all her neighbors, friends and family dropped in for the open house. Little did we know that a couple of years later she would collapse from a ruptured artery to her brain and would never remember this day.

We were seven - four brothers and three sisters - and now the oldest brother and the youngest brother are gone. My beautiful sister, June, to the left of my mother is and was a special lady. She personifies the word lady in every way.

She was a role model for me and since she is a bit older than I, she taught me many of the values I hold today. I knew she loved me unconditionally just as my mother did. She was fierce when she felt I'd been mistreated and she'd go to bat for me in a second, whether defending me from my brothers' accusations or my father's anger, or a teacher who didn't understand. All little girls need someone in their corner, especially when they are too shy or insecure to stand up for themselves. I have written a number of stories about June and me.

How about those Seventies' clothes? Do any of you remember those hairdos and those dresses? The worst part of the trends of the seventies were the long hair on men and the mustaches. Both Hal and Rex sported hirsute faces that covered up their handsomeness, I thought.

The long sideburns, fashionable at the time, now remind me of Sonny Bono, singing partner of Cher and later senator.

What a happy day we had together and Daddy even enjoyed it. I think he agreed to this event because he didn't have to leave the farm. The party came to him - which was fine because he was comfortable in his own home. Photos stir up memories we can write about. Just from this one photo, I could write enough stories to fill a book. Have you done this? Have you taken a photo and tried to jot down all the memories provoked by it?

It is amazing what you think about when you do this.

This is me wearing a hat that belongs to my friend Linda Clarke. I liked this picture and I love my friend who looked dazzling in her hats. We have shared many things over the past 25 years having met in Albany, GA when her husband was transferred to my hometown. We boated down the Flint River, across Lake Seminole, and down to Apalachicola one weekend. That experience was new and fun because I'd never been through the locks on the river. A bit of an adventure for sure.

Linda loaned this hat to wear for the picture. That is the only time I wore it, but it is kind of cute, don't you think?