Gemini Rising

Blog Week Post #3 - Adventures & Friends

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Blog Week Birthday Bastion 2024  (13+) Blogging event from September 1-7, 2024. Closed. #2277665 by WakeUpAndLive~doingNaNo'24

Today’s Prompt for 3 SEP is:

You can achieve all the things you want to do, but it's much better to do it with loved ones around you; family and friends, people that you care about that can help you on the way and can celebrate you, and you can enjoy the journey. ~John Lasseter

Your most significant other(s) is/are....! Write about your loved ones (furry or not).

Word Count: 430

Well, I do agree – I can achieve all things I want to do, but it’s better with loved ones. Warts and all. And after 32 years of marriage there’s some warts.

I met the hubby when I was 23 and he was 22. I think. Or I was 22 and he was 21. I can’t remember it was so long ago. We met in Butzbach, Germany, as we were stationed in Germany at the time. It was 1990 and we attended a leadership course called “Primary Leadership Development Course.” Or PLDC. Those early years really did sum up “achieving all we want to do, but it’s better to do it with friends and loved ones.” On our days off we would visit Hanau and eat at Chi Chi’s an American themed Mexican restaurant. I think one of our first dates was at the Chinese restaurant in Bad Hersfeld. Honestly, at the time, food in Germany was pretty tasty wherever you went. We had friends in Berlin and would travel there to spend a weekend and explore Berlin. That was right after the Wall fell but before German unification so we still had to travel the authorized way to Berlin and pass through Checkpoint Alpha and Bravo. We took USO trips to Berchesgarten and Garmish. Berchesgarten was awesome. There was a salt mines and we could visit Hitler’s hideaway at the Eagle’s Nest. Garmish was a little bit more low key, but I remember going skiing there. My first and only time. Ultimately, we got married in Falster, Nykobig, Denmark and took the train to get there. Exciting times.

Throughout it all, my friends from High School were always there for me – Idgy, Karen, and Alyssa. As was my sister. Karen and Alyssa came to visit me in Germany when I was station over there and I can remember long letters talking about Germany and sending them photos. I sent them gifts, too. As the years passed by, we established a yahoogroups and kept in touch via emails. We still do. Honestly, the girls are my rock and it’s awesome that we can still share our ups and downs with each other. These past couple of years, I’ve taken the family out there to spend time in New England with the “aunties” as I call my friends. The boys have taken to the aunties with lots of love. One of our favorite adventures was visiting Warren’s Lobster house in Maine back in April 2022. Whatever the journey, having the family and the Aunties along for the ride make great memories.