on this day, for the 19th time...

Nineteen years. Not a round number, but a solidly good number. A remarkable one, unimaginable to me way back when. A happy number. Ed and I have been together for nineteen years. 

If you are a steady Ocean reader, you'll have read the story of our beginnings. Of our first date that was so successful that we never paused, we plunged into a life with each other thereafter. Of my move to the farmette. Of his sailing, of our travels together and then not so much together. Of our bikes, hikes, of breakfasts on the porch, of farmette projects, of couch time in the evenings. You'll know Ed is calm and that I mimic that calm, because he makes it so easy to do so. You'll know he hates stuff and I don't quite mimic him there, but I do try. He's so frugal it hurts. I smooth out some of those rough edges. 

What am I doing! Repeating things you probably know too well!

But the fact is, we are getting older -- he even more than I (it's his birthday today as well, so a year suddenly got added to the tally, and yes, same date as Kamala Harris) and if I had never really thought about growing old together when we first plunged into this incredible adventure (19 years ago!), well, here we are, stumbling into it full force, discovering what it's like to climb stairs with fake knees, zonk out after a bike ride, cough forever once a cough gets started, feel full after two bits of dinner, monitoring sugar intake because one should, but caring less about details such as unkempt yard corners and dusty frames on hanging pictures. 

I love my life alongside this person who is not at all like me, but who meshes well with me anyway. I love what we've built together and separately, but next to the other. It is such a happy moment -- to realize we've been at it for 19 years. Incredible.

Morning walk to barn...

 

Breakfast -- would you believe it -- on the porch!  An anomaly to be sure, but not one we'll pass up!

In the afternoon, we go for a walk on one of the many good trails within a few minutes of the farmette. This one is a tad overgrown in places, but oh, so lovely at this time of the year.

Look! We have company!

Not for long...

(the birthday boy)

My job for the day back at the farmette? Finish the bulb planting! And I do. Done! Now, could we please have some rain? No? Stubborn skies...

In the evening we're out to dinner. At Sardine's, which we've recently called our own, only because the place that was really our own for so many years (Brasserie V) closed. Sardine has been more of a "family celebrations" place, but he likes it and I like it, and he orders the same thing he would have ordered at Brasserie V -- moules frites. But with a special addition today: a half dozen oysters to share. They go back to his younger years in New York,  when his father would share a few with him on a special occasion.

(can you believe it -- we eat outside!)

Happy Birthday, Ed. To you, to us, with gratitude, with so much love...