A Great Weekend

This weekend begins another happy time in our household.  There are two reasons for our joy.  The second one is our traditional beginning of an annual Christmas Village we construct as our way of celebrating Christmas.  Here is just one scene from a village that is assembled on all four walls of our living room;

The village uses collectable lighted structures from the Department 56 Dickens Village Series, Victorian Village Series, and an assortment of other Department 56 pieces such as people, trees, street vendors, animals, and many, many more.  Even the Fresh Fallen Snow is from Department 56.

Every year we begin construction on Veterans’ Day, Nov. 11^th, which falls on Sunday this year.  Our daughter has a long weekend from her job so we decided to take advantage and start building Saturday.  Our goal each year is to officially light the completed village during the weekend after Thanksgiving.  We’ve only missed our goal once, back in 2002 when I had a massive heart attack.

I’ll give you a brief look at the completed village on Nov. 25^th and perhaps some progress views along the way.  You can also see representative samples of last year’s completed village here.

This is also the weekend when we honor the great American men and women for their service and for many, the ultimate sacrifice to keep the United States safe.  We thank all of the veterans from the beginning of our country and through today into the future for protecting this nation both at home and abroad through both peace and conflict.  Thank you.

The first reason and my main reason we are so happy this weekend, however, is strictly personal.  My wife and I are celebrating our 51st wedding anniversary.   

We had met in 1960 shortly after I returned to Maine following graduation from the University of Florida.  I told you a lot more about that story in previous year’s anniversary posts.  She has been my life ever since and her strength and support through several severe medical episodes is why I’m still here today.  I’d like to think I returned a little of that a couple years ago when we went through her cancer together.

So this weekend, the 11^th to be exact, we celebrate 51 years of learning, growing, supporting, and loving. We’re planning on more. Happy Anniversary, Sandra, I love you and I’m so glad you’re with me.

Dave