The Romantic Vineyard

What do you think of when you see this number?

My first thought is the record collection I had as a young teenager. Records came in three sizes—45 rpm that had a single song on each side. 33 rpm that is the most familiar as a full size album. Lastly the 78 rpm which I’m sad to say I don’t remember the difference.

I had a small light blue case full of my record collection.

I grew up in the 60’s and 70’s—a time of new music genres. The Beatles just made their debut on the American stage in 1964. I was 5. But my sister was 11 and smitten with their hair-styles and music. As an adult I now recognize their talent for what it is, brilliant.

My sister also loved the king—Elvis. She watched every movie and swooned listening to his captivating voice. Neither Elvis nor the Beatles grabbed my interest. I was too young.

I loved what became known as bubble gum music—the Monkees, the Archie’s, Cuff Links and of course, the Herman’s Hermits.

I remember being so excited when the Archie’s #1 record, Sugar Sugar, came on the back of my cereal box. Seriously! I punched it out and played it on my record player. you can imagine the pull for parents to indulge their teenage daughter’s request. Marketing at its finest, or not; I don’t remember the brand of cereal.

My friends and I would spend hours playing our 45 rpm records on my record player over and over again. We knew every song by heart. Although often times I got the lyrics wrong. Many I didn’t know the correct lyrics until I was an adult and had an “aha” moment—“That’s what they were saying?!”

When Casey Kasem’s American Top 40 countdown started playing each Saturday, we were glued to our transistor radios. As soon as the #1 hit was made known we would jump on our banana seat bikes and ride to the 5 and dime to purchase the 45 single before it was sold out.

This was my life growing up in Central Florida.

Tom is from upstate NY and is five years older. He, like my sister, had completely different musical interests than me. I played the piano. He played the drums. He doesn’t even remember listening to anything other than the radio until he moved to Florida at 15. By then he was into rock and roll. We are amazed that God brought us together as He did. Such varied backgrounds are what give our marriage its personality.

Thanks for walking down memory lane with me. But there is a better reason I have this number on my mind…

45 represents the number of years we’ve been married as of this Saturday.

45! I love this for it ties together two of my favorite things: marriage and music.

When Tom called me asking me out for the first time, I was ecstatic. I had always respected Tom, as he helped me through many struggles in my young life. We were friends and later became us. We have always believed it’s best to be friends first before becoming husband and wife. This is a good start for a lasting marriage.

Here’s a song that expresses our love all these years later…Happy Together by The Turtles from 1967.

Happy Anniversary, babe. I’m grateful for the good times and the hard times for this is what has made us who we are today—Happy and Together. I love you!