So we’re sitting in the hotel restaurant that overlooks the ocean. It’s just sunset, and as we are seated, the hostess says "Happy Anniversary." It isn’t until we’ve settled in and gaped at the view that we really look at the two women seated at the corner window, right next to us. I would guess they’re in their late fifties, or early sixties, and they’re watching the sunset, just finishing their dinner.
Lala and I look at each other. Are they together? Are they sisters? We don’t want to make any assumptions…. Then one leaves for a moment, and when she comes back, she rests her hands on the other woman’s shoulders as they stare out to sea. As they leave, one of the women kind of stops, and turns, and says to us, "Have a good night," and smiles. I instantly regret not having asked them what they were celebrating (they have the same ribbons on their table, the ribbons that cued our hostess to wish us Happy Anniversary). They are together, and it makes us happy.
Then we have the most amazing meal. We share a bottle of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, and I have steak, she has swordfish. From time to time, Lala whispers that the couple behind us is being super sweet — an older man and woman are holding each others’ hands and laughing. That makes us happy.
When THAT couple leaves, the woman touches my shoulder and says, "How long have you been together?" One year, we tell her. "Congratulations, I remember our first year." She smiles at her husband, "This is our thirtieth." A few more pleasantries are exchanged, and they leave.
I am almost in tears. I feel like those two couples, sitting on either side of us, have blessed us, much like Mandy’s Zak did last year, when he doubled back to say that Mandy was his best friend, and that he hoped we felt about each other they way they did. But intead of crying, I eat the creme brulee and we toast each other.
It was the BEST.
And look! Today, the 3rd, is our second first anniversary — this is the legal one, one year since the day that we got really truly married in Canada. And to celebrate, Lala’s gone to work, and I’m sitting here in my pajama pants and a tee shirt, trying to decide what to do with my day. I have some unpleasant things I simply HAVE to do, so instead, I’ll show you some pictures, shall I?
There is a great toy store in Mendocino. I did not come home with this guy, although, there is a great yarn shop, also, and I might have come home with a couple of unmade socks. Maybe. I’ll never tell. (There is also a great music shop, and neither of us came home with another instrument. We are very proud.)
Honestly, holy hell, has no one told them? The only way this sign would be right is if the store in question was celebrating an un-named something belonging to ONE season, but Lala noticed it was a store full of all four seasons’ stuff (note how I mark possession? Hmmm?), so it’s just wrong. We loved it. (Oh, I just found their website, which I will not link, out of courtesy, and the possessive apostrophes are there sometimes, and not there other times. Wow.)
Hey, good lookin’. That’s my wife, standing on OUR DECK at the hotel. If you can swing it, someday you MUST stay at the Albion River Inn, five miles south of Mendocino. True, one night runs the price of three nights anywhere else, but it is worth every penny (especially when you book it as soon as you get your tax refund, and then you forget that they charged you back then, so when you get there, it’s as if it is free! Yay!).
We stayed in room 20, which is the best room, I think. It’s on the end, a little cottage right on the cliff edge. They left us a bottle of wine in our room, and provided things like robes and binoculars.
They also provided my favorite feature:
That cliff is private and fenced off — no one, not even guests can walk on it, so no one is going to walk in front of your bath. We watched hawks wheel right in front of the window. It was a.maze.ing.
In front of the restaurant.
Our view at breakfast.
What the ocean saw.
And here’s to many more. It’s been the most amazing year, if crazy-busy, and for our second year, we wish for health, happiness, enough money to pay the bills, and enough time to cut the grass and then watch it grow. Love is good.
I am so glad that you were able to feel loved and blessed on your anniversary. Sounds like a truly special time that you had. And that Inn looks gorgeous!!! So glad it was “free”.
Happy Anniversary! It looks like you chose the perfect spot to celebrate. Love is good, love is grand.
I have to say it, you two are so damn cute! And dinner? So freakin’ sweet! It made me cry a little…
Congratulations on the anniversary, both official and unofficial…
I am, as they say, all verklempt over here. Congratulations, and here’s to many, many more.
Congratulations on your anniversary!
Congratulations! I wish you many happy years together. And may the next legal anniversaries be as good as the first!
Yay! Thanks for telling us about your celebrations, and Happy Anniversaries!
I was sad I couldn’t come to the knit-out, but I was knitting with you in spirit from Germany.
Looks like you had beautiful weather in Mendicino. I hope to get there someday soon.
Blessings on your second year of marriage.
*sniff* I got all teary reading this, too. Happy Anniversary, ya two crazy kids.
I always cry nd get all mushy about Anniversary type events.
But as an aside, I totally love your ‘current’ hair color. Very warm and complimentary…
Congratulations on your anniversary.
Love the Season’s sign. Heh. That would have driven me up the wall! I hate finding stuff like that in newspapers and books, and so does my husband, because I end up ranting and raving about it to him later.
You guys are so cuuuuuuute!
Delurking to say Happy Anniversary!
I’m tearing up here at work. Love *is* good. (Now I must go hug my sweetie.)
Happy Anniversary to you both!
Happy Anniversary, you two sweetiepies…
My sweetie never celebrates our anniversary because he claims there shouldn’t be just one day to do that…but still…I’m thinking a hotel and an ocean view might change his way of thinking on that. Your celebration sounds perfect!
You two are adorable. Happiest of anniversaries.
Congratulations and happy anniversary!
OMG! I have stayed there before! And that’s sayin’ somethin’ b/c I’ve only been to CA twice in my life and I live in the Deep South. Albion River Inn! We hardly knew ye…
However, I stayed with my mom, so… not that romantic, but still beautiful. The food there was delish, too. Did you stay in the corner unit? The southernmost one? We did and saw people horseback riding in the meadow on the cliff across the river. They looked so tiny, like plastic horses on a big green blanket. And I cringed as they neared the edge, but thankfully, they were safe. Such drama.
Well, happy anniversary!
Isn’t it a tradition that after your first anniversary, you recreate everything you did on your honeymoon, especially going to all the places you visited and spending time with all the people you saw during your honeymoon? It isn’t? Oh.
What a beautiful story! Happy Anniversary!
Happy Anniversary, Rachael and Lala!
Awwwww, you made me all sniffle-y. Happy Anniversary! It must have felt amazing to be recognized as a real, official, legally married couple. You two look so happy together. What a beautiful way to conclude the first year and start on the 2nd!
Happiest of days to you both… here’s to many more!!!!
Congratulations! I’m glad it was such a good time!
What a wonderful description of your getaway. Made me feel as if I had been there–and I know you are glad that I wasn’t! Congratulations to both of you.
I really think this is the best, sweetest, happiest blog entry I’ve ever read (but I’m relatively new to blog-stalking).
Congratulations to you both!
Great post. Great place. GREAT “Season’s.”
Fantastic reason to celebrate. You two are SO good. I thought of you two this weekend, and knew you were having a wonderful, mushy, good time. Now it is confirmed. =) I can’t wait til Wifey and I come across you and La in a swank place like that someday, when we are all four like those sweet ladies you saw at dinner. Older, more wrinkly, more beautiful, more together with time. I’ll buy the first round.
Here’s to lerve. Love, too.
-Rev.
For the record? Damn! Lala takes a nice photo from behind! (But you knew that.)
Which isn’t to say that she doesn’t a nice one from the front… Crap. Foot in mouth. (I’ll eat my keyboard right after this.)
Not leching, just observing. (Hi Lala, seriously, just reporting the facts.)
All the couply photos are keyuuute!
I’ll stop, lest I dig myself deeper…
Ahem… -Rev.
you two are so cute. happy anniversary! much love and happiness to you both!
Love is good, indeed. And it looks good on you! (oth of you)
That looks like a lovely place to celebrate an anniversary!
Happy Anniversary! That looks like the perfect place to celebrate, and I love your story about the other couples at dinner.
That last photo is so great. Your eyes match.
Oh boy, those couple stories give me warm fuzzies all over. 🙂
Happy 1 again!
Happy anniversary. You made me tear up and go “awww!” (I’m such a mushmelon.) Your wishes for your second year are the best things ever. I hope they come true.
Well, as usual, I’m a day late, but Happy Anniversary to you!! The story of your dinner was very sweet and I’m glad it happened to you. Yous? You’s?
PS New great book (I got a million of em): Heart Shaped Box by Joe Hill. Scaaaary!
Congratulations! There’s something unexpectedly special about those legal anniversaries. That inn looks absolutely spectacular – especially here from cold, rainy Canada (Ontario). Wishing you guys all the best in year two and more!
You had the BEST anniversary!! And what a super hotel and dinner – we are coming up on 29 years but it won’t be as cool as that – more likely just Lobster at home 😀
And you got your tax refund a long time ago huh? I haven’t even given ours to our accountant – think we will need an extension??
Well, crap. I just wake up. I crack open a diet coke and a packet of Nutrigrain snacks. I load up your blog right after Mandy’s (who hasn’t had time to update in a while). And I read, and I’m so so happy for you and Lala, and then I have these huge tears running everywhere.
You rock, and you rock together, and it’s not hard to see how the whole world would understand that. Congratulations!
*sniff*
Beautiful… you, Lala, the view, but most especially all the love in your post. Although I’ve never met you and probably never will, I am filled with respect and joy for the two of you. Congratulations and may your blessings continue to be abundant.
Happy Anniversary! You two look so cute together!
Happy Anniversary!
Happy Anniversary! and many many more to come…
Hugs from NYC
Happy Anniversary – and here’s to many more.
The happiest of anniversaries to you two!! And, a wish for many, many more happy anniversaries to come!
I was thinking of you two all day! I’m so glad it was as amazing as possible. We are all happy with the happiness!
Happy, happy anniversary! And may your next years together be everything you hoped for and more.
Congratulations to you both and hope that you have years and years more of health and happiness. It’s so nice to find a couple who truly have found joy in all the simple pleasures that life has to offer, especially your celebration of each other.
Happy anniversary squared! And I know how hard it must have been to walk out of that toy shop without the sheepie. Do you and Lala really have perfectly matching colored eyes?????? WOWZA!
Happy Anniversary! What an amazing celebration you had. May you have many, many more!
Happy Anniversary! And many many more! I love Mendo! And I love your hair! When did you lighten it? Has it been so long since I lurked? I’m struggling with gauge and not enough yarn for my Cromarty, also on small needles. Wanted to let you know that it was not YOU, it’s Starmore! She is messing with us! Thanks for the inspiration! Rock on!
Congratulations 🙂 Reading things like this make me think that love is alive, after all.
Congratulations gals!!! xxx
Happy Anniversary! I wish a year full of as much happiness as is contained in these pictures to you both. 🙂
I’m not the biggest softy, but I almost got teary. That sounds like an incredible anniversary. Cheers!
Love to you both – and thanks for taking me on trips to places I would never know about otherwise!
You are loverly – really –
Happy! Happy! De-lurking here.
What a place to spend your anniversary! I love Mendocino and always try to get there when I’m in Cali. Now that I know they have a yarn store….
Many, many, many more happy days to you both!
Aww..you guys are awfully cute together. Happy Anniversary!
awwww. happy anniversary!
About the sign…perhaps the store was opened by someone whose name was Season? Then it would indeed be Season’s.
You two are just about the cutest darned thing ever, and I’m glad to be able to share in your happyness in all the little ways you write about it here. You two are an example of the way love should be. Joyful 🙂
Mazel tov! We spent our 5th in Mendocino and my best friend got married at the Albion River Inn (as ospreys soared overhead). The food was divine!
Wishing you two many, many more….
Happy, happy anniversary! And many more!
Happy Anniversary!! What a gorgeous place!
I used to have a friend named Season. At first, I thought maybe that was what that sign referred to. I have too much faith in the grammar skills of most, however.
Wishing you the best on your next year of marriage (and all the years to come, as well)!
On behalf of Canada, I’d like to wish you and Lala a happy belated anniversary. I hope someday you will be celebrating your 30th anniversary and blessing the couple next to you on their first.
I knew a girl named Season, but I don’t think she owns that store.
Congratulations on the love and the pro-coupleness of everyone around you. As a member of a happy couple, I always love being in the company of other happy couples, too. Amazing hotel!!
Happy Anniversary you two.
May you have everything you wish for and more times in that fabulous hotel!
Oh happy you two! Congratulations, and may you be surrounded by such beauty and such friendly folks always.